The role of emotion in the relationship between customers and contact personnel

SangHyun Lee, Purdue University

Abstract

Through buyer-seller interaction, salespeople conceivably will influence how customers feel when shopping; in essence, salespersons are likely to have an impact on customer's emotions. Although previous work has considered the effect store environment has on customer emotions, no extant research has examined how customer emotions emerge after interacting with salespeople or what the outcomes of those emotions are. The purpose of this study is to explain the association between salesperson attributes and customer emotions in buying situations that entail substantial customer/salesperson interaction. Further, it examined how emotions affect a customer's evaluation of relationship satisfaction and whether this construct affects purchase intention. A mail survey was conducted to collect data in the customer-car salesperson relationship context. Among the 5,000 mailed questionnaires, a total of 322 usable responses were obtained representing a response rate of 6.5%. The structural equation model was used to test the specific hypotheses. This study found several factors affecting emotion constructs and those construct's effect on the relationship satisfaction and further intention. The major findings of this study can be summarized as follows. (1) There is a positive relationship between selected characteristics of salespeople (trustworthiness, empathy, and professional appearance) and customers' positive emotion. (2) There is a negative association between certain salesperson attributes (trustworthiness, empathy, and accessibility) and customers' negative emotion. (3) Customers are more satisfied with their relationship with the salesperson when they experience a higher level of positive emotion. (4) When customers experience higher negative emotion, customers are less satisfied with the relationship. (5) Customers are more likely to maintain their relationship with the salesperson when they are more satisfied with that relationship. Findings from this study provide insights for managers about what must be done to attract and retain customers. As customers interact with sales personnel, fostering favorable customer emotions can conceivably lead to satisfied customers and build ongoing relationship.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Comer, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Marketing

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