Salesperson attributes that influence consumer perceptions of sales interactions

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to examine how modern, digital era customers in a business-to-consumer (B2C) setting prioritize salesperson-customer orientation attributes when evaluating their expectations regarding interactions with salespeople, as well as their impact on positive and negative word-of-mouth. In addition, the research further investigates which negative salesperson attributes have an impact on overall customer experience and satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Role theory and expectancy-disconfirmation theory form the theoretical foundation for two mixed-method studies. Study 1 is an exploratory content analysis of online consumer reviews and social media word-of-mouth related to consumer experiences with salespeople. Study 2 is a three-round Delphi study investigating which salesperson orientation attributes are most important to the customer in B2C interactions. Findings The results uncover which salesperson customer orientation attributes are essential for modern consumers and how they differ as a function of context (retail, direct-selling and follow-up) and how they contribute to the generation of digital word-of-mouth. Originality/value This paper expands B2C sales interaction literature by exploring the need for differing sales attributes based on the differential function of the shopping environment.

The evolving direct‐to‐consumer retail model: A review and research agenda

“…When dealing with service failures, customers perceived that salespeople should have these essential characteristics: problemsolving ability, empathy, and responsiveness to customers (Fergurson et al, 2021).…”

“…While we acknowledge the limitations of our work, we consider them to be opportunities for future research. Hernandez-Ortega & Ferreira, 2021;Lim, Cheah, et al, 2022;Wu, Aw, & Chuah, 2023) 10 Cue utilization theory 2 (Branca et al, 2023;Das et al, 2021) 11 Naïve theory 2 (Das et al, 2021;Kluge & Fassnacht, 2015) 12 Theory of reasoned action (TRA) 2 (Balasubramanian et al, 2005;Wagner et al, 2020) 13 Uses and Gratifications (U&G) theory 2 (Wagner et al, 2020;Zimand-Sheiner et al, 2022) 14 8C Framework 1 (Baker et al, 2018) 15 Assemblage theory 1 (Bahmani et al, 2022) 16 Behavioral decision theory 1 (Li et al, 2020) 17 Bias of omission theory 1 (Kees et al, 2008) 18 Business model framework 1 (Jeansson et al, 2017) 19 Categorical uncertainty theory 1 (Hu et al, 2023) 20 Channel theory 1 (Wu, Aw, & Chuah, 2023) 21 Commodity theory 1 (Kluge & Fassnacht, 2015) 22 Competitive advantage theory 1 (Jindal et al, 2007) 23 Consumer search theory 1 (Moriuchi, 2019) 24 Demand life-cycle theory 1 (Webb & Hogan, 2002) 25 Economics of information theory 1 (Wagner et al, 2020) 26 Effectuation theory 1 (Tolstoy et al, 2021) 27 ES-QUAL model 1 (Shaw et al, 2022) 28 Expectation-disconfirmation model theory 1 (Fergurson et al, 2021) 29 Expectancy-value theory 1 (Loupiac & Goudey, 2020)…”

Building Value through Sales Ethics

“…Ethical sales practices should align incentives in that step with the previous four steps. In fact, a Delphi study with a national sample of consumers in the United States suggests that the ethical behaviour of sales associates is significant for consumers and will impact their post-purchase behaviour in ways that can be measured by companies, such as the online reviews that consumers post (Fergurson et al, 2021). An example of this is from one of our clients, a coffee company, during the COVID pandemic.…”

The Role Of Word Of Mouth’s Value Co-Creation On The Achievement Of Sustainability

“…Word of Mouth is more trusted by potential consumers than direct sales by a salesperson (Fergurson, Gironda, & Petrescu, 2021). The superior point of WOM lies in its superiority in spreading a recommendation.…”