Internet Integration into the Industrial Selling Process
By
Mary M. Long
Pace University
Thomas Tellefsen
College of Staten Island
J. David Lichtenthal
Baruch College
ISBM Report 3-2006
Institute for the Study of Business Markets
The Pennsylvania State University
484 Business Building
University Park, PA 16802-3603
(814) 863-2782 or (814) 863-0413 Fax
www.isbm.org, isbm@psu.edu
INTERNET INTEGRATION INTO THE INDUSTRIAL SELLING PROCESS
Mary M. Long
Associate Professor of Marketing
Lubin School of Business
Pace University
1 Pace Plaza
New York, NY 10038
212-618-6453 (office)
212-6186410 (fax)
mlong@pace.edu
Thomas Tellefsen
Associate Professor of Marketing
College of Staten Island
City University of New York
2800 Victory Blvd
Staten Island, NY 10314
718-982-2952 (desk)
718-982-2965 (fax)
Tellefsen@mail.csi.cuny.edu
J. David Lichtenthal
Professor of Marketing &
Editor-In-Chief, Journal of Business to Business Marketing &
Senior Editor, Foundations Series in Business Marketing
Zicklin School of Business
Baruch College
City University of New York
1 Baruch Way - B12 - 240
New York, NY 10010
646-312-3281 (desk)
646-312-3271 (fax)
david_lichtenthal@baruch.cuny.edu
1
INTERNET INTEGRATION INTO THE INDUSTRIAL SELLING PROCESS
ABSTRACT
There is a growing need to look specifically at Internet integration in the industrial selling process
(IISP). IISP makes effective use of Internet technologies to enable seller-buyer relationship formation,
maintenance, and continuation. After noting the context and role afforded personal selling in the
business marketing promotional mix, Internet resources are linked by their advantage for facilitating
each of the personal selling steps between a single sales representative and a buyer. Recommendations
for how to use Internet components are offered, step by step. We conclude with a conceptual model of
the relationships among various IISP facets, their impact on personal selling effectiveness, and an
industrial selling firm’s return on marketing investment (ROMI).
Keyword: industrial selling process, Internet integration, sales force effectiveness. business
marketing, ROMI, ROI.
2
Introduction
Sales force automation (SFA) changes the role of the salesperson by providing new
technological tools that make him/her accessible 24/7 via communications technologies such as cell
phones, beepers, car faxes, PDAs, and the Internet. The use of SFA and customer relationship
management (CRM) systems is widespread, even though there is little empirical evidence that
technology leads to greater performance and efficiency (Honeycutt, 2005).
Marketing scholars are beginning to study the impact of technology on the sales force (c.f., 2005
special issue of Industrial Marketing Management). A common theme noted by authors (e.g.,
Honeycutt, et. al., 2005; Gohmann, et. al., 2005; Ranjarajan, Jones, & Chin, 2005) of the special issue is
that business-to-business (B2B) sales force members do not always see the benefits of SFA. Barriers to
SFA adoption by the sales force include a lack of perceived management support and training (Aherne,
Jelinek, & Rapp, 2005; Buehrer, Senecal, & Pullins, 2005). Additionally, many salespeople are more
likely to adopt technology if they find it useful and easy to use (e.g., Avlonitis & Panagopoulos, 2005;
Robinson, Marshall, & Stamps, 2005). Sales managers must clearly communicate the value of
technological tools if the full benefits are ever to be realized.
The Internet is often integrated with discussions of SFA technologies, but little has been written
about the particular impact of the Internet on facilitating an individual sales force member’s
effectiveness in the selling process for business markets. This is significant when one considers that a
recent nation-wide survey of B2B marketing, sales, and MIS executives indicated that the Internet is the
most widely used channel for communicating with customers (Day & Bens, 2005). Additionally, in this
same study, the majority of respondents perceived the Internet to be an opportunity for strengthening
business buyer relationships while reducing business buyer servicing costs. These are areas in which
sales personnel play a key role in interacting with prospects and buyers.
The purpose of this paper is to examine and identify the linkages and uses of the Internet for
enhancing the relationship between an individual sales representative and business buyers. Step-by-step
3
guidance is provided for sales reps in regard to how the Internet can benefit the buyer-seller relationship.
Our intent is to offer industrial sales representatives insight into how to use Internet based resources to
facilitate the entire sales process with a business buyer. Areas of interest to sales managers, in terms of
how ROMI of selling efforts might be improved through implementation of IISP, are also presented.
The paper begins with background information on the roles of technology and the Internet as
promotional tools to support B2B personal selling. We then address how the Internet impacts the seven
steps of the personal selling process. Based on this Internet enhanced process, we develop propositions
that impact sales efficiency and ROMI.
Background – Industrial Promotions and B2B Selling
Scholars of business marketing generally agree that industrial selling objectives fall under the
broader context of promotional marketing and corporate objectives (Bingham, Gomes, & Knowles,
2005; Hutt & Speh, 2004). Accomplishment of these objectives in a B2B setting depends primarily on
communication by the salesperson, but non-personal methods of communication including advertising,
direct marketing, catalogs, and more recently the Internet, have complementary roles in supporting the
personal selling process.
Previous research notes that traditional advertising supports industrial selling. For example,
several studies founds that effective industrial promotional efforts such as print ads in vertical market
publications can make the personal selling effort more productive (Lichtenthal & Ducoffe, 1994).
Furthermore, dollar sales per salesperson call were significantly higher when buyers had been exposed
to advertising (Morril, 1970). There is considerable evidence that advertising can “open doors” for an
industrial salesperson (Dwyer & Tanner, 2005; Johnson & Marshall, 2005; Messner, 1992). Several
studies conclude that advertising generates awareness and favorable attitudes; thus, supporting sales
rather than directly causing them (Lichtenthal & Ducoffe, 1994).
4
Less has been written about how online communications might parallel traditional advertising in
supporting industrial selling. One study (Lichtenthal & Eliaz, 2003) identified how various media are
linked to advertising communications objectives (i.e., awareness, knowledge, liking, preference,
conviction, and purchase (Lavidge & Steiner, 1961)) for moving business buyers toward a purchase
decision. Of the eleven identified media, only the Internet had the potential to influence all sixcommunication objectives. However, combined usage of these media tools with traditional sales
techniques was not addressed by the study (e.g., how non-personal forms of communication like the
Internet can augment direct contact forms such as face-to-face personal selling). The Internet may have
a unique impact on industrial selling. For example, the Internet can be employed to foster business
buyers and sellers coming together and staying together across traditional buying conditions ranging
from straight re-buy to new task situations (Lichtenthal, 2003).
Information about the Internet in the B2B selling arena resides in the SFA and technology
literature. Several authors address the need for the use of information technology and automation
software that helps the organizational processes behind the steps of the selling process (Larsen, 1999;
Rasmusson, 1999; Sweat, 1999). However, there was no systematic examination of how the Internet
could be used to facilitate each step in the industrial selling process with a single buyer. Still, sellers
are embracing technology-mediated sales communication (STMC) tools such as videoconferencing
systems, cell phones, websites, and EDI in an attempt to control selling costs and maintain a personal
touch (MacDonald & Smith, 2004) with business buyers. Concerns arise, however, with the use of
online tools. E-mail messages must be monitored by the firm to ensure that the sales force complies
with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 so that these communications are not perceived as “junk mail” by
prospects and business buyers (Clarke, Flaherty, & Zugelder, 2005).
