The double-edged effects of emotional intelligence on the adaptive selling–salesperson-owned loyalty relationship

Abstract

Emotional intelligence can positively impact sales outcomes. However, research is needed to enhance our understanding about how salesperson's emotional intelligence affects adaptive selling and customer outcomes. This study uses dyadic data from 150 customers matched with 25 salespeople to investigate relationships among emotional intelligence, adaptive selling (AS) and customer loyalty perceptions. Research findings show that regulation of emotions negatively affects salesperson-owned loyalty (SOL), while it positively moderates the AS-SOL relationship. These findings are critical as they challenge the pervasive conception of the positive impact of regulation of emotions in sales. Results also provide further evidence that SOL is important to the firm as it positively affects loyalty to the service provider and through mediating processes also impacts word of mouth.