PERSONAL SELLING AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY TO AIRTEL NIG. LIMITED, CALABAR
Abstract
This study on personal selling and customer loyalty to Airtel Nig. Limited, Calabar focused on determining the significant effect of personal selling approaches such as building trust by sales persons, follow up by salespersons and empathy by salespersons on the loyalty of customers to Airtel, Nig. Limited in Calabar. Based on the above, the study adopted the survey research design to use a questionnaire to obtain primary data from 69 respondents that constituted the study sample and comprised Airtel dealers and their employees in Calabar. The sample was drawn using the purposive non-probability sampling technique to select an appropriate sample for the study. Furthermore, the responses obtained through the questionnaire were subjected to statistical analysis using simple regression as a statistical tool in SPSS version 21. Hence, the findings of the study revealed that building trust and follow up approaches adopted by salespersons of Airtel Nig. Limited has a significant effect on customers' loyalty to Airtel product in Calabar, while empathy by salesperson does not have a significant effect on customers' loyalty. In line with the above finding it was concluded that personal selling and its various approaches, such as building trust and follow up adopted by sales persons all have a significant effect in ensuring the loyalty of subscribers to the product and services of Airtel Nig. Limited in Calabar, and it was recommended that Airtel Nig. Limited should ensure that their sales persons in their quest to stimulate customers patronage for their product and services, should endeavor to inculcate openness, benevolence, honesty and understanding in order to build trust with their customers because when that is achieved purchase and attitudinal loyalty of customers to their services remains guaranteed.