Examining the use of team selling by manufacturers' representatives - A situational approach

Because of their boundary-spanning nature, manufacturers' representatives frequently are involved in team selling. The results from a survey of 362 manufacturers; representatives indicates that team selling is more likely to be used by manufacturers' representatives when the customer faces a first-time buy of a complex product, when the information needs of the customer are great, when the account requires special treatment, and when a number of people are involved in the decision to buy. In addition, team selling is more likely when the potential sale is large for the representative firm and when the product is new to the representative's product line. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.