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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 8 June 2012

Lei Guo and Irene C.L. Ng

This paper aims to examine the driving factors of salespeople's relational behaviors in the business to business marketing context.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the driving factors of salespeople's relational behaviors in the business to business marketing context.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were tested through a quantitative study via an online survey. Data were collected from 224 salespeople dealing with business customers in manufacturing as well as service industries in China.

Findings

The results showed that perceived consequences, affect‐based judgment and salespeople's communal or exchange orientation influenced their relational behaviors. In particular, communal orientation, perceived reciprocity from the customer, and a liking for the customer positively affected relational behaviors, whilst exchange orientation had a negative impact on those behaviors.

Originality/value

This paper provides a framework of the antecedents to salespeople's relational behaviors in the business to business marketing context, filling in the gaps found in previous research by studying the driving factors, not the outcomes, of individual salespeople's relational behaviors.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 27 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2022

Zixuan Cheng, Kirk Plangger, Feng Cai, Colin L. Campbell and Leyland Pitt

This paper aims to explore how business-to-business (B2B) salespeople use social media and emulate value creation strategies used by social media influencers.

1524

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how business-to-business (B2B) salespeople use social media and emulate value creation strategies used by social media influencers.

Design/methodology/approach

Using 28 interviews with salespeople, this paper develops six propositions and a conceptual framework that outlines when and how B2B salespeople use social media in value-creating sales.

Findings

This study’s findings provide a critical analysis of when social media are most effective and beneficial in supporting salespeople’s value-creating sales in various stages in the sales process (e.g. prospecting, opening relationships, qualifying prospects and serving accounts) and when they are less effective (e.g. presenting sales messages and closing sales).

Research limitations/implications

This research yields a substantive understanding of the evolving role that social media play in B2B sales by examining B2B salespeople’s value creation strategies through the lens of social media influencers’ practice and outlines ideas for future research on B2B salespeople’s social media strategies.

Practical implications

The findings of this research can be used by B2B organizations to structure the training of B2B salespeople to use social media to the fullest extent by aligning specific strategies with different parts of the sales process.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by summarizing the B2B sales literature on social media and integrating recent insights from the social media influencer literature; empirically identifying how B2B salespeople use social media to create value, thus validating previous findings and extending understanding by offering a set of six theoretical propositions; and delineating B2B salespeople’s social media practice into 11 value creation strategies that are critically explored for their place in the sales process.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 57 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 September 2020

Nawar N. Chaker, Edward L. Nowlin, Doug Walker and Nwamaka A. Anaza

Salespeople frequently face the predicament of wanting to protect their market knowledge from coworkers while not appearing recalcitrant. Considering the choice of disclosing…

Abstract

Purpose

Salespeople frequently face the predicament of wanting to protect their market knowledge from coworkers while not appearing recalcitrant. Considering the choice of disclosing information or refusing to disclose, they may choose a third option: appearing to share knowledge while concealing substantive information, which this study calls evasive knowledge hiding. This study surmises that the consequences of these choices impact perceptions of customer outcomes. Using social exchange theory, the purpose of this article is to examine the internal relational antecedents and perceptions of external customer outcomes of evasive knowledge hiding, as well as the moderating effects of pushover manager and environmental dynamism.

Design/methodology/approach

A moderated mediation model was used to analyze survey data from 234 business-to-business salespeople.

Findings

Internal competition and coworkers’ past opportunistic behavior increase evasive knowledge hiding. These effects are attenuated if the manager is not a pushover. Evasive knowledge hiding decreases perceptions of external customer outcomes, particularly at low levels of environmental dynamism.

Research limitations/implications

Data was collected from salespeople, which presents a look from perpetrators themselves. While directly observing salespeople was the goal, sourcing and matching customer and manager data would only strengthen the results.

Practical implications

Salespeople evasively hide their knowledge if it is in their best interest, which may unwittingly hurt perceptions of customer outcomes.

Originality/value

This study formally introduces salesperson evasive knowledge hiding into the marketing and sales literature. The research highlights the dark side of social exchange theory by demonstrating how internal coworker relationships affect perceptions of external customer relationships via evasive knowledge hiding. This study also introduces pushover manager as an enabling moderating variable.

