How Building Rapport with Sales Personnel Can Lower Consumers’ Shopping Costs? Consumers’ Sustainable Relationship Building with Sales Personnel & Its Impact on Switching Cost
(A2025-125908)

AUTHORS

SOOKHYUN KIM, EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY

ABSTRACT

This study explores the reciprocal relationship-building between consumers and sales personnel, challenging the traditional consumer-centric perspective. The study focuses on the role of human-based Consumer Relationship Management (CRM), grounded in Social Exchange Theory and Social Relationship Assessment, and proposes that both parties must invest in the relationship (i.e., CRM & Sales Personnel Relationship Management-SRM) to maximize benefits and loyalty/sustainability. Findings reveal that when consumers exhibit attractive behaviors, especially strong social communication skills and positive engagement with sales personnel, it increases sales personnel’s service quality, job satisfaction, relationship strength, and switching costs/tolerance, which in turn enhances consumer experience and loyalty. Notably, younger and sales-oriented sales personnel strived to offer high-quality services and maintain relationships even without consistent sales contributions from consumers.