Vaibhav Chawla-IITM

Dr. Vaibhav Chawla

Associate Professor

FPM, IIM Kozhikode, India

+91-44-2257 4585

vaibhavchawla[at]iitm[.]ac[.]in

Office : DoMS 503

Areas of Interest

Service Failure and Recovery

Customer recovery over social media
Product returns in e-tailing
Service recovery in B2C and B2B contexts

Technology/AI in Marketing

Chatbots and customer service

Personal Selling

Social media usage in selling
Positive psychology concepts (such as mindfulness, spirituality, ego, personal faith, etc.) in selling.
Mindfulness & sales call reluctance
Mental health in salespeople
Women in B2B sales

Selected Journal Publications

Saxena, S., Chawla, V., & Agrawal, R. 2025. Should e-returns services be “one-size-fits-all” for consumers? Segmentation using return policy promises and constraints. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 55(5), pp. 452-481. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-07-2024-0280
Sharma, A., Chawla, V., Guda, S., Rangarajan, D. and Swain, A.K., 2024. Adaptive selling, anxiety and emotional exhaustion among salespeople. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, pp.1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10696679.2024.2328090
Saxena, S., Chawla, V. and Tahtinen, J., 2022. Dimensions of e-return service quality: Conceptual refinement and directions for measurement. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 32(5), pp. 640-672. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-09-2021-0191
Suresh, P. and Chawla, V., 2022. The burden of double deviation in services: A systematic review and research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 46(5), pp. 1919-1941. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12836
Ramesh, A. and Chawla, V., 2022. Chatbots in marketing: A literature review using morphological and co-occurrence analyses. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 57(3), pp. 472-496. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968221095549
Baliga, A. J., Chawla, V., Sunder M., V. and Kumar, R. 2020. Barriers to service recovery in B2B markets: A TISM approach in the context of IT-based services. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 36(8), pp. 1453-1473.https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-02-2020-0112
Baliga, A. J., Chawla, V., Sunder M., V., Ganesh, L. S. and Sivakumaran, B. 2020. Service failure and recovery in B2B markets–A morphological analysis. Journal of Business Research, 131, pp. 763-781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.09.025
Chawla, V., Lyngdoh, T., Guda, S. and Purani, K. 2020. Systematic review of determinants of sales performance: Verbeke et al.’s (2011) classification extended. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 35(8), pp. 1358- 1383. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-07-2019-0322
Chawla, V. and Guda, S. 2017. Salesperson’s spirituality: Impact on customer orientation and adaptability. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 35(3), pp. 408-424. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-06-2016-0087
Chawla, V. 2016. Workplace spirituality based governance in sales organizations: The impact on customer orientation and salesperson performance. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 31(4), pp. 498-506. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-08-2014-0153
Chawla, V. 2014. The effect of workplace spirituality on salespeople’s organizational deviant behaviors: Research propositions and practical implications. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 29(3), pp. 199-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-08-2012-0134
Chawla, V. and Guda, S. 2013. Workplace spirituality as a precursor to relationship-oriented selling characteristics,’ Journal of Business Ethics, 115(1), pp. 63-73. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1370-y
Chawla, V. and Guda, S. 2010. Individual spirituality at work and its link with job satisfaction, propensity to leave and job commitment: An exploratory study among sales professionals. Journal of Human Values, 16(2), pp. 157-167. https://doi.org/10.1177/097168581001600203

