A quantitative analysis of Myers-Briggs cognitive styles and the length of customer business relationships

The purpose of this study was to review personality types for their average length of business relationships with an automobile dealership. Data analysis involved reviewing Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) preference types and the average length of the customer organizational relationship (COR) for each preference pair. Data collection involved 111 individuals in two locations. Participants varied in age from 26 to 73, and separation of genders did not occur in the study. Education levels varied from high school to doctorate-level degrees. Collection of MBTI data occurred for each of the four dyadic preference pairs and the 16 type permutations. The COR is the mean number of years of loyalty over which the clients expressed they have maintained a relationship with an automobile dealership. Research indicates that clients with long-term CORs are potentially more valuable to an organization (Reichheld, 1993). If an MBTI preference choice indicates a long average length of COR, organizations may attempt to optimize their marketing and distribution departments to identify and serve these customers. Data from the study indicated that a significant number of introverted (I) and intuition (N) types may have a greater propensity to form long-term CORs.