The impact of digital tools on sales-marketing interactions and perceptions

• Published in: Industrial marketing management Vol. 115; pp. 395 - 407
• Main Author: Biemans, Wim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-11-2023
• Subjects: Covid-19; Digital tools; Digitalization; Hybrid work; Sales-marketing interface; Digitalization; Hybrid work; Covid-19; Digital tools; Sales-marketing interface
• ISSN: 0019-8501; 1873-2062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2023.10.015

Creating superior value for customers requires an effective sales-marketing interface (SMI), but unfortunately these two departments are not always aligned, which drains resources and reduces profitability. The COVID-19 pandemic forced B2B firms to move their sales-marketing interactions online, using digital tools such as Teams, Zoom, and WhatsApp, which dramatically changed how the two departments interact and perceive each other and their relationship. The study presented in this paper, based on interviews with 86 informants in 56 firms, explores the impact of digital tools on sales-marketing interactions and perceptions. The findings contribute to the SMI literature by untangling the positive and negative effects of digital tools, emphasizing the role of informal interactions, exploring the impact of digital tools on the power balance between marketing and sales, and suggesting several variables that may moderate the impact of digital tools on the SMI.
•Sales and marketing are often not aligned because of divergent objectives and dysfunctional interactions.•The COVID-19 pandemic forced sales-marketing interactions online, using digital tools for communication and collaboration.•Digital tools have both positive and negative effects on sales-marketing interactions and perceptions.•Digital tools impact both informal interactions and the power balance between sales and marketing.