Customer orientation and salesperson performance

Mark E. Cross; Thomas G. Brashear; Edward E. Rigdon; Danny N. Bellenger

doi:10.1108/03090560710752410

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European Journal of Marketing

ISSN: 0309-0566

Online from: 1967

Subject Area: Marketing

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Customer orientation and salesperson performance

Document Information:
Title:	Customer orientation and salesperson performance
Author(s):	Mark E. Cross, (Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Thomas G. Brashear, (Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA), Edward E. Rigdon, (Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Danny N. Bellenger, (Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
Citation:	Mark E. Cross, Thomas G. Brashear, Edward E. Rigdon, Danny N. Bellenger, (2007) "Customer orientation and salesperson performance", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 41 Iss: 7/8, pp.821 - 835
Keywords:	Customer orientation, Sales performance
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/03090560710752410 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Abstract:	Purpose – This paper aims to examine the impact of customer orientation, at the levels of both the company and the salesperson, on salesperson performance. Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 283 salespeople provides the database that was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – Prior studies suggest that both company and salesperson customer orientation has a positive effect on performance. The findings of this study suggest that a salesperson's customer orientation completely mediates the relationship between company customer orientation and salesperson performance. Thus, the influence of a company's customer orientation on salesperson performance acts through the customer orientation of the salespeople. Originality/value – The study reinforces the importance of customer orientation and the role of salespeople in putting customer orientation into practice.