selling behaviors and sales performance: soco and adapts

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SELLING BEHAVIORS AND SALES PERFORMANCE:
SOCO AND ADAPTS
Subhra Chakrabarty, Grambling State University
Gene Brown, Louisiana Tech University
Robert Widing II, University of Melbourne
Craig Conrad, Wingate University
ABSTRACT
The relationship between selling behaviors and sales performance
was examined. Two measures of selling behaviors, SOCO and ADAPTS
were found to be significantly related to sales performance. As
the sales management literature predicts, highly customer
oriented salespersons, and salespersons who adapt their sales
presentation to the selling situation tend to be better
performers. The managerial implications are discussed.
INTRODUCTION
The relationship between selling behaviors and sales performance
continues to be a widely studied research area in marketing.
According to Churchill et al. (1985, p. 116), "a salesperson's
efforts or behaviors are much more controllable than the results
produced by those efforts." Several measures of selling
behaviors have been developed and tested. For example, Saxe and
Weitz (1982) developed the SOCO scale to measure the degree to
which salespersons practice customer oriented selling behaviors.
Spiro and Weitz (1990) developed the ADAPTS scale to measure the
degree to which salespersons can alter their selling behaviors
based on perceived information about the nature of the selling
situation. The relationship between these measures of selling
behaviors and sales performance should be of interest to sales
managers.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between
selling behaviors and sales performance. The degree to which
salespersons engage in customer oriented selling behaviors, as
well as, the degree to which they can adapt their sales
presentations to the selling situation, are likely to affect
their sales performance in the long run.
BACKGROUND
Saxe and Weitz (1982) developed the SOCO scale as measure of the
extent to which salespersons practice the marketing concept.
According to Saxe and Weitz (1982, p. 344), "customer-oriented
selling is a way of doing business on the part of salespeople.
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The term refers to the degree to which salespeople practice the
marketing concept by trying to help customers make purchase
decisions that will satisfy customer needs. Highly customeroriented
salespeople engage in behaviors aimed at increasing
long-term customer satisfaction. In addition, they avoid
behaviors which might result in customer dissatisfaction. Thus
highly customer-oriented salespeople avoid actions which
sacrifice customer interest to increase the probability of an
immediate sale."
The SOCO scale has been used as a measure of customer orientation
of salespersons in a variety of contexts, such as, industrial
buying (Michaels and Day 1985; O'Hara, Boles, and Johnston 1991),
industrial selling (Siguaw, Brown, and Widing 1994), real estate
(Dunlap, Dotson, and Chambers 1988), and retailing (Brown,
Widing, and Coulter 1991).
Spiro and Weitz (1990) developed the ADAPTS scale to measure the
degree to which salespersons practice adaptive selling behaviors.
According to Weitz, Sujan, and Sujan (1986, p 175), "the practice
of adaptive selling is defined as the altering of sales behaviors
during a customer interaction or across customer interactions
based on the perceived information about the nature of the
selling situation."
The ADAPTS scale has also been used in past studies. For
example, Levy and Sharma (1994) used the scale to measure the
degree to which retail salespersons engage in adaptive selling
behaviors. Spiro and Weitz (1990) found significant positive
relationship between ADAPTS and salespersons' self-assessment of
performance.
If salespersons are practicing the marketing concept by being
customer oriented, and adapting their selling behaviors to the
sales situations, their sales performance should improve.
Consequently, the SOCO scores and the ADAPTS scores of
salespersons should be positively related to sales performance.
Measurement of Constructs
METHODOLOGY
The constructs of this study were measured on multiple-item
scales, mostly drawn from past studies. Table 1 presents the
summary statistics of the study variables. The customer
orientation of salespersons was measured using the 24 item SOCO
scale (Saxe and Weitz 1982). The endpoints of the scale ranged
from 1 (true for none of your customers) to 9 (true for all of
your customers). The adaptive selling behavior of salespersons
was measured using the 16 item ADAPTS scale (Spiro and Weitz
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1990). The endpoints of the scale ranged from 1 (very strongly
disagree) to 9 (very strongly agree).
