Preparing for, withstanding, and learning from sales crises: Implications and a future research agenda

Riley Dugan, Nawar Chaker, Edward Nowlin, Dawn Deeter-Schmelz, Deva Rangarajan, Raj Agnihotri and Omar Itani
Additional contact information
Riley Dugan: School of Business, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
Nawar Chaker: E.J. Ourso College of Business, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Edward Nowlin: College of Business Administration, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
Dawn Deeter-Schmelz: College of Business Administration, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
Deva Rangarajan: LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Raj Agnihotri: ISU - Iowa State University

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Abstract: The response from many firms to the recent COVID-19 crisis underscores a more fundamental and overarching question: How should salespeople and their firms prepare for and respond to sales crises more generally? In response, a group of sales scholars recently convened at the American Marketing Association's Winter Conference to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing salespeople and their firms before, during, and after a sales crisis. Thus, based on this session and subsequent follow-up discussions, this paper develops a framework detailing how the sales function should prepare for, withstand, and learn from a sales crisis. In so doing, we argue that sales crises can originate internally and externally to an organization and can impact the entire sales organization, the sales manager, and/or individual salespeople. Moreover, viewing a sales crisis simply as a turning point rather than a devastating event, we highlight the implications for salespeople and their managers who must inevitably deal with sales crises and the changes involved. Finally, we conclude with potential future directions for sales scholars interested in exploring the impact of crises on the sales function, as the next sales crisis is likely just around the corner.

Date: 2022-09-15
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Published in Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 2022, pp.1-16. ⟨10.1080/08853134.2022.2108821⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03978993

DOI: 10.1080/08853134.2022.2108821

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