Impact of Salesperson s Preferences on Level of Involvement in Retail Context

Abstract

A successful purchasing transaction is a two way process. The customer validates the product s newlinedelivery of his expectations, ably assisted by the manufacturer s representative, usually a newlinesalesperson who understands what is to be fulfilled so as to match the customer s expectations. newlineWhile a lot of research ahs been focusing on what makes a customer define his expectations of a newlineproduct, lesser effort has been spent on the process a salesman undergoes to make a transaction newlinesuccessful. newlineSimilar to a customer having predispositions about a product based on the characteristics of a newlineproduct and the brand equity, an organisation also has a view of an ideal customer. This is newlinedefined by the process of segmentation while the product is targeted at a market place. The entire newlinestrategy adopted in the marketing mix is formed based on the profile of the segment. newlineSeveral times the customer who purchases the product may not fit into the segment targeted. newlineUpward mobility aspired by customers and misjudgment of the segmentation criteria. This thus newlinemay create a predisposition in the salesman s minds who are the last mile implementers of a newlinechosen marketing strategy. Based on his own personality and attitudes, each salesman has a newlinemental sketch or profiling of a customer with whom his interaction can be successful and also newlinepleasurable. newlineBeyond the individual criteria of a particular segment, a customer is also influenced by external newlinefactors like group, family and culture in the decision making process of buying a product. The newlineinvolvement of external factors can be either facilitators or hindrances for making a sale newlinesuccessful. A salesman can also have a predisposition towards what external factors would make newlinea particular transaction successful. newlineThis research evaluated the predisposition a salesman in retail business can have across formats newlineand industries in both the individual characteristics like demographics, attitudes, lifestyle and newlineoccupations as well as the external factors like the composition group accompanying a newlineprospective customer and tries to measure the impact of such predispositions. newline