An exploratory study of SFA by Erffmeyer and Johnson (2001) suggested that improved
communication with clients and access to information were the most frequently reported positive
outcomes. Analyzing the other side of the buyer-seller relationship, Kennedy and Deeter-Schmelz
5
(2001) found that industrial buyers who used the Internet for simple re-orders and to answer routine
questions also reported ease of accessing and exchanging information, reduction of order processing
time, and overall convenience as major benefits of the Internet.
While it seems reasonable to assume that the seller’s use of communication technologies
(particularly the Internet) would aid the sales process, new communication technologies must be
monitored for the impact they have on trust and commitment and it must be shown how these systems
add value for both buyers and sellers beyond short-term impact. This paper takes a first step in
answering these questions as it sets the stage for identifying areas in which online tools are likely to
benefit both an individual sales representative and the selling organization.
The Personal Selling Process and the Internet
The steps that a salesperson follows when selling in business markets must be mastered in both
form and process (Bingham, Gomes, & Knowles, 2004; Dywer & Tanner, 2002; Johnston & Marshall,
2003). The most widely accepted selling process model is the “seven steps of selling” – prospecting and
qualifying, preapproach, approach, presentation, overcoming objections, close, and follow-up
(Dubinsky, 1980/1981). While the past focus of the selling process was getting buyers, the paradigm
has shifted to a stronger focus on relationship selling – i.e., securing, building, and maintaining longterm relationships with profitable business buyers. Moreover, the steps of the selling process have
evolved to a non-sequential process that focuses on building long-term relationships (Moncrief &
Marshall, 2005). However, while technology is purported to aid sellers, implementing a relationship
strategy is not necessarily a straightforward process as evidenced by the varied success rates of CRM
and SFA (e.g., Honeycutt, et al., 2005; Zablah, Bellenger, & Johnston, 2004).
Information acquisition (IA) and information transition (IT) impacts every stage of the selling
process. Buyer corporate and seller marketing websites can be used in the earlier stages for information
acquisition while the seller’s website becomes more important later on for information transmission.
6
Web-casting and online advertising facilitate information acquisition through information transmission
in the earlier stages. Sales rep websites allow for ready information transmission toward the end of the
process. E-mail assures both but there is a shift in emphasis over the process. Creative circumspect use
is paramount. A summary of how IA and IT may affect each stage of the selling process is presented in
Table 1.
------------------------------------------------------------[Table 1 About Here]
------------------------------------------------------------
We use the traditional selling model presented by Dubinsky (1980/1981) as this model appears in
variant forms in all major personal selling textbooks, but with the broadened view of relationship
building advanced by Moncrief and Marshall (2005). To facilitate our explanation, we separate the
prospecting from the qualifying step, thus listing eight selling steps. For each step we provide practical
guidance and an example as to how online resources could be used to facilitate selling. This is
summarized in Table 2 as well.
------------------------------------------------------------[Table 2 About Here]
------------------------------------------------------------
Prospecting: The industrial sales rep must develop skill in identifying and contacting leads. The
challenges involved in doing so vary greatly across industries and markets. In some industries, there
may be little need for prospecting because customers are large, well-known, and few in number. In
other industries, trade sources may provide directories with copious data that contain all the information
necessary to identify and qualify prospects. However, in other cases, salespeople may have to widen the
funnel to identify smaller potential customers.
Traditionally, salespeople have identified such prospects by using a variety of sources including
suppliers, dealers, non-competing salespeople, and satisfied buyers. They might also receive leads from
prospects who identified themselves while responding to the company’s promotions, trade shows, or
7
advertising. In such cases, a salesperson might approach many prospects, in-person or by phone, in
order to obtain only a few contacts that ultimately led to a sale.
The Internet has provided salespeople with many new options for increasing the productivity of
such efforts. For example, salespeople may use electronic versions of product directories (e.g., Thomas
Register) to identify firms that conduct certain types of operations and therefore may need specific
products or services. Salespeople may also search online databases (e.g., ABI Inform) to gather detailed
information on industries along with literature on trends and projections for specific products and
industries. (See Table 3 for a summary of such sources.)
------------------------------------------------------------[Table 3 About Here]
------------------------------------------------------------
Salespeople may also access a variety of online services that can partially automate the process.
For example, they may access Internet-based services that market downloadable and customizable lists
of prospects including information that helps narrow the field (Larsen, 1999). Such efforts may generate
leads that are partially pre-qualified in terms of vertical market or other macro-bases of segmentation. It
may also be possible to use the Internet to outsource some of these processes. For example, firms may
hire clipping services (e.g., Bacons) to gather articles from the business press on targeted industries or
companies and then pass the material on to the appropriate reps. Also, with the rapid expansion of high
speed internet services, it is increasingly possible to hire researchers in low wage locations (such as
India) to conduct customized prospecting and profiling for salespeople in other parts of the world
(Friedman, 2005).
Companies may also generate leads by using the internet to motivate potential customers to
identify themselves. For example, prospects may identify themselves in response to something they
read on the seller’s website, webcasts, online advertising, or blogs. In particular, corporate blogs are
providing the latest way to reach potential buyers in an offbeat, “non-marketing” manner. Prospects can
8
get the inside scoop on products and services directly from employees who provide insights from their
own points of view. This can facilitate networking and sales lead generation (Kharif, 2004).
When prospects identify themselves in this way, the salesperson is given a particularly useful
opening. Such online buyer-initiated communication has the advantage of being tantamount to
permission for a dialogue by e-mail and an invitation to the business marketer for other forms of
promotional effort that are less likely to be perceived as spam. Thus, salespeople can use e-mail for the
initial contacts with such prospects. This practice is becoming very widespread. For example, one
study noted that 67% of salespeople prospect potential buyers via e-mail (Widmier, Jackson, & McCabe,
2002). During such contacts, salespeople can ask the self-identified prospects if and how they searched
online. This may generate intelligence that will help the firm insure that their brands receive good
placement on key-word searches.
The Internet is also providing new options for helping sales representatives manage their
prospect lists more effectively. For example, Pearson Packaging System, an equipment manufacturer,
implemented a web-based system that automatically prompted reps to follow up on languishing leads.
The firm believes that these prompts helped Pearson land an additional $1 million in sales (on a $30
million base) by nudging salespeople to provide timelier follow-up. Similarly, Aaron Equipment, a
manufacturer of industrial equipment, implemented a web-based CRM system for its sales force. The
system helped Aaron’s salespeople to stay focused on the most important accounts and improve their
response to leads. As a result, Aaron was able to reduce its sales and support staff by 25% while
maintaining a constant level of sales and raising its closing ratio by 3% (Vinas, 2005).
Example of Prospecting with Online Tools
Suppose that a rep has been hired to sell document management solutions (e.g., copiers, printers,
scanners, and software from Xerox) to target banks in New York City. The salesperson can search
online for prospects using an online business database such as Business and Company Resource Center
or others sources mentioned in Table 3. If the objective is to locate major banks in New York City, the
9
rep can specify criteria in the search such as NAIC code, city, and sales revenue. The search results in a
list of commercial and investment banks with basic information such as address, phone number, URL,
number of employees, and officers. Key players are revealed, such as chief technical officer, controller,
and executive vice president of administration. The rep can then decide whether it is more appropriate
to initially contact the key players via e-mail, snail mail, telephone, or by some combination.
Qualifying: Salespeople also must learn how to qualify leads – i.e., identify those that offer a high
probability of profitable sales. To do so, salespeople may consider such issues as the prospect’s volume
of business and financial resources (assessed through online financial ratings services). Salespeople
may also consult the prospect’s corporate website and blogs.
