The impact of customer satisfaction with sales representatives on customer loyalty to the firm: An application of the physician-medical sales representative relationship in the pharmaceutical industry

The aim of this study is to uncover the extent to which the physician's satisfaction with the pharmaceutical sales representative influences the physician's commitment to the pharmaceutical firm. The relationship of the pharmaceutical sales representative to the physician-customer is an important example of business-to-business relationships. A survey was conducted among 1,129 physicians in Turkey on their assessment of their pharmaceutical representatives who have primary responsibility for their account at the pharmaceutical firm whose products the physician prescribes the most. The sample consisted of specialist physicians practicing in Turkey. Face-to-face questionnaire administration and e-mailing were the methods of data collection. The model was tested by multiple regression, following a principal components analysis. Mediation effects were also tested using regression. Findings suggest that characteristics of the pharmaceutical salesperson (i.e., salesperson's expertise and power in the pharmaceutical firm, as perceived by the physician-customer) and characteristics of the physician's relationship with the salesperson (i.e., the pharmaceutical sales representative's likability and similarity) have a significant influence on the physician's satisfaction with the salesperson. At the same time, characteristics of the salesperson and characteristics of the physician's relationship with the pharmaceutical sales representative have a significant impact on the physician's trust of the salesperson. The pharmaceutical sales representative's expertise and power in the pharmaceutical firm influence the physician's commitment to the firm significantly, as measured by the physician's prescription behavior. On the other hand, the sales representative's similarity to or compatibility with the physician did not have a significant impact on the physician's commitment to the firm. It should be noted that the physician's trust in the pharmaceutical firm had a greater impact on the physician's commitment to the firm. Trust in the pharmaceutical firm and trust in the salesperson mutually affect each other. However, the mediating role of either satisfaction with the salesperson or trust in the salesperson on the physician's commitment to the firm could not be found. The study concludes with an outline of its limitations, implications for future research, and managerial implications, which are indicated for both pharmaceutical firms and pharmaceutical sales representatives.