The role of end-users in successful B2B SaaS adoption
The SaaS business model differs from traditional software because value is created after implementation through continuous use, renewals, and expansion. Recurring revenue depends on whether employees, the actual end-users, adopt the tool and integrate it into their work process. For this reason, adoption is a long-term behavioural process that determines whether the organisation achieves value and whether the provider retains the customer.
There are different roles among end-users of a SaaS solution. Typically, these are employees who use the program in their daily work to complete tasks and produce results. These roles vary because employees differ in their psychology, motivation, and background. In this context, five main end-user roles can be identified.
Among them, influencers play a particularly important role in adoption. Influencers are employees who are curious, tech-savvy, or motivated to explore the system more deeply. They often have prior experience with similar tools and support others by sharing knowledge and demonstrating useful features. Data shows that learning happens primarily inside the team, through peer interaction. Knowledge sharing further strengthens this dynamic. End-users often rely on colleagues when exploring new features or solving uncertainties, which makes internal interaction an important part of adoption. Some colleagues naturally take on an influencing role by testing features, showing results, giving explanations, and preparing small demonstrations. Their actions encourage others to explore new possibilities and support wider adoption across the team.
This aligns with the strong social influence factor highlighted in adoption research: when respected peers use a new system, others are more likely to follow. Adoption is largely a behavioural process, influenced by how employees feel about the change and how they learn from each other. Motivation, clear communication, and peer influence often determine success.
Because of this dynamic, identifying influencers early can significantly strengthen onboarding and adoption. Customer organisations can assign them some responsibilities, acting as champions, supporting peers, and providing feedback that bridges communication with the provider. Some companies even recognise these competencies during hiring, especially for roles that require strong digital adaptability.
For providers, however, accessing influencers is a challenge. These employees belong to the customer organisation, yet they influence whether adoption succeeds. Customer Success teams benefit when they can communicate directly with end-users, not only managers, because influencers offer real insights into team behaviour, barriers, and learning needs. Providers may therefore need to ask customers to have an opportunity to communicate with their influencers and invite them into onboarding sessions, feedback loops, or user communities.
Supporting influencers is also an opportunity. Providers can offer advanced training, early-feature access, or recognition programmes that motivate these users to continue supporting the tool internally. Such support strengthens co-creation, reduces resistance, and increases the likelihood of full adoption across the organisation.
In summary, SaaS adoption is a social process. Technical setup alone does not create value; employees’ interactions, shared learning, and internal influence do. By understanding the different end-user roles, especially influencers, both customers and providers can build stronger practices and create the conditions for continuous use, deeper feature adoption, and, as a result, real value co-creation.
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