Customer-sales Employee Encounters: A Dyadic Perspective

Willemijn van Dolen*, Jos Lemmink, Ko de Ruyter, Ad de Jong

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Although researchers have suggested that the performance of the salesperson during sales encounters is critical, many of the underlying mechanisms that govern the interaction between salespersons and customers are still unclear. In this research, we investigate sales encounters from a new approach based on the field of research of interpersonal perception. Results demonstrate that drivers of customer satisfaction may also be satisfying for the contact employee. Additionally, we find that customer satisfaction is not only determined by the customer's own perceptions, but also by the perceptions of the employee. Similarly, employee satisfaction is driven by the customer's perceptions. Finally, our study identifies that perceptions of employee performance and satisfaction do not only reflect the unique interaction between the customer and the employee, but also relatively stable characteristics of the employee.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Retailing
Volume78
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)265-279
ISSN0022-4359
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Sales encounter satisfaction
  • Employee performance
  • Dyadic perspectiv
  • Partner effects

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