Prior research has firmly established that consumers draw benefits from a firm's engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR), especially the feeling of “warm glow.” These positively affect several desirable outcomes, such as willingness to pay and customer loyalty. The authors propose do not blindly perceive CSR but tend suspect prices include markup finance engagement. Taking customers’ benefit perceptions price inferences into account, suggest mixed effects on consumers’ evaluation...

Abstract Artificial intelligence assistants (AIAs) such as Alexa are prevalent in consumers’ homes. Owing to their powerful artificial intelligence, consumers may perceive that AIAs have a mind of own, is, they anthropomorphize them. Past marketing research points beneficial effects AIA anthropomorphism for and companies, while potential harmful not been empirically explored. In examining both effects, this paper adopts relationship perspective. Indeed, spend large amounts time with AIAs,...

This article is the first to empirically examine effect of customer loyalty in retail price negotiations. Across three field studies and one negotiation experiment, authors establish what they call “loyalty–discount cycle”: negotiations with salespeople, loyal customers receive deeper discounts that, turn, increase loyalty, resulting a downward spiral company's enforcement. The reason for positive on discount twofold: (1) demand reward their invoke elevated perceived power, (2) retain...

The concept of customer centricity is frequently debated by sales and marketing researchers practitioners. However, to date no validated scale exists that measures what extent customers perceive companies as centric. Against this backdrop, drawing on prior literature, qualitative interviews, a survey (N = 246), the authors develop validate measurement for perceived centricity. In addition, using matched financial data from industrial 1,089), examine antecedents consequences Results show...

Positive effects of incentives on salespeople’s motivation, effort, and performance are well-established in literature. This article takes a novel look at their influence health. The results four empirical studies, including more than 1,400 salespeople, suggest that an increasing variable compensation share (i.e., greater pay-for-performance component plans) increases stress, resulting emotional exhaustion sick days. These outcomes likely for salespeople with lower personal ability fewer...

Extant research established that customers’ expectations play an ambivalent role in the satisfaction formation process: While higher are more difficult to meet and thus cause dissatisfaction, they simultaneously increase via perceived performance owing a placebo effect. However, date, knowledge is scarce on question under which conditions either positive or negative effect of prevails. Building information processing theory, authors hypothesize essential contingency indirect, placebo-based...

The digital transformation of organizations is a pervasive force which fundamentally changes companies and, in fact, society as whole. For many companies, the sales at center this seeing essential role salespeople customer-company interface and exceptional quantifiability salespeople's work outputs inputs. New, cutting-edge technologies such predictive analytics, virtual or augmented reality, AI bots hold promise significant productivity gains, yet, simultaneously may entail insidious side...

Abstract Recent marketing research has identified mixed effects of luxury companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement on customer-level outcomes. To gain a better understanding these effects, we develop conceptual framework in which propose that, unless carefully implemented, CSR leads to lower financial performance, decreased customer loyalty, and elevated extrinsic attributions for companies. These are exacerbated if consumers actively deliberate the company’s efforts....

Business-to-business (B2B) firms make large investments to implement innovative digital sales technology (IDST) in the hope of increasing firm performance. While marketing research generally indicates that these should pay off, recent experiences from managerial practice suggest such beneficial payoffs may not necessarily arise. To examine effects implementing IDSTs on B2B performance, we differentiate between customer-sensing and customer-linking IDSTs: while IDST has primary purpose...

In the context of price discounts, a special type promotion, in which savings depend on outcome gamble and are thus uncertain, has recently achieved some popularity. The question arises as to whether such gambled discounts (GPDs) incur negative reference effect—that is, downward shift customers’ internal (IRP)—which is often associated with regular (RPDs). From several studies, including two longitudinal field experiments, authors find that GPDs indeed alleviate effect: IRPs actual...

The concept of adaptive selling has been firmly established as a key driver salespeople's performance. To measure selling, studies commonly use generic items that capture the extent to which salespeople adapt their behaviors customers. Despite predictive validity these items, personal and sales research community criticized because high item scores do not reveal specifically how what behaviors. This note aims instigate academic discussion on questions by providing first exploratory analysis...

Personal relationships between salespeople and customers are essential for the success of business-to-business relationships, research has shown that a change salesperson can severely harm financial performance. However, such interpersonal relationship disruptions may also have positive effects by encouraging vitalizing reexplorations relationship. Using multilevel loyalty theory life cycle theory, authors offer comprehensive conceptualization potentially countervailing consequences...

Customers would frequently benefit from changes to an existing purchase contract with a supplier (e.g., due wrong order). Salespeople can voluntarily make such change, which we label “customer-centric change.” Formally, define customer-centric change as act of salesperson amending the in customer’s favor without legal obligation do so. Since literature has neglected this prevalent and important phenomenon, draw on social exchange theory study impact relationship performance. Toward end,...

Sales managers are unlikely to reap the benefits of implementing predictive analytics applications when salespeople show aversion or lack understanding these applications. For managers, it is essential understand which factors mitigate exacerbate challenges. This article investigates by studying implementation an application that predicts customer churn. Using 9.7 million transactions from a business-to-business company, authors develop model churn, implement in field experiment, and study...

Abstract Given the pervasive ubiquity of data, sales practice is moving rapidly into an era predictive analytics, using quantitative methods, including machine learning algorithms, to reveal unknown information, such as customers’ personality, value, or churn probabilities. However, many organizations face difficulties when implementing analytics applications. This article elucidates these by developing PSAA model—a conceptual framework that explains how (PSA) applications support employees’...

Abstract On encountering a prospect whom they believe unlikely to make purchase, some retail salespeople adopt sales strategy of limiting engagement with the customer, relying on “no conversion, no conversation” (NC 2 ) strategy. Is this good or bad strategy? Based multisource dataset combining and objective performance data, authors examine salespeople’s consequences disengaging from i.e., NC Higher growth arises use an when (1) are experienced professionals skilled in gauging customers’...

Abstract Complex service innovations constitute a cornerstone in the strategy of numerous industrial companies. The sales force assumes an important role selling these complex innovations. For firms key challenge this respect resides ensuring force's motivation for such and effectively solving customers’ business problems. Past research frequently discussed monetary incentives as effective tool to reinforce desired employee behaviors, but, date, discussion has failed produce conclusive...