The selling firm may also try to capture additional data when a prospect first interacts with its
website, webcasts, or online advertising. For example, the seller may request data on the prospect’s
needs and additional qualifying information. However, sellers must be cautious as to the type and
quantity of information requested. Prospects may object to what they perceive as time-consuming or
intrusive requirements for information at this early juncture in order to download information or view a
webcast. Additionally, the provided information may be inaccurate and should be confirmed by the
sales rep in follow-up dialogues.
Salespeople may further qualify prospects by using other micro-bases of segmentation such as
buying center membership, purchase criteria, and the importance of a given buying instance, as well as
the impact of organizational climate and culture. Such information may be gleaned through face-to-face
or indirect methods (Lichtenthal, Sikri, & Folk, 1989). E–mail may then be used to ascertain the buyer’s
requirements and the organization’s need state. It is important for the seller to follow the laws regarding
e-mail and allow the buyer to opt-out of future messages (Clarke, Flaherty, & Zugelder, 2005).
10
Example of Qualifying with Online Tools
Continuing with our example of selling document management solutions to banks, the sales
person already has the prospective buyer’s URL from the previous search using Business and Company
Resource Center (or other sources) and can now start to find out if they have a need for document
management systems and the financial resources to purchase. Company news and financial data from
this same online database can point to whether the firm is fiscally sound (comparable information could
be found on Factiva). A quick scan of one bank’s history reveals that profits grew 35% in 2004, and
company rankings shows that it is ranked number three worldwide. The rep can view current business
articles about the various banks in a variety of areas including people, the products and services offered,
and operations and technology. From these articles the rep learns that this bank is opening eleven new
branches, suggesting that the company is in a growth cycle and likely to be in the market for services to
support these new branches.
Pre-approach: Before calling on a prospect, the industrial sales rep can potentially have a wealth of
knowledge about the buying organization and about the buyers themselves (including the key players,
their characteristics, and buying styles). Typically, reps consult standard and online sources to learn
about the prospect company. These may include the buyer’s corporate website as well as entries in
online product catalogs and databases. The buying firm’s blogs may also be good sources of
information. Here the salesperson can read more candid comments about the buying organization and
potentially find information about the corporate culture and key players.
A salesperson can also use the internet to instantly access his/her own organization’s information
on the buyer. Many firms now use CRM systems to manage these databases more effectively. Such
systems allow anyone in the seller’s organization to update information at any customer touch point.
The result can be a very rich source of information. For example, several pharmaceutical firms now
provide their salespeople with internet-based access to CRM files that contain physician profiles,
11
industry information, drug interaction data, and other product related information (Donaldson & Wright,
2004; Schneider, 2004).
Firms are also using new technology to enable their salespeople to access this information while
on the road via wireless laptop computer, PDA, or cell phone. For example, Orange SA, a subsidiary of
France Telecom (Shermach, 2006) and Cingular (Compton, 2004) have enabled their field reps to tap
into their CRM databases using PDA’s equipped with wireless modems. As a result, their reps can
instantly access leads and customer data while on the road. All of these advancements have made
today’s salesperson “the best informed of any sales generation in history” (Moncrief & Marshall, 2005,
p.16).
Salespeople may use this access to complete their call planning more efficiently. Salespeople
prepare for major calls by outlining the topics and offers to address, gathering the necessary support
material, and arranging for product samples. With the Internet, all of these actions could be performed
more efficiently. A salesperson could use the CRM system to copy the customer’s history (e.g., dates of
past visits, recent sales, and complaints) and key information from external sources into a call planning
template. They may then use the system to order supporting brochures and demonstration pieces or to
assemble custom brochures by combining elements from an online promotional library into brochure
templates. Finally, the salesperson could order samples and have them shipped to a travel point (e.g.,
the hotel the salesperson will use while on the road) or the client’s office.
At this stage, the salesperson may also have some preliminary contact with the customer. This
can help the salesperson to refine his/her understanding of the customer’s needs and set appropriate call
objectives. This initial two-way communication can make the upcoming face-to-face contact more
beneficial for both seller and buyer. In the past, this communication might have been conducted in
person, by phone, or by letter. Today, e-mail can be a useful middle ground (Rasmusson, 1999). These
three stages (prospecting, qualifying, and pre-approach) constitute a major preparatory phase, executed
in close temporal proximity that occurs before meeting the buying firm’s team on its own turf and terms.
12
Example of Pre-Approach with Online Tools
Based on an industry overview provided by Business and Company Resource Center (or other
database sources), the sales rep learns that over the past several years, the banking industry has been
characterized by deregulation, mergers, and cost cutting. However, technology needs have grown as
banks streamline operations and need to increase the accuracy of record keeping as the quantity of
information handled continues to grow. From the industry information and company profiles, the sales
rep concludes that the banking arena is a good target market for the types of systems she is selling. The
rep could also search business articles for news about a particular bank on any of the other databases –
ABI Inform, Business Source Premier, Factiva, or PROMT Predicast.
Approach: The salesperson must know how to meet and greet the business buyer. This phase involves
the rep’s appearance, opening lines, and follow up remarks. The Internet’s main contribution up to this
stage is almost exclusively information acquisition – as a preparatory device. This is the start of the faceto-face intensive stages in the industrial selling process.
Some firms are now using the Internet to provide new forms of support that could be particularly
helpful at this stage. For example, some pharmaceutical firms have expanded their CRM systems to
include information on best demonstrated selling practices, legal guidelines, and promotional strategies
(Ko & Dennis, 2004). Such information can provide salespeople with additional ideas and insights to
help them prepare for more effective sales calls.
If the goal of the approach is to provide more information or solve an existing problem, an
existing relationship makes this easier (Moncrief & Marshall, 2005). Even in the case of a new buy, the
focus should be on determining organizational structure, needs, problems, and issues. In either case, the
approach is greatly facilitated by prior communications, which can be more numerous and more targeted
via the Internet. Research via the online business databases discussed in Table 3 can make the sales rep
appear more knowledgeable about the industry and company and hence more trustworthy.
13
Additionally, webcasts and the sales rep’s website can be useful to set the stage prior to an onsite call. It may allow the buyer to get routine information (or answers to FAQs) and to help the seller
focus on salient aspects and refine questions for the presentation. Likely viewed in tandem with a review
of the seller’s website, these e-materials create an image and set expectation levels for initial contact. Email can be used to “announce” the upcoming meeting and to confirm the first encounter or follow-up.
Example of Approach with Online Tools
Armed with research from online business databases, the sales rep has a better understanding of
the issues and players in the banking industry. In his or her approach, the salesperson will present
industry knowledge that is more likely to gain the trust of the buyer. This is in contrast to sellers who
have not done their homework and do not know what questions to ask. Rather than annoy the prospect
in what is often perceived as a wasted first call, the rep that has prepared using online sources is ready to
intelligently discuss buyer needs and start building a relationship. For example, if the rep is meeting
with buyers in the Latin American division of a bank, s/he could use ISI Emerging Markets to analyze
the finance and insurance industry in this market and learn about unique data management regulations
that his/her product could address.
