THE EFFECTS OF CRM OVER SALESPERSONS’ SELLING INTENTION AND SALES PERFORMANCE: A RESEARCH IN TURKISH NON-LIFE INSURANCE MARKET

Abstract

With the development of digital technologies and diversification of communication tools, customers demand similar experiences from all businesses independent of the industries. In the finance sector, insurance industry -with its intermediaries in both production and service stages- is lagging behind others in terms of improving customer experience and approach to the them. Intermediaries such as bancassurance, agents, and brokers have dominated nearly 80% of the sector. For this reason, insurance companies have started to invest in factors such as satisfaction of intermediaries, establishment of reward and target systems for intermediaries, and hence improving their performance. Although there are many research in the literature in order to measure and develop customer-oriented approaches, the wishes and needs of customers, and to establish healthier, long-term relationships between customers and businesses, companies in sectors that have intensive relations with intermediaries need to concentrate not only on their customers but also on intermediaries. Therefore, in this study, the effects of Customer Relations Management (CRM) applications on sales intention and sales performances of sales representatives working in the non-life insurance market have been tried to be measured. For this measurement, CRM applications were evaluated with four sub-dimensions: focus on key customers, CRM organizational structure, information management and technology-based CRM implementation. Data were collected from intermediaries in Turkish non-life insurance market and a total of 299 surveys were obtained. The results of the study suggests that effectively managed CRM practices have positive effects on both sales performances and sales intentions of sales representatives.