Q&A Hero

Q: Leadership is: A) a series of skills that can be acquired through study and practice B) a cluster of innate qualities that some people possess from birth C) malleable, so a leader in one situation may not be capable of leading in others D) synonymous with management E) more important in American culture than it is in other cultures

Q: Which compensation plan would appeal to a salesperson who likes the idea of "pay for performance," but also likes some job security? A) guaranteed salary B) straight salary C) fixed salary plus bonus D) straight commission plan E) commission plan with a draw provision

Q: Situational leadership occurs when: A) the leader passes the character test B) good performance is properly rewarded C) the leader's style matches the situation D) the coach helps the salesperson recognize the need for performance improvement E) the leader guides the team through a changing situation

Q: According to Trudi Gallagher, people from which of the following countries are very punctual and private? A) Italy B) Saudi Arabia C) Mexico D) Switzerland E) France

Q: What is the best suggestion for assessing sales force productivity? A) Recognize that frequency of sales calls is the best indicator of success. B) Realize that sales call frequency must be compared to the profit earned on each account. C) Recognize that assessing sales force productivity is more "art" than "science." D) Compare salespeople with others on the sales force who have similarly-sized territories. E) Compare a salesperson's current productivity with past productivity.

Q: Which of the following characteristics of a sales manager provides evidence of structure? A) Policies and procedures are clearly defined. B) Each salesperson is treated as an individual. C) Efficient communication is given a high priority. D) Members of the sales force receive regular recognition. E) Salespeople are encouraged to solve their own problems

Q: The training programs of both small and large marketing firms should incorporate three dimensions. One of them is knowledge of the product line, company marketing strategies, territory information, and business trends. What are the other two? A) knowledge of personal selling skills; in-field sales training with supervision B) knowledge of personal selling skills; knowledge of self and others C) knowledge of company policies, procedures and benefits; stress management D) explanation of compensation methods; in-field sales training with supervision E) attitudes toward the company, its products, and its customers; application of personal selling principles and practices

Q: What is the best motivation suggestion for sales managers? A) Use external motivation methods exclusively because of their success. B) Recognize that internal motives are consistent throughout a sales career. C) Recognize that external motivation has almost no impact on performance. D) Attempt to motivate with a mix of external rewards and internal satisfaction. E) Employees who do not respond to external motivation will never perform well.

Q: A compensation plan which will likely produce the greatest degree of company-centeredness and financial security for the employee is: A) straight commission plan B) guaranteed salary C) straight salary D) guaranteed salary plus a bonus E) straight commission plus a bonus

Q: Paolo dos Santos, a sales manager for Paronille Corporation, provides all of his salespeople with scheduled performance appraisals. This behavior indicates that he is attempting to incorporate the dimension of: A) feedback B) structure C) empowerment D) consideration E) responsibility

Q: Newly hired salespeople are more likely to become productive staff members if they participate in a job orientation and a(n): A) training program B) college recruitment session C) tour of the production facilities D) introduction to corporate personnel E) induction ceremony

Q: A sales manager screening applicants for a sales position should most likely seek an individual who: A) will close sales no matter what it takes B) is familiar with other employees at the firm C) can bring large accounts from a competitor D) has entrepreneurial ideas E) is self-motivated

Q: Some organizations are using ability or aptitude assessment instruments to determine future performance in certain types of sales jobs. Experts in the field of employment testing say that test scores: A) can be very misleading to the employer, so they should not be used B) should not be considered because of possible legal problems C) are not helpful for most firms because of validity issues D) can be helpful when used in conjunction with other criteria E) are excellent measures to determine future performance

Q: The first step toward identifying the type of applicant to be recruited for a sales job is to: A) determine the compensation plan B) consult the sales staff for recommendations C) determine the actual duties of the position D) develop personality and skills assessments E) search for applicants from traditional sources

Q: The supervisor who holds monthly sales force meetings to explain specific goals for the future and changes in policy and procedure is exhibiting: A) consideration B) structure C) performance analysis D) recognition E) strategy

Q: Scheduling a special luncheon to celebrate the closing of a large sale is a technique most likely characteristic of a supervisor who displays: A) high structure and high consideration B) high structure and low consideration C) low structure and low consideration D) self-expression tendencies E) high task orientation

Q: It is a good idea to field test compensation plans before full implementation.

