Question 1

While ethical and legal issues are associated with all aspects of marketing,personal selling presents unique issues because

Accepted Answer

Personal selling involves direct interaction with customers, which makes ethical issues more visible and potentially more impactful. Salespeople are the face of the company and any unethical behavior can have a significant impact on the company's reputation and relationships with customers.

Question 2

When Motorola first entered the Mexican marketplace,the company wanted direct control of salespeople in major urban markets but was not as concerned about control in less populated areas of the country.Motorola probably used _____________ in major urban areas and ______________ in less populated areas of Mexico.

Accepted Answer

Motorola likely used a company sales force in major urban areas to maintain direct control over sales activities, while in less populated areas, they probably utilized manufacturer's reps, who are independent agents that sell the company's products, allowing for less direct control but broader coverage.

Question 3

Managers and sales experts agree that certain personal traits are necessary to be a successful salesperson.All of the following traits are necessary except

Accepted Answer

While persistence and determination are important traits for a successful salesperson, being stubborn can actually hinder success by preventing the salesperson from being open to feedback or adapting to different situations.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes a company sales force?

Accepted Answer

A company sales force is typically composed of employees of the selling company who are responsible for selling its products or services to customers. This allows the company to have greater control over its sales process and its relationships with customers.

Question 5

__________ involves the planning,direction,and control of personal selling activities,including recruitment,selection,training,motivation,compensation,and evaluation of members of the sales force.

Accepted Answer

Sales management involves all aspects of managing the sales force, including recruitment, selection, training, motivation, compensation, and evaluation. Human resource management is a broader concept that includes managing all aspects of employees within an organization, while integrated marketing communications management focuses on coordinating all marketing communication efforts. Marketing management involves broader responsibilities such as product development, pricing, and distribution. Sales administration is a narrower concept that focuses more on the administrative and clerical aspects of managing the sales force.

Question 6

David's firm had grown steadily and the products and systems had become more and more complicated.He had been a star representative and had personally serviced and developed all his accounts.In the past year or so,David and his sales colleagues have been changing their approach due to the sales growth and increasing product complexity.Customer relationships are now being handled more and more by __________-whose primary duties are order getting,order taking,or sales support-which is typical of firms experiencing this kind of growth.

Accepted Answer

Selling teams are typically responsible for order getting, order taking, and sales support in firms that are experiencing growth and product complexity. Manufacturer's representatives and retailer representatives are more commonly used for smaller or less complex products. Customers are not responsible for managing their own relationships with the firm, and marketing executives are generally responsible for high-level strategic planning and decision-making rather than day-to-day sales activities.

Question 7

Justin is a sales manager at Hewlett Packard.He is responsible for evaluating the sales,profits,orders,and sales ratios of each of the sales representatives in this territory.Justin is evaluating _________ measures.

Accepted Answer

Objective measures are those that are quantifiable and can be counted or measured. Evaluating sales, profits, orders, and sales ratios of sales representatives falls under the category of objective measures as they can be measured and quantified.

Question 8

Miles worked selling products to industrial users,and spent most of his time working on customers' new buy and modified new buy situations.Miles was primarily a(n)

Accepted Answer

Miles's focus on working on new buy and modified new buy situations suggests that he is primarily an order getter, someone who is actively seeking out new business and making the sale happen. While all sales roles involve some degree of building relationships and supporting existing customers, the emphasis here is on generating new business rather than simply fulfilling orders or providing support. The other options (A, B, D, E) do not fit as well with the given information about Miles's activities.

Question 9

Sales representatives are often compensated,at least in part,on a percentage of the sales revenue.This percentage is known as a

Accepted Answer

The percentage of sales revenue that sales representatives are compensated on is known as commission. This is a common form of sales compensation where the sales representative earns a percentage of the sales they generate.

Question 10

The most important activity in recruiting salespeople is determining what the salesperson will be doing and

Accepted Answer

Understanding the job responsibilities and identifying the required traits and abilities for success is crucial in identifying and recruiting the right salespeople for the job. This will ensure that the salesperson is a good fit for the role and has the necessary skills to perform well. The other options listed are also important factors to consider, but determining the job responsibilities and required traits is the crucial first step in the recruitment process.

