Understanding experiential value delivery: The important role of salespeople’s orientation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/fokus.v16i1.15687Abstract
Customer orientation is widely regarded as a key driver of firm performance. This study examines how customer orientation, selling creativity, and proactive service behavior affect sales performance by delivering experiential value. This was examined by embedding customer experience within the experiential value that salespeople deliver in the cosmetics industry in developing countries. While traditional frameworks focus on passive customer experience management or static service quality, experiential value delivered introduces a novel behavioral construct. It captures the salesperson's active role in co-creating and operationalizing value in real-time interactions, shifting the focus from organizational systems to dyadic frontline behaviors. Data were collected from 210 salespeople in the Indonesian cosmetics industry and analyzed using a structural equation model in AMOS 25. The results showed that cosmetics companies that adopted a customer-oriented approach and delivered experiential value enhanced sales performance. Experiential value delivery also mediated the relationship between customer orientation and sales performance. Grounded in the service-dominant logic framework, experiential value delivered serves as a crucial behavioral catalyst for value co-creation. This study contributes to the service-dominant logic literature by providing a concrete behavioral mechanism that links a firm's strategic customer orientation to frontline sales performance.
References
Agarwal, R., Badghish, S., Yaqub, M. Z., & Pandey, R. (2025). Customer engagement through metaverse-empowered retail channels: role of personalization. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 53(6), 467–484. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijrdm-07-2024-0344
Alexander, B., Blazquez, M., & Chrimes, C. (2025). Metaverse retailing and the customer experience journey: a case study approach. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 53(4), 364-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijrdm-08-2024-0439
Alexander, B., & Varley, R. (2025). Retail futures: Customer experience, phygital retailing, and the Experiential Retail Territories perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.104108
Alghamdi, O., & Agag, G. (2024). Competitive advantage: A longitudinal analysis of the roles of data-driven innovation capabilities, marketing agility, and market turbulence. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 76, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103547
An, M. A., & Han, S. L. (2020). Effects of experiential motivation and customer engagement on customer value creation: Analysis of psychological process in the experience-based retail environment. Journal of Business Research, 120, 389-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.02.044
Blessing, G., & Natter, M. (2019). Do mystery shoppers really predict customer satisfaction and sales performance? Journal of Retailing, 95(3), 47-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2019.04.001
Bom, S., Jorge, J., Ribeiro, H. M., & Marto, J. (2019). A step forward on sustainability in the cosmetics industry: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.255
Brodie, R. J., Löbler, H., & Fehrer, J. A. (2019). Evolution of service-dominant logic: Towards a paradigm and metatheory of the market and value cocreation? Industrial Marketing Management, 79, 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.03.003
Černe, M., Batistič, S., & Kenda, R. (2018). HR systems, attachment styles with leaders, and the creativity–innovation nexus. Human Resource Management Review, 28(3), 271-288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2018.02.004
Chen, C. T. (2024). Atmospherics fosters customer loyalty: Exploring the mediating effects of memorable customer experience and customer satisfaction in factory outlet malls in Taiwan. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 80, 103936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103936
Cheng, C. Y., & Chang, J. N. (2015). Does network building improve sales performance? The stabilizing role of job embeddedness. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 2(2), 110-133. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-08-2014-0052
Crick, J. M., Crick, D., & Tebbett, N. (2020). Competitor orientation and value co-creation in sustaining rural New Zealand wine producers. Journal of Rural Studies, 73, 122-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.10.019
Domi, S., Capelleras, J. L., & Musabelliu, B. (2020). Customer orientation and SME performance in Albania: A case study of the mediating role of innovativeness and innovation behavior. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 26(1), 130-146. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356766719867374
Duffy, S., Bruce, K., & Moroko, L. (2020). Customer orientation: Its surprising origins, tumultuous development and place in the future of marketing thought and practice. Australasian Marketing Journal, 28(4), 181-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2020.03.007
Eklinder-Frick, J., & Åge, L. J. (2017). Perspectives on regional innovation policy–from new economic geography towards the IMP approach. Industrial Marketing Management, 61, 81-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2016.07.005
Feng, T., Wang, D., Lawton, A., & Luo, B. N. (2019). Customer orientation and firm performance: The joint moderating effects of ethical leadership and competitive intensity. Journal of Business Research, 100, 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.03.021
Ferdinand, A. T. (2002). Structural equation modeling dalam penelitian manajemen. Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Diponegoro.
