Effects of the Personality Types on the Sales Performance and an Application in Supermarket Chains

Nowadays, competitive market environment, increased customer knowledge, skills and expectations, increased cost pressure and reduced profit rates increase the importance of qualified sales people for businesses. Salespeople make a difference due to the qualities they possess and the attitudes they have towards their customers and thus contribute to the sales performance and the benefits customers achieve. Despite the fact that salespeople's performance is highly important in supermarkets where close relationships should be established with customers, it seems that retailers, especially small and medium sized supermarkets, have difficulty in finding qualified sales personnel, commissioning sales personnel in the right position and keeping the same sales personnel employed for a long time. In order to reduce this problem, it is important for store managers to commission salespeople in positions appropriate to their personality traits. This study aims to produce useful information for businesses by examining the role of personality types on the performance of employees in supermarkets' decisions about their employees. In this context, interviews, one of primary data collection methods, were held in Ankara and Kirikkale with supermarket managers and employees. The obtained data were analysed through statistical package program; the results were interpreted and suggestions for businesses were developed.