Question 11

Salespeople should be evaluated and rewarded only for those activities and outcomes that

Accepted Answer

Evaluating and rewarding salespeople based on activities and outcomes that fall under their control ensures that they are being held accountable for their own efforts and performance. This promotes a sense of ownership, motivation, and responsibility in individual salespeople, which can lead to better outcomes overall. Focusing on generating income, increasing customers or cutting into competitors sales may be important, but if these outcomes are outside the salespeople's control, it may not accurately reflect their efforts or determine areas for improvement. Similarly, reducing manufacturing costs is not directly related to sales, so it may not be an appropriate criterion for evaluating and rewarding salespeople.

Question 12

The best way for sales managers to instill ethical behavior in the sales force is to

Accepted Answer

While ethical training and prohibiting certain practices such as telemarketing can be helpful, the most effective way for sales managers to instill ethical behavior in the sales force is by leading by example. When sales managers model ethical behavior themselves, the sales force is much more likely to follow suit. This also creates a culture of accountability and integrity within the organization, which reinforces ethical conduct throughout the sales process.

Question 13

Most beverage distributors have their delivery people act as the firm's sales representatives.The delivery people primarily function as

Accepted Answer

The delivery people are primarily responsible for taking orders from customers and delivering the products. While they may provide some basic information about new products or promotions, their main focus is on fulfilling orders rather than actively selling or promoting products to customers. Therefore, they can be considered "order takers" rather than "order getters" or "sales representatives."

Question 14

Bhakti was recently promoted to a sales management position.She had been an effective representative,but her strengths and educational background were in management.She was about to begin her first salesperson recruitment campaign.The most important thing Bhakti can do to ensure that she recruits the right people is to

Accepted Answer

The most important thing Bhakti can do to ensure that she recruits the right people is to determine exactly what the salesperson will be doing and what traits and abilities job candidates will need to succeed. By doing this, she can identify the specific qualities and experiences that are necessary for success in the sales management position and screen for these traits during the recruitment process. Checking references and running credit checks may be important steps in the recruitment process, but they are not as critical as understanding the requirements of the job and the attributes needed for success. Focusing on application form completion or pleasing her boss are also not effective strategies for identifying the best candidates.

Question 15

The attitudes that Ryan's customers develop after they have purchased his yearly lawn care service will become the basis for determining whether they renew each year.He needs to demonstrate the ____________ dimension of service quality by showing consistently well-maintained yards with neat,professional personnel.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The attitudes that Ryan's customers develop after...

Question 16

Sue spends much of her time checking inventories,processing straight rebuys,and making sure that everything is going smoothly.Sue is primarily a(n)

Accepted Answer

Sue's activities, such as checking inventories and processing straight rebuys, are typical of an order taker, who focuses on routine purchase transactions and ensuring smooth operations.

Question 17

All of the following are considered typical financial compensation for sales representatives except

Accepted Answer

Extra vacation days are not typically considered part of financial compensation for sales representatives. A, B, C, and E are all common forms of financial compensation for sales representatives.

Question 18

A small office supply company may have a person whose primary responsibility is to process routine orders,reorders,or rebuys of products for clients.This employee is known as a(n)

Accepted Answer

An order taker is someone who takes routine orders and processes them for clients. The other options either involve more extensive sales responsibilities (such as order getting or sales support) or a higher level of management (such as a sales manager).

Question 19

The process of salespeople creating blogs to draw customers in and generate leads is a process known as

Accepted Answer

Inbound marketing refers to the process of drawing customers to a company's products or services through content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimization. Salespeople creating blogs to generate leads is a common strategy in inbound marketing. Telemarketing, target marketing, and test marketing involve different techniques for identifying and reaching potential customers, but not necessarily through content creation. Team selling is a collaborative process where multiple salespeople work together to close a deal, which is not directly related to creating blogs.

Question 20

Katerina is told by her sales manager,"Do whatever you need to do to get the sale," yet the company has ethical selling standards.Katerina faces the ethical problem of

Accepted Answer

Katerina is receiving mixed signals from her sales manager. While she is being told to do whatever it takes to make the sale, the company has established ethical selling standards. Katerina must navigate this ethical dilemma and determine the appropriate course of action.

Quiz 20: Personal Selling and Sales Management