ABSTRACT
The psychology of the salesperson is paramount to our understanding of why customer relationship management (CRM) often fails and how to make it successful. CRM is a philosophy driven by marketing and sales management rather than from the frontline sales force, folks who are already customer focused— they are the ones visiting offices, making follow-up calls, signing Christmas cards, and memorizing birthdays. The chapter shows the process of managing salesperson resistance requires diligence on multiple fronts, particularly in the context of providing clarity on expectations and roles. It explores the salesperson psychology and resistance leading to an understanding that salespeople themselves must be sold on CRM systems, which are often management or marketing initiatives that are undertaken without the salesperson's consent. The chapter understands that CRM causes significant consternation for salespeople, particularly as it surrounds the definition of their roles, management's expectations on CRM usage, and information sharing and access.