Ferdinand, A. T., & Wahyuningsih, W. (2018). Salespeople's innovativeness: A driver of sales performance. Management & Marketing, 13(2). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2478/mmcks-2018-0016
Franklin, D., & Marshall, R. (2019). Adding co-creation as an antecedent condition leading to trust in business-to-business relationships. Industrial Marketing Management, 77, 170-181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2018.10.002
Garg, P., Gupta, B., Dzever, S., Sivarajah, U., & Kumar, V. (2020). Examining the Relationship between social media analytics practices and business performance in the Indian retail and IT industries: The mediation role of customer engagement. International Journal of Information Management, 52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102069
Ghezzi, A., & Cavallo, A. (2018). Agile business model innovation in digital entrepreneurship: Lean Startup Approaches. Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.06.013
Groza, M. D., Locander, D. A., & Howlett, C. H. (2016). Linking thinking styles to sales performance: The importance of creativity and subjective knowledge. Journal of Business Research, 69(10), 4185-4193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.03.006
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis. Cengage Learning
Hamzah, M. I., Othman, A. K., & Hassan, F. (2020). Elucidating salespeople's market orientation, proactive service behavior and organizational culture in the B2B banking sector: A Malaysian perspective. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 38(5), 1033-1057. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijbm-10-2019-0388
Hiong, L. S., Ferdinand, A. T., & Listiana, E. (2020). Techno-resonance innovation capability for enhancing marketing performance: A perspective of RA-Theory. Business: Theory and Practice, 21(1), 329-339. https://doi.org/10.3846/btp.2020.12117
Holmqvist, J., Visconti, L. M., Grönroos, C., Guais, B., & Kessous, A. (2020). Understanding the value process: Value creation in a luxury service context. Journal of Business Research, 120, 114-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.07.002
Hunt, S. D., & Morgan, R. M. (1996). The resource-advantage theory of competition: Dynamics, path dependencies, and evolutionary dimensions. Journal of Marketing, 60(4), 107-114. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299606000410
Ipsmiller, E., Brouthers, K. D., & Dikova, D. (2021). Which export channels provide real options to SMEs? Journal of World Business, 56(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2021.101245
Itani, O. S., Goad, E. A., & Jaramillo, F. (2019). Building customer relationships while achieving sales performance results: Is listening the holy grail of sales? Journal of Business Research, 102, 120-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.04.048
Jaini, A., Quoquab, F., Mohammad, J., & Hussin, N. (2020). Antecedents of green purchase behavior of cosmetics products: An empirical investigation among Malaysian consumers. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 36. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-11-2018-0170
Jaziri, D. (2019). The advent of customer experiential knowledge management approach (CEKM): The integration of offline & online experiential knowledge. Journal of Business Research, 94, 241-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.05.029
Jelinek, R. (2017). A permaculture primer: Using eco-theory to promote knowledge acquisition, dissemination and use in the sales organization. Industrial Marketing Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2017.03.009
Jiang, W., & Gu, Q. (2016). How abusive supervision and abusive supervisory climate influence salesperson creativity and sales team effectiveness in China. Management Decision, 54(2), 455-475. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2015-0302
Kim, H., & Qu, H. (2020). Effects of employees’ social exchange and the mediating role of customer orientation in the restaurant industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102577
Klafke, R., Grigeriou, N., & Richter, M. (2026). Reframing service-dominant logic: the interplay of cooperation and competition in market ecosystems. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/jbim-04-2025-0339
Kline, R. B. (1999). Psychometric theory. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 17, 275-280.
Kulikovskaja, V., Hubert, M., Grunert, K. G., & Zhao, H. (2023). Driving marketing outcomes through social media-based customer engagement. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 74, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103445
Lavuri, R., Jindal, A., & Akram, U. (2022). How perceived utilitarian and hedonic value influence online impulse shopping in India? Moderating role of perceived trust and perceived risk. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 14(4), 615-634. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijqss-11-2021-0169
Le, A. N. H., Khoi, N. H., & Nguyen, D. P. (2021). Unraveling the dynamic and contingency mechanism between service experience and customer engagement with luxury hotel brands. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.103057
Le, H., Kim, D., & Park, J. (2024). The way to generate customer citizenship behavior with customer experience. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103608
Lee, R. P., & Wei, S. (2023). Do employee orientation and societal orientation matter in the customer orientation—Performance link? Journal of Business Research, 159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113722
Lee, S., Sung, B., Phau, I., & Lim, A. (2019). Communicating authenticity in packaging of Korean cosmetics. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 48, 202-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.02.011
Liu, Y., Chen, D. Q., & Gao, W. (2020). How does customer orientation (in)congruence affect B2B electronic commerce platform firms' performance? Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 18-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.02.027
Locander, D. A., Darrat, M. A., & Babin, B. J. (2023). Examining the impact of salesperson orientation on creative selling, passive deviance, and organizational outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113391
Lusch, R. F., Vargo, S. L., & O’Brien, M. (2007). Competing through service: Insights from service-dominant logic. Journal of Retailing, 83(1), 5-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2006.10.002
Lussier, B., & Hartmann, N. N. (2017). How psychological resourcefulness increases salesperson's sales performance and the satisfaction of their customers: Exploring the mediating role of customer-oriented behaviors. Industrial Marketing Management, 62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2016.08.009
Lussiera, B., Grégoirea, Y., & Vachon, M. A. (2017). The role of humor usage on creativity, trust and performance in business relationships: An analysis of the salesperson-customer dyad. Industrial Marketing Management, 65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2017.03.012
Malhotra, N., Nunan, D., & Birks, D. (2017). Marketing Research an applied approach. Prentice Hall Inc.
