Enduringly Adjusting B2B Sales and Purchasing Channels? Lessons from the Global Pandemic Crisis
(A2022-106630)

AUTHORS

Christine Falkenreck, Hof University; Grzegorz Leszczy?ski, Poznan University of Economics and Business; Marek Zieli?ski, Pozna? University of Economics and Business

ABSTRACT

Considering the COVID-19 and related lockdown conditions, the daily business of sales managers has changed substantially and been determined by online interactions in low-touch economic surroundings. Capturing the early; peak; and enduring phase of the crisis between March 2020 and November 2021, we carried out three qualitative studies using interviews with 13 international sales and purchasing managers from Poland and Germany. We examined the role of the face-to-face interaction at the pre-COVID stage and compared with to the low-touch economic COVID stages to highlight the changes in the communication-performance link: How do salespeople deal with the restructuration of the B2B communication to seek new customers and continue successful relationships with the old ones? What communication channels will remain after COVID-19? Which communication will be turned back to the pre-COVID-19 channels?