Sales Force Technology Research Articles

Comparison of Software Development Solution Implementations in Lightning Flow Builder and Apex Programming Language in Salesforce Technology

The recent rapid development of the Salesforce platform has induced an expansion of no-code solutions to make automation available for less technical audience. This study examines similarities and differences between Apex programming and one of the no-code solutions on the Salesforce platform, Flow Builder. The research compares the implementation of the same applications using Apex language and Flow Builder in terms of operating time to fulfil requirements (first part) and execution time of both applications (second part). The applications were classified into two categories regarding the complexity of the solution, namely simple and intermediate, so that the research could thoroughly verify the impact of the amount of code and the simplification of programming concepts Flow Builder allows for. In the first part of the research, the majority of the developers who took part in the research managed to implement the simple application much quicker using Apex than Flow Builder. The intermediate application needed much more Apex code and made use of concepts like bulkification of records, which are automated in Flow Builder, so it was much easier to develop the second application in Flow Builder than Apex. In the second part of the research, execution times of the applications using Apex and Flow Builder were compared, and the findings show the impact of Flow Builder “behind the scenes” automation, which was the root cause of its more complex solutions slowdown.

Examining the use of sales force management practices

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand what sales management practices (SMPs) are being used by managers in the current market place, changes over time, insights that can be gained and future research needs.Design/methodology/approachData for this paper were collected via a cross-sectional internet-based survey using a sampling frame provided by a professional sales publication. ANOVA was used to analyze 159 sales manager respondents.FindingsEmpirical results indicate that several differences are evident across the 68 SMPs items gathered, especially in terms of the size of the sales force and establish some data on using technology in sales management. However, in spite of significant changes in the sales environment, many SMPs have had limited change.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this paper include a sample frame drawn from a single source and via the internet and, thus, may have excluded some possible respondents from participation and somewhat limit generalizability.Practical implicationsThe results of this paper raise a number of important issues for sales managers to consider. First, which SMPs should they be using? Managers need to give serious thought as to which practices they choose to use. Second, why are so many of them not making more extensive use of sales force technology? Third, is it wise for sales managers to be relying on executive opinion as their most extensively used forecasting method or should they be emphasizing another approach? A fourth issue is the continued heavy emphasis on generating sales volume as opposed to profits.Originality/valueThe data provide a rare and updated understanding of the use of SMPs by sales managers.

JPSSM since the beginning: intellectual cornerstones, knowledge structure, and thematic developments

Bibliometric analyses are applied to 35,975 citations from 721 articles published in the Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, spanning the journal’s first 35 years of existence (1980–2015). For each of three time periods (1980s, 1990s, and 2000s), the sales literature’s most influential article publications are objectively identified. Multidimensional scaling is then used to identify key intellectual themes across time. Based on the citation data, historical developments in the literature regarding (1) relationship marketing, (2) sales force technology, (3) sales force control systems, and (4) salesperson role stress are traced and briefly explored in some article-level depth. Co-citation trends and recently influential papers are used to identify opportunities for future research. Altogether, this paper presents a first-of-its-kind view of sales literature’s intellectual cornerstones, knowledge structure, and thematic developments over 35 years.

A conceptual model of the drivers and outcomes of mobile CRM application adoption

Purpose – Many organizations still struggle with sales force technology implementation because of low user adoption rates. The ubiquity of mobile computing devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and the proliferation of mobile customer relationship management (mCRM) applications, may lead to increased CRM adoption and higher returns on CRM technology investments. The purpose of this study is to attempt to extend the current literature by developing a model of mCRM antecedents and outcomes by incorporating the idiosyncratic mCRM characteristics that have not yet been examined in the sales technology literature. Design/methodology/approach – This research utilizes the technology acceptance model and the technology-to-performance chain as the foundation of a conceptual model of the drivers and outcomes of mCRM adoption. Findings – This conceptual study provides several contributions to both the sales technology literature and to practitioners within sales organizations. The proposed conceptual model outlines the benefits of providing mCRM capabilities to sales professionals. These benefits include increased productivity, sales activity and collaboration among both internal stakeholders (management and peers) and external stakeholders (prospects and customers). Originality/value – Despite the increased use of mobile applications in sales, research on this particular form of technology is limited, and sales researchers have yet to examine mCRM or its relationship to sales performance. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to forward a conceptual model that allows researchers to explore the drivers of mCRM use and how mCRM influences individual and organizational-level outcomes.