Matarazzo, M., Penco, L., Profumo, G., & Quaglia, R. (2021). Digital transformation and customer value creation in Made in Italy SMEs: A dynamic capabilities perspective. Journal of Business research, 123, 642-656. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.10.033
Masters, T., Swenson, M., & Rhoads, G. K. R. (2025). Help wanted: attracting and keeping retail employees in today’s competitive market. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 53(4), 347-363. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijrdm-10-2023-0621
Miao, C. F., & Wang, G. (2016). The differential effects of functional vis-à-vis relational customer orientation on salesperson creativity. Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.05.017
Monavvarifard, F., Baradaran, M., & Khosravipour, B. (2019). Increasing the sustainability level in agriculture and Natural Resources Universities of Iran through students’ engagement in the value Co-creation process. Journal of Cleaner Production, 234, 353-365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.175
Nilsson, H., & Backman, M. (2024). Retail employee turnover and turnover destinations – the role of human capital. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 35(1), 78-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593969.2024.2370256
Ohiomah, A., Andreev, P., Benyoucef, M., & Hood, D. (2019). The role of lead management systems in inside sales performance. Journal of Business Research, 102, 163-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.05.018
Ouakouak, M. L., & Ouedraogo, N. (2017). Antecedents of employee creativity and organizational innovation: An empirical study. International Journal of Innovation Management, 21(07), 1750060. https://doi.org/10.1142/S1363919617500608
Park, H., & Hur, W. M. (2023). Customer showrooming behavior, customer orientation, and emotional labor: Sales control as a moderator. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103268
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879.
Prabowo, S., Abd Rahman, A., Ab Rahman, S., & Samah, A. A. (2015). Revealing factors hindering halal certification in East Kalimantan Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 6(2), 268-291. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-05-2014-0040
Prebensen, N. K., & Rosengren, S. (2016). Experience value as a function of hedonic and utilitarian dominant services. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28(1), 113-135. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-02-2014-0073
Ryari, H., Alavi, S., & Wieseke, J. (2020). Drown or Blossom? The Impact of Perceived Chronic Time Pressure on Retail Salespeople's Performance and Customer–Salesperson Relationships. Journal of Retailing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2020.05.005
Sa, M. L. L., Choon-Yin, S., Chai, Y. K., & Joo, J. H. A. (2020). Knowledge creation process, customer orientation and firm performance: Evidence from small hotels in Malaysia. Asia Pacific Management Review, 25(2), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2019.07.002
Schemer, C., Wirth, W., & Matthes, J. (2011). Value Resonance and Value Framing Effects on Voting Intentions in Direct-Democratic Campaigns. American Behavioral Scientist, 56(3), 334-352. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764211426329
Shang, S. S., Wu, Y. L., & Sie, Y. J. (2017). Generating consumer resonance for purchase intention on social network sites. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 18-28. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.014
Siebold, N. (2020). Reference points for business model innovation in social purpose organizations: A stakeholder perspective. Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.01.032
Silva, G. M., Coelho, F., Lages, C. R., & Reis, M. (2020). Employee adaptive and proactive service recovery: a configurational perspective. European Journal of Marketing, 54(7), 1581-1607. https://doi.org/10.1108/ejm-02-2019-0181
Singhal, A., & Malik, G. (2018). The attitudes and purchasing behavior of female consumers towards green marketing in the cosmetics industry. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-11-2017-0063
Singjai, K., Winata, L., & Kummer, T. F. (2018). Green initiatives and their competitive advantage for the hotel industry in developing countries. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 75, 131-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.03.007
Sohaib, M., & Han, H. (2023). Building value co-creation with social media marketing, brand trust, and brand loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103442
Stuhldreier, S. M. (2024). Unlocking (re)purchase potential through corporate responsiveness on social networks: The role of perceived customer orientation. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 81(November 2024), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.104041
Taylor, S. A., Hunter, G. L., Zadeh, A. H., Delpechitre, D., & Lim, J. H. (2020). Value propositions in a digitally transformed world. Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 256-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.10.004
Teng, H. Y. (2019). Job crafting and customer service behaviors in the hospitality industry: Mediating effect of job passion. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 81, 34-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.03.013
Terho, H., Eggert, A., Haas, A., & Ulaga, W. (2015). How sales strategy translates into performance: The role of salesperson customer orientation and value-based selling. Industrial Marketing Management, 45, 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2015.02.017
Timur, Y. P., Ridlwan, A. A., Suryaningsih, S. A., Fikriyah, K., Susilowati, F. D., & Rofiqo, A. (2025). Exploring tourist switching intention to halal tourism with the push-pull-mooring theory. Journal of Islamic Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/jima-09-2024-0415
Tsai, C. T., & Wang, Y. C. (2017). Experiential value in branding food tourism. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 6(1), 56-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.02.003
van Tonder, E., Saunders, S. G., & Farquhar, J. D. (2020). Explicating the resource integration process during self-service socialisation: Conceptual framework and research propositions. Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.02.037
Vargo, S. L., Koskela-Huotari, K., & Vink, J. (2020). Service-dominant logic: Foundations and applications. In The Routledge Handbook of Service Research Insights and Ideas (pp. 3-23). Routledge.
