Date of Award

12-2012

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Ron Van Houten

Second Advisor

Dr. Richard Malott

Third Advisor

Dr. Douglas Johnson

Fourth Advisor

Dr. John Austin

Keywords

Sales, performance improvement, behavior based sales, behavior techniques, sales performance, psychology of sales

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a behavior-based sales training package on sales performance for the sales divisions of two different organizations located in separate cities in the Midwestern United States. The independent variable was a package that included: behavior-based sales training; feedback; and reinforcement. The primary dependent variable was sales performance results, which is a measure of the participants’ closing percentage. Secondary dependent variables included income, participant attendance at sales meetings, participant satisfaction, and changes in knowledge (at site 2 only).

The intervention package was implemented at each site over a course of four weeks employing a non-concurrent multiple baseline design. Visual and statistical analysis suggests the training package was effective at increasing the closing percentage at each site, but the effects were not maintained after the training package was removed. In addition, the attendance at sales meetings increased, knowledge increased as it related to behavior and sales, and participant and organization income increased. The post-training survey suggests a favorable evaluation of the training package by participants.

The goal of the study was to examine behavioral techniques that could be generalized to any organization’s sales division for performance improvement. Few studies have applied behavioral techniques to improve sales performance. The current study fills a gap in the research literature, demonstrating the impact of a behavioral approach on sales performance and its effect on participant behavior in a sales organization.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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