Q: In many cases, intrinsic motivators have a more long-term effect on the attitudes of salespeople than extrinsic motivators do.

Q: The size of the firm should dictate the scope of the sales training program.

Q: Newspaper advertisements can attract well-qualified sales job applicants.

Q: The sales manager should not change the compensation plan, even if conditions in the marketplace warrant a change.

Q: The sales manager who appraises the performance of sales personnel regularly is displaying the leadership quality known as "consideration."

Q: According to the authors of How to Hire and Develop Your Next Top Performer, about half of the people working in sales should be doing something else.

Q: The straight commission plan encourages salespeople to engage in long-term customer development.

Q: Today, selecting effective salespeople is more of a science and less of an art.

Q: The functions performed by sales managers include planning, recruiting, training, budgeting, developing compensation plans, and assessing sales force productivity.

Q: A salesperson's performance evaluation is typically based entirely on qualitative items of measurement because quantitative criteria are viewed as unfair and subjective.

Q: The sales manager who treats each member of the sales force as an individual is displaying the dimension of leadership described as "consideration."

Q: According to the text, if you fail the character test, you fail as a sales manager.

Q: Effective sales managers set a good example and possess characteristics of both structure and consideration.

Q: The sales manager who makes decisions promptly and firmly is displaying the dimension of leadership described as "structure."

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Po Komacho is a trade sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a trade sales representative, she promotes the company and its products to software resellers and supports their sales representatives in selling Braeden's software to clients. A large part of her job involves attending industry trade shows and working at the Braeden Innovations booth at the exhibit hall of the trade show. Although Po lacks the stress of meeting a sales quota, she experiences stress related to scheduling. Which of the following would most likely relieve Po's stress? A) reducing her territory from two to one B) exercising and sleeping regularly C) filing expense reports promptly D) using a personal digital assistant E) conducing fewer follow-up calls

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Po Komacho is a trade sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a trade sales representative, she promotes the company and its products to software resellers and supports their sales representatives in selling Braeden's software to clients. A large part of her job involves attending industry trade shows and working at the Braeden Innovations booth at the exhibit hall of the trade show. Po does not sell directly to clients, but she is still responsible for keeping track of the interactions she has with resellers. Where should she keep track of these interactions? A) in the notepad of her smartphone B) in a spiral-bound notebook she keeps in her laptop bag C) in a file on her laptop computer D) in her company's computerized CRM system E) in a monthly email to her manager

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Po Komacho is a trade sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a trade sales representative, she promotes the company and its products to software resellers and supports their sales representatives in selling Braeden's software to clients. A large part of her job involves attending industry trade shows and working at the Braeden Innovations booth at the exhibit hall of the trade show. Po has a bigger challenge in keeping track of brochures and literature than do other types of sales representatives. Which of the following would most likely enable Po to organize her selling tools better? A) CRM system B) territorial organization C) portable filing system D) computer scanning equipment E) strategic partnership planning

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Po Komacho is a trade sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a trade sales representative, she promotes the company and its products to software resellers and supports their sales representatives in selling Braeden's software to clients. A large part of her job involves attending industry trade shows and working at the Braeden Innovations booth at the exhibit hall of the trade show. Because Po is not meeting with prospects, her time is divided into 2-3 day blocks of attending trade shows or training resellers. Which of the following is most likely true? A) Po has a flexible job so maintaining a schedule is unrealistic. B) Po should rely on floaters to record appointments and deadlines. C) Po's situation is too unusual to fit into appointment calendars. D) Po should return emails promptly but return calls every few days. E) Po should plan to return emails and calls within her larger time blocks.

