Customer value co-creation behavior: A dyadic exploration of the influence of salesperson emotional intelligence on customer participation and citizenship behavior

Co-creation is often considered a significant process firms use to sustain a competitive advantage. However, the literature contains limited information about the role salespeople play in regard to customer value co-creation behaviors. Building on social exchange theory and data from a sample of 224 business-to-business salespeople and their customers, this study posits that salesperson emotional intelligence and empathy are key influencers of customer participation, customer citizenship behavior, and commitment to the salesperson. In addition, the findings reveal the salesperson's ability to perceive, understand, and regulate emotions affects customer value co-creation behaviors differently. The findings of this study thus highlight the increasing perception of salespeople as crucial boundary spanners that greatly influence customer value co-creation behaviors.