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History
Publishing Programs
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Harald Biong, Norwegian School of Management
Fred Selnes, Norwegian School of Management
"The Strategic Role of the Salesperson In Established Buyer-Seller Relationships"
Abstract
When the ordering function is governed by administrative arrangements and
sales are regulated by long-term contracts, managers may question the necessity
and the tasks of the sales function within established customer relationships.
The authors examine three issues related to the role of the salesperson in
established industrial buyer-seller relationships: (1) appropriate measures of
salesperson performance within a relationship, (2) behaviors and skills
affecting salesperson performance, and (3) the effect of salesperson performance
on the relationship. The results from a survey of industrial buyers suggest that
the salesperson has a significant and substantial effect on relationship
continuity. They also show that the salesperson contributes to perceptions of
the supplier's reliability and supplier services. The key attributes of an
effective salesperson are ability to resolve conflicts, ability to develop a
personal relationship with customers, and ability to facilitate exchange of
information between the supplier and buyer firms.
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