Abstract
The influence of salespeople's characteristics on their performance has been an area of extensive research interest. This article examines a potentially important area — the influence of salespeople's affect toward customers on their performance. Previous research has suggested that if customers perceive salespeople to have a positive affect toward their customers, message processing and persuasion are enhanced [Sharma (1999).]. This research empirically establishes a positive relationship between retail salespeople's affect toward customers and their sales performance. Additionally, to aid in the selection of retail salespeople, this research examines the relationship between salespeople's individual characteristics and their affect toward customers. Managerial implications of the research are suggested and directions for future research proposed.
