Redefining the Sales Call: The Buyer’s Perspective

Recent technological advances, such as the Internet, social media, and related technologies, are revolutionizing the field of sales. Sales calls are the fundamental means of sales communication between salespeople and buyers. Traditionally, sellers used face-to-face sales calls as the primary form of contact with buyers. However, salespeople have routinely adapted innovations in technology to the sales process, such as the mobile and landline telephones, social media, voice mail, and postal services, as well as printed and online materials. As technology continues to offer enhancements to sales calls, sellers are also incorporating new tools to communicate with buyers. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to examine the buyer’s expectation of the seller’s use of various forms of sales calls in relation to the buyer’s evaluation of the salesperson. The phase of the relationship between the buyer and the seller is expected to moderate the strength of the relationship between the form of sales call and the buyer’s perceptions of the salesperson.