Implementing A Sales Support app to Complement Face-to-Face Interaction: An Empirical Investigation of Business Value

ABSTRACT Implementing a mobile application (app) to facilitate electronic commerce and to enhance interaction with customers is quite common in contemporary organizations, and research has shed light on the business value of implementing such apps. However, only few empirical studies have explored the business value of implementing an app that supports, rather than substitutes, face-to-face interaction with customers. This study empirically explores and documents the impact of implementing a sales support app that complements face-to-face interaction of a salesperson with a customer in the process of purchasing a new car. Two consecutive periods were compared, before (conventional process) and after (innovative process) app implementation. The results confirmed that the sales support app added business value to the implementing organization via increased visits (although virtual rather than physical) and car purchases. Yet, app visits increased relatively more than purchases did, resulting in an expected decrease in conversion rate.