ABSTRACT
Why have we included people as the nal part of the marketing mix? Some consider personal selling as the interpersonal arm of the promotion mix. This line of thinking sees employees as walking, talking communication tools who interact with customers to inform them of the product offerings. Characterizing people as an interactive billboard downplays their importance. Even in the modern economy where billions of goods and services are traded instantly, the human touch will always play a vital role in guiding the business process. For it is the relationship between buyer and seller, a relationship based on mutual interests that creates the business opportunity for both parties to derive value and satisfaction. As Rolph Anderson, a business professor at Drexel University puts it,
People are more than just a two-way radio. People are the cement that binds customer value to satisfaction. Of course it is not just salespeople but ight attendants, barbers, lawyers, maids and many more who are all part of the experience of our product or service.