Presentation & Demonstration: At this stage, the salesperson tells the “offering story” to the buyer;
presenting benefits and showing how the offering solves the buyer’s problem better than competitors’
offers. Advanced presentation technologies involving multi-media allow demonstrations of nearly all
industrial products and business services at the buyer’s office. This is historically unprecedented – the
prospective buyer no longer needs to travel to trade shows, or visit the seller’s plant or other satisfied
buyers. Real-time viewing of the creation and use of foundation goods (installations, buildings, fixed
equipment), accessory equipment (light factory equipment, office equipment) and entering goods (raw
materials and manufactured materials and parts) as well as a myriad of business services are all made
14
possible – travel free. As in prior stages, the seller’s website and webcast allow for multiple viewings,
at the buyer’s discretion, in terms of quantity of information and time of viewing.
In essence, the Internet allows some of the advantages of trade show attendance where all
members of the buying center can be present to see someone else “kick the tires.” Moreover, sellers can
avoid the need to inconvenience existing buyers with requests to use their facilities as “show rooms” for
prospective buyers.
Laptops allow utilization of online resources including updated video and product related
material and the ability to get a response from a sales office or head office during a presentation
(Picarelle 2004). Gone are the days of “flip charts.” In the field, company websites can “carry and
maintain” catalogs containing several books worth of product information, including sound and
animation (Larsen 1999). These online information resources have the added advantage of being more
comprehensive and current than printed materials. For example, Avaya Inc., a communications systems
firm, has created “virtual briefing rooms” that a salesperson may access while on a sales call. The site
provides online product demonstrations, testimonials, and cases studies of product applications (Chang
2006). In this way, salespeople can use the Internet to instantly provide additional support and thirdparty verification.
Example of Presentation & Demonstration with Online Tools
A good example of video which can supplement or replace an on-site demo can be seen on
Xerox’s website. Xerox provides an online video that details the steps for finding a software solution
for an energy utility company – Manitoba Hydro. In the video, satisfied executives from the buying firm
explain how digitizing engineering drawings and a new digital repository system increased productivity
and savings. While the types of problems and solutions shown in the video parallel the data
management needs of other industries, ideally product demos would be customized for a given sector.
Although some members of the buying center may require an on-site demonstration, online video
15
provides an alternative option. Particularly if the seller’s headquarters or existing buyers are not in close
geographic proximity, the sales rep can direct buyers to an online video that can be viewed at any time.
Handling Objections: Buyers almost always have concerns either during the presentation or when
asked to place the order. Indeed, objections are an opportunity to turn a “warm buyer” into a loyal buyer.
The problem can be either economic (task) or psychological (non-task). Sometimes it is simply
unspoken. This is the step in which the industrial salesperson seeks out, clarifies, and overcomes buyer
concerns. The “direct” facet of selling can reach its peak impact here.
When buying center members raise concerns, the sales rep can guide them to the firm’s website
where FAQ’s and testimonials are posted. This improved dialogue between selling and buying firm
personnel can reduce a buying center’s reluctance to buy. Prospects might also be directed to favorable
online reviews from independent websites.
The selling firm may also use its website to help prospects reach the firm’s satisfied customers
for their independent appraisals. For example, the firm may establish online user groups or forums that
allow prospects to post questions and get feedback through moderated postings or direct e-mail. Such
feedback could be particularly helpful for purchases that involve high risk, new technologies, or longterm commitment.
Example of Handling Objections with Online Tools
Prospects can be directed to a third party, independent website for a review of the product or
service in question. For example, ZDNET.com provides reviews of technology products, services, and
vendors and is targeted to business professionals responsible for IT decisions. A favorable review may
help quell the prospect’s doubts and has the added benefit of being instantly accessible from the rep’s
laptop. On the downside, these sites also give exposure to competitor’s products. Positive reviews can
be placed on the seller’s own website. For example, on Xerox’s website a news release boasts that the
Xerox 4110™ Copier/Printer, a 110 page-per-minute black-and-white production system, recently
16
received a top five-star rating from Buyers Laboratory Inc., a leading independent document imaging
research and testing firm.
Buyer concerns can also be overcome by providing testimonials from current, satisfied buyers.
For example, Xerox’s website provides a list of current clients categorized by industry with
accompanying case studies of how Xerox products/services benefited their businesses. In our example
of targeting the banking industry, the sales rep might direct a potential client to read the case studies
posted on Xerox’s website about Holman Insurance, Ltd. and Prudential Financial Group.
Closing: After successfully handling the prospect’s objections, the salesperson must try to obtain the
order. Closing techniques include asking for the order, reviewing points of agreement, offering to help
write the order, offering another similar model, or providing special reasons such as extra quantities,
features, or higher quality. This step, for the most part, is traditionally conducted face-to-face.
The ability to configure products to buyers’ specifications and check availability and price of any
configuration online while meeting with the buyer reduces the number of sales calls required to close a
sale (Rasmusson, 1999; Sweat, 1999) and may preclude another vendor from “getting in”. For example,
some hotel chains now enable their salespeople to use laptops and wireless modems to tap into their
firm’s database from a client’s office, check room availability, assemble block reservations, and create
detailed agreements before leaving the client’s office (McCarthy, 2004). Such data access enables
salespeople to provide detailed solutions on the spot (Rich 2002).
Final details can be ironed out via e-mail with referral to rep and marketer websites, if needed.
Trial closes can be done online, an advantage for new sales reps reluctant to close face-to-face. In fact,
“the offer and an acceptance,” by e-mail can make the “put it in writing” aspect a lower threshold event.
Once the sale is closed, salespeople may continue to use the Internet to electronically place their
orders. Many firms are converting their manual, paper-based systems to electronic, paperless systems.
For example, Smith and Nephew, a surgical implant supplier, converted its manual ordering system to a
17
web-based system. Their salespeople can now tap into the company’s computer system using wireless
PDA’s to review product catalogs, check inventory, and place orders. This has allowed salespeople to
shift more time from paperwork to customer service (Picarille, 2004). Such automation efforts can lead
to substantial improvements in salesperson performance. For example, GEMS, a business services
company, had relied upon fax machines and manual procedures to process billing sheets and sales
documents that were submitted by their consultants in the field. GEMS converted this manual process
to a web-based system. After the conversion, their field personnel could use the Internet to log onto the
firm’s CRM system and submit billing and sales information electronically. As a result, the firm saved
30 minutes of processing time per consultant per week, eliminated a week lag in their data pipeline, and
achieved a productivity increase of 10-15% (Schneider, 2004).
Firms can also use new technology to improve salesperson efficiency in preparing post-call
reports. Many salespeople have been dogged by the need to manually prepare detailed written reports
about their sales calls. Now many firms are using technology to automate the process. For example,
after a sales call has been completed, a salesperson could use a template to prepare the post-call report
on his/her laptop. The template could draw in basic information (e.g., customer, location, date) from the
pre-call planning sheet as well as any agreements from the sales orders. The rep could also enter field
notes using the keyboard or a tablet and character recognition software. The report could then be stored
in the laptop and uploaded at night into the company’s CRM system. Such approaches are growing in
popularity. For example, some pharmaceutical firms now enable their reps to use their tablet PC’s as a
single point of capture for sales information. The reps jots down information on their tablet PC’s during
their sales calls and then send it electronically to the company’s CRM system (Myron, 2004). Similarly,
Orange SA allows its field reps to submit their sales reports electronically through their PDA’s. This
saves time and provides faster updates on customer intelligence (Shermach, 2006).
The new system should also help the salesperson keep track of his/her results. If the firm’s
performance evaluation and compensation systems are integrated with its CRM system, the
18
salesperson’s records could be updated with each sale. This could provide on-going real time measures
of the salesperson’s performance (e.g., account penetration, average order size) as well as key
compensation measures such as percent of quota achieved, earned commissions, and rank in any sales
contests that were underway. This in turn could provide the salesperson with much faster feedback on
his/her overall achievement.