The influence of sales force technology use on outcome performance

Purpose – This paper aims to examine whether and how sales technology (ST) use helps salespeople perform better through the modification of their customer-qualification skills and customer-oriented selling behaviors. Also, the moderating role of salespeople’s technology self-efficacy is analyzed. Technological advancements have become an integral part of the personal selling process, yet the relationship between salesperson’s technology use and salesperson performance remains primarily unsubstantiated. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected from a diverse sample of 265 salespeople across different industries. Hypotheses are tested with structural equation modeling. Findings – The results indicate that a salesperson’s customer-qualification skills and customer-oriented selling fully mediate the effect of technology use on outcome performance. In addition, salespeople high in technology self-efficacy seem to get the most out of their technology use. More specifically, the influence of technology use on customer-qualification skills and customer-oriented selling is stronger for salespeople with high rather than low self-efficacy. Interestingly, technology use only increases performance for salespeople with high self-efficacy. Originality/value – Prior evidence on the consequences of ST on performance is not conclusive. The study adds value to both managers and scholars providing new insights of the link between technology use and performance and its underlying mediating and moderating processes. Without an understanding of the ST-performance relationship, sales managers may increase ST costs but decrease potential returns.

Computer assisted sales processes in automotive retailing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on research into the introduction of computer assisted sales processes (CASP) to a retail automotive sales environment. This research specifically aims to examine the effectiveness and implications for automotive dealers, their staff and customers.Design/methodology/approach – Primary research was carried out at three automotive dealer groups, including semi‐structured interviews with dealer managers and sales people, postal questionnaires and focus groups with existing customers.Findings – The study found customer perceptions of the buying experience improved when CASP was used effectively in the sales process. To achieve this it is critical to evaluate the sales force's technology readiness and orientation so that training requirements can be identified. This research found the training needs of the salespeople were seriously underestimated.Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the research is that, due to timescales, it is a cross‐se...

The impact of technology on evolving roles of salespeople

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to bridge the glaring gap in the sales literature due to the deficiency of historical research on the adoption of technology in personal selling and the resultant impacts on sales roles.Design/methodology/approachThis paper traces the early adoption of technology by the sales force through information obtained from an extensive review of published works covering a nearly 130‐year timeframe. Where possible, efforts are made to chronicle the early use of these technologies by citing examples from historical publications of applications in selling situations.FindingsIn the exciting internet era, it is often unrecognized that adopting the latest technology in selling is a long, ongoing process which can be traced back at least to the beginning of professional personal selling in the mid‐1800s when the industrial revolution enabled dramatic increases in manufactured products. A review of the literature suggests that sales forces were often early adopters of new technologies that laid the groundwork for taking on new or expanded sales roles. With each new invention and its creative adoption and adaption to selling, new sales roles have been created or ongoing ones expanded or significantly modified. Many of the roles still entrusted to today's sales force are arguably linked to a succession of technological adoptions that occurred between the 1850s and 1980s.Originality/valueFrom a historical perspective, this paper examines sales force technology development from the 1850s through the 1980s and the resultant impacts on sales force roles. To date, this historic technology‐sales force role relationship has not been adequately recognized or addressed in the sale literature. The analyses presented in the present study should prove useful for academics, students, and practitioners in the sales and marketing fields as well as researchers examining business history.