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2007

Fernando Jaramillo, Daniel M. Ladik, Greg W. Marshall and Jay Prakash Mulki

In the years since Saxe and Weitz developed a scale to measure the selling orientation and customer orientation (SOCO) of a salesperson, research findings on the effect of SOCO on…

5182

Abstract

Purpose

In the years since Saxe and Weitz developed a scale to measure the selling orientation and customer orientation (SOCO) of a salesperson, research findings on the effect of SOCO on salesperson job performance have shown mixed results. This article aims to synthesize the findings from the empirical studies to identify the direction and the strength of this relationship. In addition, it aims to investigate the moderating effect of customer type (business or end user consumer) and type of job performance measure used (subjective or objective).

Design/methodology/approach

Research questions were addressed by a meta‐analysis of 16 studies containing 17 effect sizes from 3,477 respondents.

Findings

Meta‐analysis results reveal an attenuated weighted mean effect size (r) of this relationship of 0.14, with a 90 percent confidence interval of 0.04 to 0.23. The disattenuated mean effect size (rc) is 0.16. Findings also reveal that neither customer type nor type of job performance measures moderated the SOCO and job performance relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Although diligence was exercised to reduce selection bias, relevant studies may have been excluded from this meta‐analysis.

Practical implications

Study findings demonstrate that SOCO is an important predictor of salesperson job performance. High performance occurs when salespeople focus their energy on identifying the customer's individual needs and offer products to satisfy those needs.

Originality/value

This is the first published SOCO meta‐analysis.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 22 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2016

Selma Kadic-Maglajlic, Irena Vida, Claude Obadia and Richard Plank

The purpose of this study is to explore the linkages among emotional intelligence, relational selling behavior and salesperson performance. Although existing research acknowledges…

2852

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the linkages among emotional intelligence, relational selling behavior and salesperson performance. Although existing research acknowledges the importance of emotional facets in business relationships, the role of emotional intelligence is poorly understood in the literature on salesperson performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Two data sets from business-to-business salespeople in various industrial and service sectors were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Mediation hypotheses were cross validated through a bootstrapping approach with bias-corrected confidence estimates.

Findings

The results suggest that two focal types of selling behaviors – namely, adaptive selling and customer-oriented selling – fully mediate the positive relationship between emotional intelligence and salesperson performance.

Practical implications

The study offers new insights to sales and marketing managers on how individual capabilities (such as emotional intelligence) can be transformed into high sales performance.

Originality/value

Drawing on the ability view of emotional intelligence and highlighting its conative facet, the current research posits that emotional intelligence affects salesperson performance through relational selling behaviors.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 31 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2003

Charles H. Schwepker

This paper empirically examines the relationship between salespeople’s ethical conflict and their job performance. Results suggest that ethical conflict, resulting from an…

2530

Abstract

This paper empirically examines the relationship between salespeople’s ethical conflict and their job performance. Results suggest that ethical conflict, resulting from an incongruence in ethical values between salespeople and their organizations’ top management, has a negative affect on one element of job performance, meeting sales objectives. Implications and directions for future research are provided.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 18 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 January 2009

Tará Lopez and Amy McMillan‐Capehart

The purpose of this paper is to present an argument for the importance of organizational culture and organizational socialization as controls for business‐to‐business salespeople.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an argument for the importance of organizational culture and organizational socialization as controls for business‐to‐business salespeople.

Design/methodology/approach

Organization theory suggests that social forms of control can be an effective influence on salesperson activities and behaviors. Based on organization theory, the paper presents a typology of social control combinations and offers propositions to guide future research.

Findings

It is suggested that different combinations of organizational culture and socialization moderate the relationship between person‐organization fit and relevant outcomes such that, under various social control environments, creativity is greater, salesperson performance is higher, and salespeople are less likely to leave the firm and will experience greater job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The primary limitation is that it is conceptual in nature. Despite this, arguments presented herein support that socialization activities set the stage for salespeople's attitudes, behaviors, and performance, while organizational culture can reinforce or undermine the firm's socialization efforts. This provides the necessary foundation for future empirical research applying organizational theory to salesperson control.

Practical implications

Salespeople remain the driving force for revenue generation for many business‐to‐business firms. Sales managers are challenged with the task of directing salespeople to meet organizational objectives. However, based on organizational theory, traditional control methods may be less effective because of the unique characteristics of the business‐to‐business sales position. The research suggests that the organizational culture and the socialization tactics used by the sales manager can be tools that sales managers can use to control and direct the activities of salespeople.

