Business relationships: an examination of the effects of buyer‐salesperson relationships on customer retention and willingness to refer and recommend
Abstract
Examines the effect of the quality of a salesperson’s relationship with a customer on the likelihood of retaining that customer’s business. Assesses the effects of high/low‐quality buyer‐salesperson relationships on obtaining referrals and recommendations from a customer. Results indicate that buyers who rated the quality of their relationship with their salesperson as above average were more likely to remain. In addition, above average buyer‐salesperson relationships were more likely to generate recommendations and referrals from customers. Suggests that a salesperson’s efforts to build relationships are rewarded by greater customer retention and increased business through referrals and recommendations.
Keywords
Citation
Boles, J.S., Barksdale, H.C. and Johnson, J.T. (1997), "Business relationships: an examination of the effects of buyer‐salesperson relationships on customer retention and willingness to refer and recommend", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 12 No. 3/4, pp. 253-264. https://doi.org/10.1108/08858629710188072
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 1997, MCB UP Limited