Table 1
Means, Standard Deviations, and Coefficient Alpha
No. of
Mean Std. Dev. Scale Items Alpha
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Customer Orientation 6.09 1.00 24 0.81
Adaptive Selling 6.15 1.00 16 0.75
Sales Performance 4.12 0.77 1 na*
Sales Performance 6.71 1.28 31 0.96
*not applicable
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Salesperson performance was measured using the 31 item scale
developed by Behrman and Perreault (1982). The endpoints of the
scale ranged from 1 (your performance is very low compared to an
average salesperson) to 9 (your performance is very high compared
to an average salesperson). In addition, each salesperson
responded to a 5-point scale anchored by 1 (my performance is
near the bottom) and 5 (my performance is near the top). The
items were similar to Spiro and Weitz (1990). Thus, we had two
self-report measures of sales performance. The SOCO, ADAPTS, and
sales performance scores for each respondent were derived by
summating the items of the corresponding scales.
As Table 1 indicates, the measures were reliable. The
respondents of this study were moderately customer oriented,
since the mean SOCO score is 6.09 on a 9 point scale. They were
not highly adaptive to their customers given that the mean ADAPTS
score is 6.15 on a 9 point scale. The mean performance score was
6.71 on a 9 point scale. Thus, the respondents of the current
study rated themselves as slightly higher than an average
salesperson. The single item measure of sales performance
indicates that the respondents believed that their performance
was above average.
Sample And Data Collection Procedures
The variables in the current study were measured from the
salesperson's perspective using a self-report mail questionnaire.
The sampling frame consisted of the missionary salespersons of a
pharmaceutical manufacturer in India. Questionnaires were
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distributed to the 253 salespersons who cover the major markets
in India. Financial constraints allowed only a single mailing.
The original distribution of 253 questionnaires yielded 146
responses. After accounting for missing data, a total of 138
usable responses was obtained, thereby providing a response rate
of 54.5%. Nonresponse bias was assessed by comparing early with
late respondents as suggested by Armstrong and Overton (1977).
No significant differences were found on the study variables.
Therefore, nonresponse bias does not appear to be a significant
issue in the current study.
Regarding subject characteristics, 7.7% of the respondents were
female and 92.3% of the respondents were male. 80% of the
respondents were college graduates, indicating that the
salespersons were highly educated. The average age of the
respondents was 28.5 years, and their average selling experience
was 6.2 years. Consequently, the subjects were young and
relatively less experienced.
ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
The results are divided into two sections. The first section
describes the statistical properties of the variables of this
study compared to past applications. The second section
discusses the relationship between selling behaviors and sales
performance.
The SOCO Scale
The statistical properties of the SOCO scale compared to past
applications are presented in Table 2. As indicated, the mean
SOCO score lies above the midpoint. Consequently, the
respondents of this study were customer oriented with more than
half of their customers. The skewness is moderate. The scale
compared well with past applications.
Table 2
Statistical Comparison Across Studies
Siguaw Brown,
Brown, Widing, Saxe/ Saxe/
Current and and Weitz Weitz Michaels
Study Widing Coulter Sample Sample and Day
(9 pt. (9 pt. (6 pt. 1 (9 pt. 2 (9 pt. (9 pt.
scale) scale) scale) scale) scale) scale)
------------------------------------------------------------------
N 138 306 348 191 95 997
Mean 6.09 7.81 3.46 7.63 7.75 5.75
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Std. Dev. 1.00 0.68 13 24 18 22
Skewness -.06 nr* -.27 -1.33 -.88 -.34
Coefficient
Alpha 0.81 0.86 0.81 0.86 0.83 0.91
*not reported
------------------------------------------------------------------
The ADAPTS Scale
The statistical properties of the ADAPTS scale compared to past
applications are presented in Table 3. As indicated, the mean
ADAPTS score lies slightly above the midpoint. Consequently, the
respondents of this study slightly agree that they alter their
selling behaviors based on the perceived nature of the selling
situation. This finding is contrary to past applications in U.S.