The Sales Force Technology–Performance Chain: The Role of Adaptive Selling and Effort

Firms continue to struggle with the implementation of sales force technology tools and the role they play in sales representative performance. This research expands previous literature in the area of sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM) by looking at the consequences after technology adoption by a sales force. Data were gathered from three sources to include 662 sales representatives, 60 sales managers, and fi rm archival data. Using structural equation modeling, our fi ndings indicate that SFA usage has a direct impact on effort, thereby reducing number of hours worked, and CRM usage has a direct positive impact on adaptive selling behaviors. Moreover, experience moderates the relationship between CRM usage and adaptive selling. Discussion, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed.

A longitudinal cross-level model of leader and salesperson influences on sales force technology use and performance.

The authors examined the influence of the introduction of a new suite of technology tools on the performance of 592 salespersons. They hypothesized that the salespersons' work experience would have a negative effect on their technology self-efficacy, which in turn would relate positively to their use of technology. Sales performance was hypothesized to be positively related to both past performance and the use of new technology tools. Further, the authors hypothesized that leaders' commitment to sales technology would enhance salespersons' technology self-efficacy and usage, and leaders' empowering behaviors would influence salespersons' technology self-efficacy and moderate the individual-level relationships. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses confirmed all of the hypothesized individual-level relationships and most of the cross-level relationships stemming from average leader behaviors. In particular, empowering leadership exhibited multiple cross-level interactions, as anticipated. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of social-psychological factors related to the success of sales force technology interventions.

Technology improves sales performance—doesn't it?: An introduction to the special issue on selling and sales technology

Firms around the globe are rushing to invest in sales force technology or sales force automation (SFA). SFA appears to mean different things to different people. For example, management and sales personnel view the need for, application of, and advantages of SFA quite distinctly. As a result of technology, this special issue examines many areas of sales force automation to provide both practicing managers and sales force academicians with a clearer perspective of new technology in the B2B marketplace. This article introduces the special issue topic, individual contributors, and acknowledges support proffered by myriad individuals.

Sales force technology usage—reasons, barriers, and support: An exploratory investigation

Increasingly, salespeople are being asked to adopt and use a variety of technologies to increase their selling productivity and efficiency, including sales force automation and customer relationship management technologies. However, little research has investigated what happens once sales force automation (SFA) technology is adopted. This paper explores the reasons why salespeople use SFA technologies, the perceived barriers to SFA usage and how management can increase the usage of SFA technology. First, a qualitative study was performed to gain insight about salespeople's automation technology usage and the reasons why some salespeople fully use or do not utilize technology. After the initial study, 130 salespeople were surveyed. More productivity/efficiency was the main reason why salespeople use technology, the lack of management and technical support proved to be the main barrier to usage, and training proved most effective in increasing usage of SFA technology. Sales managers are provided with implications of the findings.

Technology and the sales force: Amach, Inc.

This paper explores the application of sales force technology by Amach, Inc. a Detroit based medical device firm. Sales force technology represents a variety of dynamic tools that can help the sales force. While these tools cannot replace the salesperson and generate deals from customers, they can enhance efficiency and effectiveness levels. Sales force technology can range from computer laptops, pagers, cellular phones, desktop personal computers and software for contact management, database management and multimedia presentations. The key for sales managers to remember is that these tools do not drive themselves and still need the skill of management to get the best results. Managerial suggestions and research ideas are presented.

Sales Technology Applications: The Acquisition and Use of Sales Force Automation by Mid-Sized Manufacturers

The decade of the nineties has seen considerable attention devoted to the application of information technology to the sales force. This paper reports on an empirical investigation into the factors that relate to the acquisition and effective use of sales force automation. Several correlates relating to the firm's acquisition of sales force technology were identified. In contrast, relatively few variables appear related to whether or not the organization will realize any actual benefits from such investments. A key determinant appears to be whether the firm anticipates that sales force automation is likely to have an impact on areas of the organization extending beyond the sales force itself. The paper concludes with some implications of the findings of the investigation and some suggestions for future research.