Originality/value

Previous research has focused predominantly on outcome‐ and behavior‐based controls for business‐to‐business salespeople and has largely overlooked the potential influence of social controls such as organizational culture and organizational socialization. This research fills that gap.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 December 2021

Lily (Xuehui) Gao, Iguácel Melero-Polo, Miguel Á. Ruz-Mendoza and Andreea Trifu

The purpose of this study is to examine how and to what extent customer-provider service touchpoints impact business customer perceptions and outcomes in the context of long-term…

1043

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how and to what extent customer-provider service touchpoints impact business customer perceptions and outcomes in the context of long-term business-to-business (B2B) service relationships. To this end, the authors will assess the chain of effect path for different service touchpoints between business customers and service providers – and the long-term impact both on customer perceptions and financial, behavioral and relational outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Enabled by a five-year panel data set, seemingly unrelated regression model methodology is applied to test the proposed conceptual framework. Data are obtained for a sample of 2,175 B2B insurance service companies between 2013 and 2017.

Findings

Study results shed light on the significance of the sales force in B2B settings, as one of several key service touchpoints – together with firm expertise, service reliability and excellence – driving robust relationships, profitability and cross-buying. Firm-initiated contacts and tangible touchpoints are proven to be ineffective – even damaging in some instances – in terms of driving business customer perceptions.

Originality/value

The paper delivers empirical evidence providing insight on how service touchpoints and business customer perceptions have a long-term impact on customer outcomes. This has yet to be addressed in B2B service settings – despite being of vital interest to marketers, as the longitudinal approach of the research aids service firms in gaining a better understanding of company-customer touchpoints and the extent to which different factors have a decisive, lasting impact on B2B customer outcomes.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 37 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 March 2012

Heiner Evanschitzky, Arun Sharma and Catja Prykop

Previous research has emphasized the pivotal role that salespeople play in customer satisfaction. In this regard, the relationship between salespeople's attitudes, skills, and…

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has emphasized the pivotal role that salespeople play in customer satisfaction. In this regard, the relationship between salespeople's attitudes, skills, and characteristics, and customer satisfaction remains an area of interest. The paper aims to make three contributions: first, it seeks to examine the impact of salespeople's satisfaction, adaptive selling, and dominance on customer satisfaction. Second, this research aims to use dyadic data, which is a better test of the relationships between constructs since it avoids common method variance. Finally, in contrast to previous research, it aims to test all of the customers of salespeople rather than customers selected by salespeople.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs multilevel analysis to examine the relationship between salespeople's satisfaction with the firm on customer satisfaction, using a dyadic, matched business‐to‐business sample of a large European financial service provider that comprises 188 customers and 18 employees.

Findings

The paper finds that customers' evaluation of service quality, product quality, and value influence customer satisfaction. The analysis at the selling firm's employee level shows that adaptive selling and employee satisfaction positively impact customer satisfaction, while dominance is negatively related to customer satisfaction.

Practical implications

Research shows that customer‐focus is a key driver in the success of service companies. Customer satisfaction is regarded as a prerequisite for establishing long‐term, profitable relations between company and customer, and customer contact employees are key to nurturing this relationship. The role of salespeople's attitudes, skills, and characteristics in the customer satisfaction process are highlighted in this paper.

Originality/value

The use of dyadic, multilevel studies to assess the nature of the relationship between employees and customers is, to date, surprisingly limited. The paper examines the link between employee attitudes, skills, and characteristics, and customer satisfaction in a business‐to‐business setting in the financial service sector, differentiating between customer‐ and employee‐level drivers of business customer satisfaction.

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2007

Arun Sharma

The purpose of the paper is to examine shifts in sales organizations utilized to sell services to business‐to‐business customers. The paper also examines the changes expected in…

2937

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine shifts in sales organizations utilized to sell services to business‐to‐business customers. The paper also examines the changes expected in personal selling and sales management.

Design/methodology/approach

Extant academic literature and emerging practices are examined to determine trends.

Findings

The paper suggests that the traditional service‐focused sales organization is evolving in two distinct directions. First, enhanced sales automation is resulting in a reduction in salespeople's contact with customers. Second, an enhancement in the level of customer contact is leading to a growth of customer‐focused sales organizations and an increase in global account management teams.

Research limitations/implications

Additional research is needed in this area.

Practical implications

Changes are required in the manner in which personal selling and sales management is practiced in organizations. Firms need to make these changes or their sales forces will be less efficient and less effective.

Originality/value

This important area is very infrequently examined in literature. This is the first attempt to examine this area.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

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