The Effect of Information Technology on Salesperson Performance

This study integrates a broad literature search with multiple qualitative interviews and observations to develop a solid theory on information technology usage and salesperson performance. Subsequently, the proposed theoretical model is empirically tested using a field study research design. The model tests the mediating effects of sales skills, smart selling and call productivity on the direct effect between information technology and salesperson performance. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to test and explain the relationship between information technology and salesperson performance. The study takes place within one company and mixes multiple data sources (i.e. sales representative and sales manager survey data, company performance and call reporting data) related to 187 salespeople. The authors would like to thank the Institute for the Study of Business Markets (ISBM) and eBusiness Research Center (eBRC), Pennsylvania State University for its excellent financial and academic support of this study. The first author also wishes to thank the Intercollegiate Center for Management Science (ICM), Belgium, for the financial support in terms of a Ph.D. scholarship.