Improving Professional Selling Effectiveness through the Alignment of Buyer and Seller Exchange Approaches

Salespeople employ transactional- and relational-oriented approaches to maximize sales productivity. However, relatively little is known about situational factors that affect the success of these alternative approaches. This research begins with an exploratory study that differentiates transactional and relational selling as unique approaches and develops applicable measures. A second study employs a dyadic methodology linking the success of these alternative approaches with the buyer’s strategic purchasing orientation. Results of testing support sales organization performance as being contingent upon the buying firm’s supply market risk and commodity profit impact and therefore suggests the firm should allocate regional resources primarily where buyer’s market risk or profit impact are high. The findings provide an alternative perspective to common customer valuation arguments suggesting the allocation of relational resources should be based on the customer’s value to the selling firm.