Relational selling behavior and skills in long-term industrial buyer-seller relationships

Abstract

Marketing is no longer regarded as a series of independent transactions, but as a dynamic process of establishing and maintaining relationships. In spite of the acknowledged importance of relationship marketing, relational selling behavior and skills appear to be understudied. The authors examine how selling behaviors and skills affect relationship continuity. In contrast to much of the literature, which appears to suggest that relational selling behavior and skills are universally effective, their study among industrial customers shows that the effects of some selling behaviors and skills are contingent on the degree of supplier dependence. Personal similarity, for example, is most effective in low dependence relationships, whereas the negative effects of aggressive selling are less in high dependence relationships. Furthermore, the results suggest that communication and conflict handling have a universally positive impact on relationship continuity.