Combining Service and Sales at the Point of Customer Contact

Abstract

In this article, the authors examine the organizational factors contributing to the successful commingling of employee service and sales responsibilities at the point of customer contact. Findings indicate that the key to successful commingling is a balanced orientation among customer contact personnel where their service and sales roles are viewed as complementary rather than contradictory. To ensure this, the organizational environment must support both service and sales roles, or it might run the risk of encouraging the cross-selling of additional products without creating employee concern for delivering customer satisfaction. In addition, the performance of both service and sales roles in an environment that is not conducive to these roles appears to adversely affect contact employee levels of felt stress.