BUYER AND SALES REPRESENTATIVES INTERACTION

The most important part of buyer-seller relationship is the interaction between a representative of the buying organisation (buyer) and a representative of the selling organisation (sales representative or sales rep). There are many other persons from both the organisations involved in the relationship, but the basic building bolck of the relationship is based on buyer and sales rep’ interactions.
When the buyer and the sales rep meet, the nature of their interactions depend upon their roles, behaviour, and perceptions.
Buyer’s Perception of Sales Representative
There are two major perceptions held by buyers of sales representatives. One is the stereotypical description of the sales reps, as “talkative”, easy going”,”manipulative”, “competitive”,optimistic”,and “excitable”. An industrial buyer, who does not have previous experience with a particular sales representative, may respond of the sales representative in terms of the stereotype which he has of sales reps in the general. The second major perception of the buyer depends on the reputation of the company which a sales representative represents. Generally, the sales representative of a company with better reputation always gets a more favourable initial response from the industrial purchasers. For example, a sales engineer working with a reputed company like Larsen & Toubro (L&T), often got a positive response from the industrial customers. However, when the same sales engineer change the job to a less reputed company, as a sales executive, the response was not encouraging, as he had to wait for along time before he was called in for discussions.
The Role Played by Industrial Buyer
An analysis of industrial buyer behaviour indicates that personal needs, interaction in the buying centre, an organisational objectives (or needs) determine the response of a buyer to the selling efforts by a sales rep. for example, an industrial buyer may be motivated by a personal need for salary increment and promotion in his job, and also by a social or organisational need to satistfy the user department. A buying decision may allow the buyer to satisfy both the sets of needs. The specific personal and social needs will decide: (i) whether the buyer meets with a sales rep, (ii) which parts of sales rep’s presentation he listens; (iii) the influence of sales presentation on his decision to buy.