Note to salespeople - despite what you want to convey, shoppers don‟t really buy that they‟re in “relationships” with you — at least not the way we connote the word 'relationship', according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Modern marketing strategies tend to rely on “relationship marketing,” which assumes that sellers can develop bonds with buyers. This school of thought often draws upon theories from sociology and social psychology that explain close personal ties, like marriage, friendship, and parent-child relationships.
But it isn't correct. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 38 business buyers and found that their “relationships” with suppliers differed in important ways from person relationships. “Buyers speak in-depth about going through the normal 'script' of trying to behave as if seller interactions are 'real' relationships, and sustaining this activity as a 'polite fiction' to help them accomplish personal and corporate goals,” the authors explain.
The authors found that buyers prefer to connect (and disconnect) with suppliers needs arise and hold low expectations for future interactions with salespeople outside of their business dealings. “This study suggests that business buyers are not actually seeking authentic relationships, and sellers‟ efforts to develop them may even create negative tension for buyers.”
Citation: Christopher Blocker, Mark Houston, and Dan Flint. “Real Relationships between Business Buyers and Salespeople: Reality or Polite Fiction?” Journal of Consumer Research: February 2012 (published online June 28, 2011)