Should managers step in to help their sales staff?

Workers in sales might roll their eyes when they deal with a micromanaging boss. But many customers actually appreciate it if a store manager offers to help when they’re mulling over a purchase, whether it’s a dishwasher, a tablet or a lawnmower. That’s the main finding of a new study I co-authored. As a scholar of sales and pricing, I delved into this question, along with fellow researchers Molly R. Burchett and Brian Murtha, by analyzing data from a massive field study involving more tha...