The two minds of the buyer: The difference in expectations and perceptions towards sales personnel in turbulent market contexts

In current turbulent times, organisations have to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions in order to attract and retain clients. According to our quantitative study in which we compared clients' expectations and perceptions, the key to a successful adaptation in complex sales contexts lies in increasing salespeople's levels of expertise, as it has a direct impact on perceived value and loyalty intentions. Moreover, expectations about a salesperson's empathy seem to be the deciding factor, for clients engage with the firm initially, whereas perceptions of a salesperson's knowledge contribute to loyalty.