THE ROLE OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS SALES IN PREDICTING SALES PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Previous research has identified numerous employee’s individual differences that play a role in predicting success in sales work tasks. However, it seems that the role of attitudes towards sales and its relatedness to sales performance has not yet been in-vestigated, which was the aim of this study. This research was conducted on a sample of contact center agents who sell on a daily basis. We collected data on their demo-graphics, personality traits and attitudes towards sales. The information on agents’ objective monthly offer rate and sales performance across six months was provided by the employer. A series of hierarchical linear models showed that men sell more compa-red to women; that success in sales decreases over years of employment; that attitudes predict sales performance and that they are a better predictor then personality traits; and that offer rate does not mediate the relation of attitudes and closed sales. Further-more, the relation between attitudes and sales was not moderated by employee’s gen-der, level of education nor employment duration. These findings are interpreted in light of the theory of planned behavior.