Example of Closing with Online Tools
While at the buyer’s site, the sales rep can log in to the company’s system to configure products
and generate various pricing scenarios based on volume, service contracts, and leasing terms. Future
routine re-orders can be accomplished by an existing buyer after registering at the seller’s website. For
example, as described by Xerox on their website, portals and extranets allow existing buyers to place
orders 24/7 at their company's negotiated prices. The buyer’s firm gets its own "landing page" complete
with company logo, choice of links, and updates from their Xerox support team. Users can also create
their own "My Favorites" shopping list, making it easy to reorder Xerox supplies.
Follow-up: This is an essential step if the industrial salesperson wants to ensure that the buyer is fully
satisfied and will likely be a repeat buyer. Well-executed and continuous follow-up is a crucial part of
building a long-term relationship with the business buyer. Right after closing, the salesperson should
complete any details on the order or delivery, purchase terms, or other matters. E-mail can keep the
buyer in the loop using the “cc:” option if it does not involve confidential internal matters – but only if
the buyer requests it. Alternatively, the seller’s organization can provide online access for the buyer to
check order and delivery status. For example, Davis Controls, an instrumentation/automation
manufacturer, implemented a web-based system that allowed customers to access Davis’s in-house
system and track their orders through the supply chain (Vinas, 2005). Similarly, Dell allows its biggest
customers to log into its website and track shipments. This reduces the amount of time that Dell’s
19
salespeople must spend on administrative issues and provides more time for relationship building (Rich,
2002).
At that time or right after the order is received, the sales rep should schedule an on-site visit to
make sure there are no problems with usage or installation, following instructions, or sustaining
appropriate levels of service. Reducing buyer post-purchase cognitive dissonance is crucial at this
juncture. Reminding the buyer about post-purchase support resources on the rep’s or marketer’s website
enhances post-purchase satisfaction and can be accomplished by e-mail supplying URLs. Sales reps can
also continue to keep an open dialogue with the business buyer through online user newsletters and
targeted webinars for instructional purposes.
Example of Follow-up with Online Tools
After registering on the Xerox website, the buyer can log into a secure buyer portal to track the
status of recent orders, view contract pricing and order products online, obtain documents relevant to
their organization, or pay invoices. The buyer can also search and download from the seller’s website
information including case studies and white papers pertinent to their industry. For example, for the
banking industry Xerox offers the case study “Global Bank Saves Millions with Worldwide Office
Document Output Strategy” as well as white papers on mortgage lending in the digital era and how
banks can manage customer accounts. These tactics can help strengthen relationships with clients.
While case studies promote the products, the white papers position Xerox as an expert in the banking
and investment industry and as a knowledgeable partner to do business with in the future. In follow-up
calls or through e-mail, the sales rep points out relevant industry and product related online materials.
This gives the rep a reason to communicate with the customer and to strengthen the buyer-seller
relationship.
20
A Framework for Evaluating IISP Impact on Selling Costs and Benefits
While existing research has noted how technology and SFA impact the sales force, our review
of the traditional steps in the selling process underscores how the Internet changes the dynamics of this
process. Internet Integration into the Selling Process (IISP) can affect every aspect of a salesperson’s
preparations, customer contact, and follow through. IISP therefore can have a major effect on sales
performance. This section explores these issues further by considering how IISP can affect sales
efficiency and effectiveness. These ideas are summarized in Figure 1 and discussed in detail below.
---------------------------------------------------------[Figure 1 About Here]
----------------------------------------------------------
First, IISP can provide opportunities to improve salesperson efficiency. It can provide reps with
easier access to information, faster communications with customers, simpler alternatives to premise
visits, labor saving opportunities to outsource simple tasks (e.g., research) and options for automating
mundane chores (e.g., pre-call planning and post-call reporting). The Internet can also free sales reps
from simple, routine tasks such as processing re-orders or answering standard questions that can be
addressed from a seller’s website (Kennedy & Deeter-Schmelz, 2001). This suggests that IISP will
enable salespeople to perform their roles with less time and effort. From this is derived:
P1: As IISP increases, salesperson efficiency increases.
The impact on efficiency should be greater when the salesperson works within a selling team.
When a salesperson works with several team members, it is essential that the entire team present a
uniform set of data, proposals, and responses to the customer. To do so, the team members must have
frequent contact with each other. Such contact may be difficult if the team members are drawn from
different areas (and therefore work in different locations) or if the salesperson is frequently away from
the office. The Internet can facilitate coordination between team members by providing a simple forum
for communication and information exchange. If a salesperson can communicate with an entire team
21
through e-mail and the CRM system, then s/he can avoid time lost on multiple phone calls and visits.
This suggests that:
P2: The effect of IISP on salesperson efficiency will be greater when the salesperson is
working within a selling team.
The potential for improved efficiency should also carry over to the buyer’s side of the process.
With IISP, buyers will be able to gain faster access to purchase-related information from the seller’s
website and gain quick answers to simple questions through e-mail. This may help buyers to formulate
their purchase needs more efficiently. In addition, the interactions between the buyer and salesperson
should become more efficient. The online environment makes the steps of the buying and selling
processes conceptually less distinct. These two processes are now executed in an overlapping manner.
The genesis of a step in one process (e.g., seller’s offer) may now occur in the conclusion of a step in the
other process (e.g., buyer’s need specification). This creates a potential benefit in terms of cost savings
for both buyers and sellers as communications can be made in a more efficient manner, thus freeing up
members of the buying dyad to perform other tasks. Both sides should benefit from the time
compressed, step-by-step, Internet facilitation of the buying and selling processes. Thus it is proposed:
P3: As IISP increases, buyer efficiency increases.
The impact of IISP on buyer efficiency should be greater when multiple decision makers are
involved in the buying process. The industrial sales rep is likely communicating with more than one
person at the buyer firm. It has long been recognized that a single buying firm constitutes multiple
targets (Lichtenthal, 1997). The Internet facilitates communication among buying center personnel,
allowing the sharing of common marketing information resources at the lowest cost and with the least
time and effort. Buying center members emphasize different aspects of the offering based on their
functional role (Lichtenthal, 1998). The Internet is an ideal tool that allows most if not all members to
participate more directly in the process, while at the same time offering members the resources to
22
investigate their respective functional concerns. This in turn should further enhance the buyer’s overall
efficiency. This infers that:
P4: The effect of IISP on buyer efficiency will be greater when the buyer is working within
a buying center.
The effect of IISP on salesperson and buyer efficiency should be even greater when the selling
and buying firms are located farther apart geographically. Many of the advantages of IISP involve the
ability to rapidly share information and build consensus through electronic media rather than through
face-to-face discussion. Similar to the concept of JIT applied to manufacturing, the Internet allows for
“just in time” exchanges of information, thus reducing (but not necessarily eliminating) the need for
time-consuming face-to-face meetings. Such electronic exchanges should be all the more valuable when
the buying and selling firms are farther apart geographically. By using the Internet to its full potential,
the members of both firms may avoid the delays that would occur if they had to wait for premise visits
or express shipments to exchange information. Thus, the impact of IISP should increase as the distance
between the selling and buying firms also increases. From this is derived:
P5: As the geographic distance between the selling and buying firms increases, the impact
of IISP on
(a) salesperson efficiency increases, and
(b) buyer efficiency increases.
