Abstract:
Adaptive selling literature identifies effective salespersons as those who match their influence tactics to the characteristics of buyers. McFarland, Challagala and Shervani (2006) propose a theoretical framework that uses influence processes to identify the seller influence tactics that salespersons use, and to assess which of these tactics will resonate with three different types of buyers. The results of their research, conducted in an agricultural retail industry, indicate that salespersons do use the influence tactics prescribed by theory in persuading different types of buyers. In an attempt to expand the generalisability of their empirical findings, this research study replicates their study with extension in the South African banking industry, where sales are conducted within a relationship marketing context. Pilot studies in the form of a focus group and personal interviews were used during a pre-test, while survey research was used to collect primary data on 60 bi-directionally matched buyer/seller dyads. The results indicate that salespersons/relationship executives in the banking industry do not alter their use of influence tactics when dealing with different buyer types, and that in general influence tactics, with the exception of recommendations, are unsuccessful in achieving manifest influence at the point of sale, irrespective of the buyer’s orientation. It would appear that influence tactics are perceived as short term “hard sell” tactics when used at the point of sale in a relationship banking context, which is not consistent with a relationship characterised by high levels of trust and commitment. Finally this research proposes a new theoretical framework that focuses on the use of influence tactics with different types of buyers both during the relationship and at the point of sale.