Case studies and Teaching note

Conferences

Chacko, A. M., Chawla, V., and Agnihotri, R. 2024. Small talk is key to connecting the dots: establishing the effect of B2B salesperson social media use on creative and sales performance through small talk. Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators (ACME) 51^stAnnual Conference, April 2024, organized by the Federation of Business Disciplines (FBD), Texas, United States.
Ramesh, A. and Chawla, V. 2024. Less is more - exploring the detrimental effects of chatbot aesthetics on value perceptions. Paper accepted for presentation at the American Marketing Academy Winter Conference
Ramesh, A. and Chawla, V. 2024. Designing chatbots for optimal user experience. Paper presented at IMRDC conducted by IIM Bangalore.
Ramesh, A. and Chawla, V. 2023. Is your chatbot valuable? Exploring hedonic and utilitarian value creation in apparel chatbots. Proceedings of the European Marketing Academy.
Chacko, A. M. and Chawla, V. 2023. Hail to the small talk in sales! Establishing the effect of B2B salespersons’ social media usage on performance through small talk. Paper presented at 2023 Academy of Marketing Science 24^th World Marketing Congress, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom.
Chacko, A. M. and Chawla, V. 2023. Small talk is not that small in B2B sales! B2B salespersons' social media usage and small talk facilitate the collection of customer-based competitive intelligence, enhancing sales performance. Paper presented at 2023 AMA Winter Academic Conference, Nashville, Tennessee.
Ramesh, A. and Chawla, V. 2023. Designing chatbots for optimal user experience. Paper Presented at International Conference on Digital Organizations (ICODO) 2023, conducted by IIM Ahmedabad.
Chacko, A. M., Chawla, V. and Agnihotri, R. 2023. Hailto the small talk in sales! Impact of b2b salespersons’ social media usage on performance through small talk and individual competitive intelligence quality. Industrial Marketing Management Summit, Hamburg, Germany, January.
Suresh, P. and Chawla, V. 2021. #sad #irritating #sickening #story” and how to avoid its repeat in service recovery on social media- A case of double deviation specific complaints” at 43rd Annual ISMS Marketing Science Conference, June 3 –5, 2021, hosted by Simon Business School, the University of Rochester.
Ramesh, A. and Chawla, V. 2020. Chatbots in marketing - A morphology of literature. In EMAC 2020 Proceedings, Budapest, European Marketing Academy (EMA).
Chacko, A. M. and Chawla, V. 2020. Impact of B2B salesperson’s social media usage on buyer intelligence collection – A conceptual framework. Presented at National Conference in Sales Management (NCSM) Norfolk, Virginia, US, April.
Chacko, A. M., and Chawla, V. 2020. Small talk is not that small’! B2B salespersons’ social media usage facilitating collection of buyer intelligence resulting in sales performance. Paper presented at Society for Marketing Advances (SMA) November, Texas, US, November.
Suresh, P., and Chawla, V. 2019. Service recovery on social media – Containing the customer outpour of emotions in double deviation cases. In IMRDC Conference, IIM Bangalore, 2019.
Chawla, V. and Guda, S. 2019. Does delay of gratification of physical and social needs predict salesperson customer orientation? Abstract published in Global Sales Science Institute (GSSI) Conference, Vienna, June 6-9.
Saxena S., Chawla, V. and Agarwal, R. 2019. Return attributes that matter! An abductive research approach to study return attributes of the e-Tailing firms and customer outcomes’, Proceedings of Research, Marketing on Fire: Burning Questions, Hot New Methods, and Practical Ideas Worth Spreading, AMA Summer Academic Conference (pp. UXO36-38). Chicago, Illinois: American Marketing Association.
Saxena S. and Chawla V. 2019. Worry-free returns: Does it matter to e-tailing firms? (A netnographic content analysis approach to study e-tailer’s return service attributes and customer outcomes. Proceedings of Research, Book of Abstracts: 2019 IIM Indore- NASMEI Summer Marketing Information Systems Conference (pp.307). New Delhi: Emerald.
Saxena S., and Chawla V. 2020. Does product return experience in e-tailing matter? (Study of customer satisfaction and purchase intention during e-return service encounter. Paper presented at 8th AIM – AMA Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium and Conference, Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), Greater Noida.
Guda, S., Chawla, V., and Lyngdoh, T. 2019. Product adaptation for rural markets - A social relations approach. Abstract published, In Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) World Marketing Congress (WMC), Edinburg, July 10.
Saxena S., Chawla V. and Agarwal R. 2019. Study of return service attributes and customer outcomes in context of e-tailing firms. Paper presented at NATCOD Seminar, University of Turku, Finland.
Suresh, P. and Chawla, V. 2018. Attributes of service recovery on social media – A content analysis-extended abstract’, In 12th NASMEI Conference, Great Lakes, Chennai.
Chawla, V. and Guda, S. 2018. Does delay of gratification of physical and social needs predict salesperson customer orientation? 12th Annual Global Sales Science Institute (GSSI) Conference, Vienna, Austria, June 6-9.
Lyngdoh, T. and Chawla, V. 2015. Salesperson`s happiness as mediator for the effect of organizational virtuousness on salesperson ethical behavior. 2nd PAN IIM World Management Conference, IIM Kozhikode, Kerala.
Chawla, V. 2011. Indian ethos in management and the Western concept of workplace spirituality. Presented at 71^st Academy of Management Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, USA, August 12-16.
Chawla, V. 2011. Individual spirituality at work and its link with relational selling characteristics: A study among front-line salespersons. Selected for Presentation at 2nd Biennial Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) and World Marketing Congress Doctoral Consortium, Reims, France, July 19-23. (Did not attend)
Chawla, V. 2011. Individual spirituality at work and its link with relational selling characteristics: A study among front-line salespersons. Presented at 4^th IIM Ahmedabad Doctoral Consortium in Early Research Proposal category, January 3-4, IIM Ahmedabad.
Chawla, V., and Guda, S. 2009. Workplace spirituality and salesperson outcomes. In Proceedings of 7^th AIMS International Conference on Management, December 20-23, IIM Bangalore.

Awards and Honors

Industrial Research and Consultancy

Experience

Dr. Vaibhav Chawla

Associate Professor

Department of Management Studies
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Pincode : 600036

Phone: +91 044 2257 4550
Email: doms[at]iitm[.]ac[.]in

© 2025-All rights reserved. Department of Management Studies

Dr. Vaibhav Chawla

Associate Professor

Department of Management StudiesIndian Institute of Technology MadrasChennai, Tamil Nadu, India.Pincode : 600036

Phone: +91 044 2257 4550Email: doms[at]iitm[.]ac[.]in

© 2025-All rights reserved. Department of Management Studies

Department of Management Studies
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Pincode : 600036

Phone: +91 044 2257 4550
Email: doms[at]iitm[.]ac[.]in