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2014). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. In The service-Dominant Logic of Marketing (pp. 3-28). Routledge.
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2008). Service-dominant logic: Continuing the evolution. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36(1), 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11747-007-0069-6
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2016). Institutions and axioms: An extension and update of service-dominant logic. Journal of the Academy of marketing Science, 44(1), 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-015-0456-3
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2017). Service-dominant logic 2025. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 34(1), 46-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2016.11.001
Vargo, S. L., Wieland, H., & O'Brien, M. (2023). Service-dominant logic as a unifying theoretical framework for the re-institutionalization of the marketing discipline. Journal of Business Research, 164, 113965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113965
Wang, I. A., Chen, P. C., & Chi, N. W. (2023). Mitigating immediate and lagged effects of customer mistreatment on service failure and sabotage: Critical roles of service recovery behaviors. Journal of Business Research, 154, 113273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.08.037
Wang, S., & Zhang, H. (2025). Artificial intelligence digital employees and sustainable innovation in online retail: The mediating role of ambidextrous green innovation and the moderating role of ethical anxiety. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104235
Xie, L., Liu, C., & Li, D. (2022). Proactivity or passivity? An investigation of the effect of service robots’ proactive behaviour on customer co-creation intention. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 106, 103271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103271
Yao, G., Zhao, H., Hu, Y., & Zheng, X. (2023). Exploring knowledge sharing and hiding on employees’ creative behaviors: A coopetition perspective. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2023.100447
Ye, Y., Zhu, H., Chen, Y., Kwan, H. K., & Lyu, Y. (2021). Family ostracism and proactive customer service performance: An explanation from conservation of resources theory. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 38(2), 645-667.
Yeo, B. L., Mohamed, R. H. N., & Muda, M. (2016). A Study of Malaysian Customers Purchase Motivation of Halal Cosmetics Retail Products: Examining Theory of Consumption Value and Customer Satisfaction. Procedia Economics and Finance, 37, 176-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(16)30110-1
Zang, Z., Liu, D., Zheng, Y., & Chen, C. (2020). How do the combinations of sales control systems influence sales performance? The mediating roles of distinct customer-oriented behaviors. Industrial Marketing Management, 84, 287-297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.07.015
Zhang, Y., Lu, B., & Zheng, H. (2020). Can buzzing bring business? Social interactions, network centrality and sales performance: An empirical study on business-to-business communities. Journal of Business Research, 112, 170-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.02.034
Zheng, L., & Li, Y. (2024). Customer journey design in omnichannel retailing: Examining the effect of autonomy-competence-relatedness in brand relationship building. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103776
Zheng, Y., Liao, H. Y., Schrock, W. A., Zheng, Y., & Zang, Z. (2023). Synergies between salesperson orientations and sales force control: A person-organization fit perspective on adaptive selling behaviors and sales performance. Journal of Business Research, 155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113451
Zuhroh, S., Kurniawan, I., Ali, N., & Rini, G. P. (2025). Boosting service performance through architecting firm-specific resources: Evidence from Indonesian SME decorations. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijppm-11-2024-0776
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Gilang Puspita Rini, Rhealin Hening Karatri, Annsiya Lutfi Septanti, Evana Andriani, Norhazlin Binti Mohamed Ali

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:Â
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).