For example, Spiro and Weitz (1990) reported that the mean rating
for their sample of salespersons was very high (5.51). Given
that missionary selling involves repeated interactions with a set
customers, it is striking that the respondents of the current
study are not highly adaptive.
Table 3
Statistical Comparison Across Studies
Current Study Levy and Sharma Spiro and Weitz
(9 point scale) (7 point scale) (5 point scale)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
N 138 201 268
Mean 6.15 5.33 5.51
Std. Dev. 1.00 0.91 0.66
Skewness 0.16 nr* nr*
Coefficient
Alpha 0.75 0.84 0.85
*not reported
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sales Performance
The statistical properties of the sales performance measure
compared to past applications are presented in Tables 4A and 4B.
As Table 4A indicates, the respondents rated their performance as
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slightly higher than an average performer. The mean sales
performance score is relatively lower than past applications.
Table 4A
Statistical Comparison Across Studies
Behrman and Goolsby, Lagace,
Current Study Perreault and Boorom
(9 point scale) (7 point scale) (7 point scale)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
N 138 196 177
Mean 6.71 5.45 3.91
Std. Dev. 1.28 0.67 9.89
Skewness -1.12 nr* nr*
Coefficient
Alpha 0.96 0.94 0.89
*not reported
-----------------------------------------------------------------
With regard to the alternative measure of sales performance, the
comparison with Spiro and Weitz (1990) is presented in Table 4B.
As Table 4B indicates, the performance ratings are comparable to
the 31 item measure, meaning that the respondents rated
themselves slightly above average. However, the mean rating is
slightly lower than that of Spiro and Weitz (1990). Overall, the
sales performance measures compared well with past studies.
Table 4B
Statistical Comparison Across Studies
Current Study Spiro and Weitz (1990)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
N 138 268
Mean 4.12 4.41
Std. Deviation 0.66 0.77
Skewness -.30 nr*
*not reported
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Selling Behaviors And Sales Performance
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The relationship between selling behaviors and sales performance
was examined by correlating SOCO, ADAPTS, and sales performance.
The correlations are reported in Table 5. As indicated, there is
a significant positive correlation between selling behaviors and
sales performance. Thus, salespersons who engage in customer
oriented selling behaviors, and who alter their sales
presentations according to the selling situation, are likely to
improve their performance. In addition, the SOCO scores and the
ADAPTS scores were themselves significantly positively
correlated. Consequently, the higher the customer orientation of
salespersons, the more adaptive they are to their customers.
Table 5
Selling Behaviors and Sales Performance
Performance Performance
Variables SOCO ADAPTS (31 items) (1 item)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SOCO 1.00 0.52** 0.19* 0.25**
ADAPTS 1.00 0.24** 0.18*
Performance
(31 items) 1.00 0.33**
Performance
(1 item) 1.00
*p

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LIMITATIONS
In this study, performance of salespersons was measured by selfreport.
The usefulness of self-generated descriptions of
behavior in evaluating performance has been criticized on the
grounds that individuals are lenient in self-ratings and tend to
inflate self-ratings due to a self-serving bias (Murphy and
Cleveland 1991). However, the respondents of the current study
are missionary salespersons who frequently work in teams.
Behrman and Perreault (1982, p. 356) noted that "quantitative
measures may be problematic when team selling, missionary
selling, or long selling cycles are an issue." The sales volume
achieved by these salespersons may also differ due to
inequalities in territory potential. Managerial evaluations of
salesperson performance have also been criticized for halo
effects, interpersonal bias, leniency, and the possibility of
salespersons using ingratiation to bias their managers
(Cocanougher and Ivancevich 1978; Heneman 1974). In addition, a
meta-analysis of past studies on salesperson performance
indicated that the method of measuring the dependent variable
(sales performance) does not moderate the relationship between
individual predictors and sales performance (Churchill et al.
1985). However, given the possibility of upward bias in
salesperson self-evaluations of performance, the results of this
study should be interpreted with caution.
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