Abstract
Previous research suggests that salespersons’ customer orientation can impact the effectiveness and outcomes of their selling interactions with customers. The purpose of this exploratory research was to create a foundation (based on prior results) for more comprehensive future work investigating customer judgments of a salesperson based on observed behaviors. Specifically, this study assessed whether a salesperson’s relational customer orientation (compared to a functional orientation) could trigger improved evaluations of a salesperson’s ethical treatment of a customer, increased trust in the salesperson, and stronger intentions to purchase. The relationships among perceptions of ethical treatment, trust, and purchase intentions were also explored. Using data collected from a large sample of working professionals, the results indicated that a relational selling approach resulted in increases in the three indicators of sales effectiveness. Additionally, perceived ethical treatment was positively related to trust in a salesperson and purchase intentions, and trust was positively related to purchase intentions. Implications for sales professionals in general as well as sales organizations and sales leaders in particular are discussed.