Thus far, we have concentrated on how IISP can help increase efficiency. But careful
examination of the execution of the steps of the personal selling process using Internet integration yields
several insights regarding sales performance. Below we outline several areas – motivation,
effectiveness, buyer satisfaction, customer retention, and account penetration – where IISP is likely to
have a positive impact.
23
First, IISP should help to improve salesperson motivation. In general, salesperson motivation
can be explained by Expectancy Theory. This theory maintains that motivation is a function of three
sets of perceptions:
-
Expectancy: perceived degree to which effort leads to outcome;
-
Instrumentality: perceived degree to which outcome leads to reward;
-
Valence: perceived attractiveness of promised rewards (Johnston & Marshall, 2005).
ISSP should positively affect two of these perceptions. First it should elevate a salesperson’s
expectancy. As discussed, IISP can help a salesperson to “work smarter” by having better
information and analytical tools. It can also help a salesperson to work more efficiently by
providing options for better communications, outsourcing, and automation. All of this should help
to build the perception that a given level of effort will lead to the desired outcome (i.e., a sale).
Second, IISP should also elevate instrumentality. If a salesperson’s performance measurements are
synchronized with the company’s CRM, then the salesperson should receive faster feedback on
performance and compensation. This should strengthen the perceived link between outcome (i.e., a
sale) and reward (i.e., commission). Thus, IISP should increase the salesperson’s motivation. That
is:
P6: As IISP increases, salesperson motivation increases.
At the same time, IISP should increase a salesperson’s effectiveness (i.e., the salesperson’s
ability to close sales and build profitable relationships). As discussed, IISP should provide a salesperson
with better information, more options for communicating with customers, and more opportunities for
support from the selling firm throughout the process. Also, since IISP opens the door for outsourcing or
automating several duties, it should provide the salesperson with more time for relationship building.
All this suggests that IISP should provide a salesperson with an enhanced ability to service customers.
From this is proposed:
P7: As IISP increases, salesperson effectiveness increases.
24
The above two effects, in turn, should increase the potential that the salesperson will be able to
satisfy the buyer’s needs. If the salesperson’s is more motivated, then s/he could be expected to try
harder to achieve a need satisfying outcome. Also, given all the resources that are available with IISP,
the salesperson should be able to develop a better understanding of the buyer’s needs and be better able
to draw upon his/her firm’s resources to provide a more satisfying solution. This suggests that:
P8: The buyer’s satisfaction will increase as:
(a) the salesperson’s motivation increases, and
(b) the salesperson’s effectiveness increases.
This effect, combined with the impact on buyer efficiency noted in P3 above, should increase
customer retention. If a buyer finds that the selling firm provides more satisfaction with greater
efficiency, then it follows that s/he will be interested in continuing the relationship. Thus it is proposed:
P9: Customer retention will increase as:
(a) the buyer’s efficiency increases, and
(b) the buyer’s satisfaction increases.
Similarly, it is reasonable to expect that IISP will also affect account penetration. If IISP leads to
improved salesperson efficiency, then s/he will have more time available to develop the potential in
his/her territory. Also, if IISP leads to higher salesperson effectiveness, then his/her efforts to develop
that potential should be more productive. Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that IISP will lead to
improved penetration. This implies that:
P10: Account penetration will increase as:
(a) the salesperson’s efficiency increases, and
(b) the salesperson’s effectiveness increases.
Finally, all of this should result in improved financial performance. If IISP leads to improved
efficiency, then it should reduce overall selling costs. At the same time, if IISP leads to increased
25
account penetration and retention, then it should result in improved revenue. Thus, a logical outcome
should be for IISP to generate a positive return on marketing investment. This infers that:
P11: The return on marketing investment from IISP will increase as:
(a) the salesperson’s efficiency increases,
(b) customer retention increases, and
(c ) account penetration increases.
Directions for Future Research
Academic research on Internet integration into the industrial selling process has focused mostly
at the level of SFA, CRM, and integration of general technology. Our paper has examined the impact of
the Internet on the steps in the selling process for B2B sales reps. These Internet enhancements may help
both new reps and seasoned staff who are not technologically oriented to improve their performance.
Although our review suggests that IISP can benefit selling organizations by making the selling process
more efficient, it remains for future researchers to test these propositions across various industries and
buying situations.
Such research could be conducted through a survey of salespeople, customers, and managers.
First, salespeople would be surveyed to assess the degree to which they have implemented the
techniques described in this paper. Ideally, the sample would be stratified to include reps with different
degrees IISP. The study would also survey a sample of the reps’ customers to assess their perceptions of
the salespeople and of the Internet-enhanced services. Finally, the study would also include a survey of
the reps’ managers to obtain an independent assessment of the reps’ productivity. By comparing the
results from cells with different degrees of IISP, it would be possible to measure the net impact of IISP
on salesperson performance and customer satisfaction.
In addition, there are several other issues that should be considered by future researchers. The
use and success of IISP may be industry dependent and subject to environmental context (Jaworski &
26
Kohli, 1993). Additionally, IISP might also vary by type of sales territory (i.e., geographic, product,
market, or hybrid). For example, as suggested in our hypotheses, widely dispersed geographic accounts
would likely be ideal candidates for heavy use of IISP. Markets that are already technology oriented
would likely also respond well to an IISP approach.
Our evaluation of using IISP on an individual account level suggests that published resources
(i.e., online business databases and corporate websites) are more important in the early stages of the
selling process, while more individualized e-communications becomes more crucial in later stages. This
is another topic for future researchers to investigate and confirm.
While we have highlighted the positive aspects of selling with IISP, some precautionary
statements are in order. On the consumer side, researchers have noted the paradoxical nature of
technology and the Internet (Long & Sherman, 2000; Mick & Fournier, 1998). It is likely that the
characteristics of online selling pose pluses and minuses for both sellers and buyers. For example, the
online tools that give a B2B sales rep portability and instant access to business buyer and company
records imply a heightened security risk. Standard practice in the past was to escort a fired rep off
premises before s/he could access company files. Now these files are already stored on the rep’s laptop
and likely also the home computer. The ability to transport confidential client and company data to a
competitor is greatly increased.
Future research should also examine buyer reaction to Internet integration in the steps of the
selling process. Busy buyers may become overwhelmed by the quantity of online information emanating
from the seller in the form of e-mails, online newsletters, webinars, and third party reviews. While some
buyers may welcome the more efficient modes of online communications, there is a risk of loss of
personalization and face-to-face contact that could negatively impact relationship formation.
A final issue is technophobia. One group of salespeople feel threatened by technology and the
Internet either because of a fear of being replaced by technology or because they lack adequate training
27
to use technology tools (Honeycutt, et. al., 2005; Rich, 2002). While this viewpoint may not be
widespread, it is still a concern that sales managers should address.
28
TABLE 1 – Buyer-Seller Communications Through Internet Forms
FORMS OF INTERNET AUGMENTATION
Buyer
SellerÆ
Æ
Æ
Æ
2 - Way
Corporate
Marketing
Web -
Online
Sales Rep
E - mail
Website
Website
casting
Advertising
Website
PROSPECTING
IA
IA & IT
IA thru IT
IA thru IT
IA & IT
QUALIFYING
IA
IA & IT
IA thru IT
IA thru IT
IA & IT
PREAPPROACH
IA
SELLING STEPS
IA & IT
IT
APPROACH
PRESENTATION &
IT
IT
IT & IA
IT
DEMONSTRATION
IT
IT
IT & IA
CLOSING
IT
IT
IT & IA
FOLLOW-UP
IT
IT
IT & IA
HANDLING
OBJECTIONS
KEY: IA = Information Acquisition
IT = Information Transmission
29
Table 2 - IISP Tools – Step-by-Step Guidelines for Salespeople
Prospecting
How to find target companies?
