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Research Article

The Effect of Salesperson's Relationship Selling Behavior on Relationship Quality and Customer Equity Components

Lee, Gyeongmi1 · Kim, Sanghyeon1

1 Yeungnam University

Published: January 2015 · Vol. 44 No. 6 · pp. 1629-1659

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17287/kmr.2015.44.6.1629

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Abstract

Marketing is no longer regarded as a series of independent transactions, but as a dynamic process of establishing and maintaining relationships. In this respect, relationship selling behavior and customer equity became the key constructs in obtaining competitive advantage. Selling behavior is the most important aspect of a company performance because his/her behaviors motivate and promote the purchasing behaviors of customer. Selling behavior of salesperson has become a major factor which can differentiate a company from competitors. Effective selling behaviors of salesperson are critical in improving individual and firm performance as well as increasing customer satisfaction and trust.. In spite of the acknowledged importance of relationship selling in increasing customer equity, relational selling behavior and skills appear to be understudied. The authors examine how relationship selling behavior and skills affect relationship quality and customer equity drivers. Relationship selling behaviors as examined in this study include customer orientation, ethical selling behavior, and adaptive selling. And customer equity drivers include brand equity, relationship equity, and value equity. This article develops a model and research hypotheses based on literature review, and reports the results of the study. The insurance industry was selected as a suitable setting to test the proposed model. Survey data were collected from a sample of insurance salespersons. The unit of analysis in this study was the dyadic relationship between salesperson and their customers. This study used structural equation modeling with AMOS 18.0 to test for causal relationships and the hypotheses. Findings suggest that relationship selling behavior and skills have significant effects on relationship quality and customer equity, and relationship quality also has significant effects on customer equity.
Keywords: relationship selling behaviorcustomer orientationethical selling behavioradaptive sellingrelationship qualitycustomer equity drivers브랜드 자산relationship equityvalue equity