Relevance of Personal Interaction Factors between Customers and Sales Representatives in the Automotive Business

The purpose of this paper is to determine the personal factors in sales that are most relevant to achieving sales success. The research will a) enable scholars to obtain a better understanding of the personal sales process, and b) enable marketers to develop more efficient personal sales approaches. The study utilized an observational design approach. Personal selling scenarios were filmed and shown to respondents who completed a sales effectiveness survey. Video content was also coded for statistical analysis. The resulting data was analysed via a multiple-regression model. A conceptual personal sales model was developed. The model suggests that salesperson authenticity impacts sales success. Authenticity is shown to be a function of a given salesperson’s affective, behavioural, and cognitive profile. The study focused on automotive retail sales scenarios in the United States. However, results may be generalizeable to similar markets. The study utilized a novel conceptual model and methodological approach. Practical guidelines and a scholarly research foundation are provided, research gaps are identified, and proposals for future research are suggested.