-
business databases
How to find contact names?
-
business databases
-
buyer corporate website
-
contact company via e-mail
How to get prospects to contact you?
-
use online ads that link to the marketer or directly to a sales rep
-
get good placement on keyword searches; make sure your corporate name is at the top of the search list
-
make sure contact info on your firm’s website is easy to find and that your company’s e-mail link requests
basic information (name, title, e-mail, physical address, phone number) from the prospect
-
publicize webcasts of interest to prospects via e-mail communications
-
encourage informative, lively blogs from your own executives or industry pundits
Qualifying
How to find out basic information such as financials, market share, future plans?
-
business databases
-
buyer’s corporate website and their employee blogs
How to get information from prospects?
-
require online registration for free access to webinar, white papers, industry information or other valued
research from seller’s website
How to get more specific information, such as need state, purchase criteria, or organizational climate?
-
e-mail communications with prospect
-
buyer’s employee blogs
Pre-approach
How to prepare for specific areas of interest to the prospect and set call objectives?
-
two-way e-mail communications between you and the prospect before initial meeting
How to find out information on organizational culture and key players?
-
buyer’s employee blogs
-
tap into your company’s existing internal databases or CRM systems at home office
How to find out current news information and analysis on the industry, prospective firm, or individual buyers?
-
business databases
Approach
How to set the stage prior to the on-site call?
-
direct prospect to sales rep’s (or marketer’s) website for FAQs
-
prep prospect with relevant webcasts
-
confirm upcoming meeting via e-mail
How to show knowledge/expertise of the prospect’s industry and organization?
30
-
refer to research from business databases
-
review information from prior e-mail communications with prospect
Presentation & Demonstration
How to demonstrate a product when existing business buyer sites or seller’s headquarters are not available or not
located nearby?
-
real-time online demonstration or pre-recorded video for online viewing
How to present the most current product brochures and accurate pricing?
-
utilize online catalogs
Handling Objections
How to handle objections related to product features or price?
-
refer prospect to your (seller’s) website for FAQs and product information
-
refer prospect to success stories or case studies posted on your (seller’s) website
How to handle objections related to product reputation/reliability?
-
refer prospect to favorable online reviews from independent websites
-
refer prospect to business buyer chat room or online user’s group
How to satisfy prospect’s desire for referrals?
-
refer prospect to favorable online reviews from independent websites
-
refer prospect to business buyer chat room or online user’s group
-
post testimonials from satisfied buyers on your (seller’s) website
Closing
How to reduce the number of in-person sales calls in order to close the sale?
-
answer buyer questions on product specifications, pricing, and availability on the spot via online interface
to the home office
-
utilize e-mail for trial closes
-
iron out additional details via e-mail
Follow-up
How to reduce post-purchase cognitive dissonance?
-
follow-up with e-mail to confirm terms and status of order
-
provide online access to order status
-
refer buyer to post-purchase support resources available at your (seller’s) website including user’s group
How to keep an open dialogue with the business buyer?
-
e-mail targeted communications to business buyer, e.g., newsletters, webinars, whitepapers, case studies
How to facilitate routine re-orders?
instruct buyer on use of secure business buyer portal for re-orders, invoice payment, and other routine matters
31
Thomas Register
(www.thomasnet.com)
Table 3 - Online Resources For B2B Selling
Contains information for over 650,000 manufacturers, distributors,
and service firms indexed by 67,000 product and service categories.
This is the electronic version of the original Thomas Directory
“Green Books”.
Macrae’s Blue Book
(www.MacRaeBlueBook.com)
Lists 120,000 industrial companies and has over 500,000 industrial
product listings. This is the online version of a long established
series of industrial directories that have been in use since the
1890’s.
Universal Parts Center
(www.ihsparts.com)
Allows users to trace manufacturers and distributors by UPC code.
It is designed to provide user-friendly access to a database that lists
over 100 million parts.
ABI/INFORM
(http://www.proquest.com)
Draws upon thousands of journals to provide information on more
than 60,000 companies as well as executive profiles, market
reports, and case studies. This site has been a leading source of
business information for more than 30 years.
Business Source Premier
(http://www.epnet.com/
academic/bussourceprem.asp)
Provides indexing and abstracts for peer-reviewed business related
journals. It also provides supplemental databases including
Regional Business News (full text for regional publications) and
Datamonitor Reports (detailed company information including
business description, history, products, SWOT analysis,
competitors, employees, locations, and subsidiaries).
Factiva
(http://global.factiva.com)
Provides business news and information for decision support.
Depending upon the services purchased, Factiva information can be
integrated into the seller’s existing CRM and SFA systems.
PROMT Predicast
Can be used to research a company’s, products, technologies, and
markets. It includes abstracts and full text from trade and business
journals, industry newsletters, and newspapers.
(http://infotrac.galegroup.com/menu)
ISI Emerging Markets
(http://site.securities.com)
Provides full-text news, financial, and economic information on
emerging market countries. It aggregates and produces unique
content including full-text news articles, financial statements,
industry analyses, equity quotes, macroeconomic statistics, and
market-specific information.
Business & Company Resource
Center
Allows dynamic searching of company profiles, company brand
information, rankings, investment reports, company histories,
chronologies, and periodicals. It can be searched using SIC or
NAIC codes.
Scans traditional media (e.g., newspapers and magazines) and a
wide range of emerging media (e.g., company websites,
newsgroups, online forums, and blogs) for entries that match
specific criteria. They can then provide same-day access to articles
and analysis.
(http://infotrac.galegroup.com/menu )
Bacons (www.bacons.com)
32
Figure 1
IISP Impact on ROI
Salesperson
P1 (+)
Efficiency
P2 (+)
P5a (+)
Selling
Buying
Geographic
Center
Center
Distance
P10a (+)
P11a (+)
n
P4 (+)
P5b (+)
Buyer
Efficiency
P3 (+)
P9a (+)
Seller’s
IISP
Customer
P6 (+)
Retention
Salesperson
Motivation
P8a (+)
P8b (+)
Salesperson
Effectiveness
ROI
P9b (+)
Buyer
P7 (+)
Seller’s
P11b (+)
P11c (+)
Satisfaction
P10b (+)
Account
Penetration
33
References
Aherne, Michael, Ronald Jelinek, & Adam Rapp (2005). Moving beyond the direct effect of SFA
adoption on salesperson performance: training and support as key moderation factors. Industrial
Marketing Management, 34(4), 379-388.
Avlonitis, George J. & Nikolaos G. Pangopoulos (2005). Antecedents and consequences of CRM
technology acceptance in the sales force. Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), 355-368.
Bingham Jr., Frank G., Roger Gomes, & Patricia A. Knowles (2005). Business Marketing. (3rd ed.).
New York: McGraw Hill-Irwin.
Blaine, Larry (2002). Sales fundamentals. American Salesman, 47(5), 14 – 17.
Brewer, Geoffrey (1994). Mind reading: What drives top salespeople to greatness? Sales &
Marketing Management, 82 – 88.
Buehrer, Richard E., Sylvain Senecal, & Ellen Bolman Pullins (2005). Sales force technology usage
– reasons, barriers, and support: An exploratory investigation. Industrial Marketing Management,
34(4), 389-398.
Chang, Julia (2006). On top of the world. Sales and Marketing Management, 158(1), 26-30.
