Customer‐initiated influence tactics in sales and marketing activities

PurposeThis paper seeks to describe supplier coordination of sales and marketing activities to manage customer relationships.Design/methodology/approachSix propositions are suggested that examine the drivers dictating how customers initiate influence tactics for their benefit in dealing with their suppliers.FindingsIllustrations are provided to show how and when the marketing and sales functions come close to synergistic efforts and what hinders them from doing so.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough influence tactics have a rich history in social psychology and organizational behavior research, more influence tactics must be tested using various samples and multiple methods in the customer‐supplier realm of selling and marketing activities.Practical implicationsUnderstanding trust, commitment, and cooperation from the supplier's perspective, enhances one's ability to understand why the sales and marketing functions must work together to program a defense mechanism against customers that are initiating influence tactics against them.Originality/valueThe study presents useful information for the coordination of sales and marketing activities.