Churchill, Gilbert A., Orville C. Walker, & Neil M. Ford (1999). Sales Force Management, (6th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Clarke III, Irvine, Theresa B. Flaherty, & Michael T. Zugelder (2005). The CAN-SPAM Act: New
rules for sending commercial e-mail messages and implications for the sales force. Industrial
Marketing Management, 34(4), 399-405.
Compton, Jason (2004). Mobile CRM seals the deal for Cingular. CRM Magazine,
8(11), 49-50.
Day, George S. & Kartrina J. Bens (2005). Capitalizing on the internet opportunity. Journal of
Business & Industrial Marketing, 20(4/5), 160-168.
Donaldson, Bill & George Wright (2004). Salesforce automation in the UK pharmaceutical industry:
why is the strategic potential of these systems not being realized in practice? International Journal of
Medical Marketing, 4(3), 251-263.
Dubinsky, AlanJ. (1980/81). A factor analytic study of the personal selling process. Journal of
Personal Selling & Sales Management, 1(1), 26-33.
Dwyer, F. Robert & John F. Tanner (2005). Business marketing: connecting strategy, relationships,
& learning (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill-Irwin.
Erffmeyer, R.C. & D.A. Johnson (2001). An exploratory study of sales force automation practices:
Expectations and realities. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 21(2), 167 – 176.
34
Friedman, Thomas L. (2005). The world is flat: a brief history of the twenty-first century. New
York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Gohmann, Stephan F., Jian Guan, Robert M. Barker, & David J. Faulds (2005). Perceptions of sales
force automation: Differences between sales force and management. Industrial Marketing
Management, 34(4), 337-344.
Honeycutt, Earl D., Jr. (2005). Technology improves sales performance—doesn’t it? An introduction
to the special issue on selling and sales technology. Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), 301304.
Honeycutt, Earl D. Jr., Tanya Thelen, Shawn T. Thelen, & Sharon K. Hodge (2005). Impediments to
sales force automation. Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), 313-322.
Hutt, Micheal D. & Thomas W. Speh (2004). Business Marketing Management. (8th ed.). Ohio:
Southwestern/ Thomson Learning.
Jaworski, Bernard J. & Ajay K. Kohli (1993). Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences.
Journal of Marketing, 57(3), 53-70.
Johnson, Mark W. & Greg W. Marshall (2005). Sales Force Management, (8th ed.) New York:
McGraw Hill-Irwin.
Kennedy, Karen Norman & Dawn R. Deeter-Schmelz (2001). Descriptive and predictive analyses of
industrial buyers’ use of online information for purchasing. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales
Management, 21(4), 279-290.
Kharif, Olga (2004, August 9). Blogging for business. Business Week, retrieved from
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2004/tc2004089_3601_tc024.htm.
Ko, Dong-Gil & Alan R. Dennis (2004). Sales force automation and sales performance: do
experience and expertise matter? Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 4(fall), 311322.
Kotler, Philip & Kevin Lane Keller (2006). Marketing Management (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall.
Lancioni, R., H. Jensen & M. F. Smith (2003). Internet impact on supply chain management.
Industrial Marketing Management, 32(3), 173 –175.
Larsen, A.K. (1999). Efficiency through IT. InformationWeek, 730(April 19), 125-126.
Lavidge, Robert J. & Gary A. Steiner (1961). A model for predictive measurements of advertising
effectiveness. Journal of Marketing, 25(6), 59-62.
Lichtenthal, J. David, (1997). One customer - multiple targets. Business-to-Business Journal, Spring.
Lichtenthal, J. David (1988). Group decision making in organizational buying: A role structure
approach. Advances in Business Marketing, 3, 119 – 157.
35
Lichtenthal, J. David (2003). Business buyer relationship management through seamless internet
integration. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 3/4, 69 - 85.
Lichtenthal, J. David & Robert H. Ducoffe (1994). Industrial advertising decisions. Advances in
Business Marketing, vol. 6 (pp. 219-256), Greenwich: JAI Press.
Lichtenthal, J. David & Shay Eliaz (2003). Internet integration in business marketing tactics.
Industrial Marketing Management, 32(1), 3-13.
Lichtenthal, J. David, Sameer Sikri & K. Folk (1989). Teleprospecting: An approach to qualifying
accounts. Industrial Marketing Management, 18(1), 9 -17.
Long, Mary & Elaine Sherman (July 2000). “The Paradox of the internet and its relationship to
QOL,” presented at the Third Conference of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies,
Girona, Spain:Universitat de Girona.
MacDonald, J.B. & K. Smith (2004). The effects of technology- mediated communication on
industrial buyer behavior. Industrial Marketing Management, 33(2), 107-116.
Maynard, R. (1998). Finding the essence of good salespeople. Nation’s Business, 86(2), 10.
McCarthy, Tom (2004) The power of sales automation. Lodging Hospitality, 60(7), 34.
Messner, Fred R. (1992). Business-to-Business Communications Handbook. Chicago: NTC
Publishing.
Mick, David Glen & Susan Fournier (1998). Paradoxes of technology: consumer cognizance,
emotions, and coping strategies. Journal of Consumer Research, 25(September), 123-143.
Moncrief, William C., & Greg W. Marshall (2005). The evolution of the seven steps of selling.
Industrial Marketing Management, 34(1), 13-22.
Morrill, John E. (1970). Industrial advertising pays off. Harvard Business Review, 48(4), 48.
Myron, David (2004). Pharmaceutical firms find a spoonful of CRM helps the sales pitch go down.
CRM Magazine, 8(5), 14-17.
Rangarajan, Deva, Eli Jones, & Wynne Chin (2005). Impact of sales force automation on
technology-related stress, effort, and technology usage among salespeople. Industrial Marketing
Management, 34(4), 345-354.
Rasmusson, E. (1999). Get plugged in: The 5 steps to successful sales force automation. Sales and
Marketing Management, 151(3), 34-40.
Reichheld, Frederick F. (1993). Loyalty-based management. Harvard Business Review, 71(2), 6473.
Reichheld, Frederick F. (1996). The Loyalty Effect. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
36
Rich, Gregory A. (2002). The Internet: boom or bust to sales organisations? Journal of Marketing
Management, 18, 287-300.
Robinson, Leroy Jr., Greg W. Marshall, & Miriam B. Stamps (2005). An empirical investigation of
technology acceptance in a field sales force setting. Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), 407415.
Schneider, Martin (2004a) Mobile sales is on the move. CRM Magazine, 8(4), 16-17.
Sharma, Arun (2001). Trends in Internet-based business-to-business marketing. Industrial Marketing
Management, 31(2), 77–84.
Shermach, Kelly (2006) Gaining speed. Sales and Marketing Management, 158(1), 18.
Sweat, J. (1999). Software that sells. InformationWeek, 738(June 14), 101-106.
Vinas, Tonya (2003). CRM 2.0. Industry Week, 252(5), 33-37.
Widmier, Scott M., Donald W. Jackson Jr., & Deborah Brown McCabe (2002). Infusing technology
into personal selling. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 22(3), 189-198.
Zablah, Alex R., Danny N. Bellenger, & Wesley J. Johnston, (2004). An evaluation of divergent
perspectives on customer relationship management: towards a common understanding of an
emerging phenomenon. Industrial Marketing Management, 33(6), 475-489.
Zackariasson, P. & T.L. Wilson (2004). Internet worked after- sales service. Industrial Marketing
Management, 33(2), 75-86.
37