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Po Komacho is a trade sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a trade sales representative, she promotes the company and its products to software resellers and supports their sales representatives in selling Braeden's software to clients. A large part of her job involves attending industry trade shows and working at the Braeden Innovations booth at the exhibit hall of the trade show. Since Po covers both trade shows and resellers, it make most sense for her to organize her territory by: A) date of trade show and location of reseller B) date of trade show and complexity of reseller C) time zone of trade show and time zone of reseller D) size of trade show and size of reseller E) size of trade show and zip code of reseller

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Jameson Kilpatrick is a field sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a field sales representative, he makes sales presentations in person and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, text, and in person. He enjoys the variety of his daily schedule, but is occasionally overwhelmed by the amount of travel he must do. One of the most stressful aspects of Jameson's life is scheduling his required work travel and still being present at home for his wife and children, who have expressed that they hate not knowing for sure when he will be home. Which of the following would most likely enable Jameson to balance home and career better? A) telecommuting part of the week from a home office B) relying on the inside sales team to develop prospects C) sending form letters to customers and prospects D) segmenting his territory into two smaller sections E) seeking a mentor on the sales team

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Jameson Kilpatrick is a field sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a field sales representative, he makes sales presentations in person and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, text, and in person. He enjoys the variety of his daily schedule, but is occasionally overwhelmed by the amount of travel he must do. One of Jameson's biggest challenges is keeping track of expense reports and reimbursements. Braeden's policy is to have employees pay for expenses and then reimburse them when they submit receipts for their expenses. To make sure he is reimbursed for his trip expenses, Jameson should: A) ask the sales department's administrative assistant to complete and submit the reports when she has a chance B) invest in a machine that scans his receipts in so he can print out copies of them when he returns from his trip C) email his manager and cc the accounting department every week with a list of outstanding reimbursements D) take an online course in Excel to get better at keeping track of his expenses E) submit his expense reports and receipts immediately after completing each trip

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Jameson Kilpatrick is a field sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a field sales representative, he makes sales presentations in person and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, text, and in person. He enjoys the variety of his daily schedule, but is occasionally overwhelmed by the amount of travel he must do. Since Jameson has to coordinate airline flights, rental car information, prospect addresses, contact information and appointment times, and emails and voicemails from current clients, all while in transit, he would most likely benefit from a(n): A) assistant B) laptop C) Rolodex D) smartphone E) atlas

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Jameson Kilpatrick is a field sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a field sales representative, he makes sales presentations in person and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, text, and in person. He enjoys the variety of his daily schedule, but is occasionally overwhelmed by the amount of travel he must do. Since Jameson flies to many of his sales calls, it is far more efficient, from a time and expense standpoint, to schedule multiple calls in the same airplane trip. Once Jameson develops a routing plan for a specific trip, he should then: A) complete a travel expense report to ensure reimbursement B) develop the same presentation for all customers in the area C) notify customers of his anticipated arrival time D) focus on visiting small accounts in the area E) plan as many cold calls as possible

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Jameson Kilpatrick is a field sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As a field sales representative, he makes sales presentations in person and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, text, and in person. He enjoys the variety of his daily schedule, but is occasionally overwhelmed by the amount of travel he must do. Jameson's territory stretches over eight states and two time zones. What is the first step Jameson should take to manage his sales territory? A) develop a routing plan B) classify his customers C) create a scheduling plan D) identify potential prospects E) create a sales call plan for management

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Victoria Canning is an inside sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As an inside sales representative, she makes sales presentations via webinar and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, and instant messaging, all from her home office. She says the best thing about her job is having a fulfilling professional career but never having to commute to an office. An unfortunate by-product of working from home is that Victoria's work can blend into her personal space and time. In order to minimize stress, she should most likely: A) maintain a sales call report to ensure long-term job satisfaction B) ignore minor and major problems to avoid being overwhelmed C) hold a realistic outlook about task management duties D) consider working fewer hours or accept a demotion E) establish strict working hours in a home office

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Victoria Canning is an inside sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As an inside sales representative, she makes sales presentations via webinar and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, and instant messaging, all from her home office. She says the best thing about her job is having a fulfilling professional career but never having to commute to an office. Because Victoria and the account manager she partners with are not in the same space but need to have access to the same information, it is vital that they both use: A) the same type of computer, so they can share files seamlessly B) a web conferencing system that allows them to show each other files and documents C) mobile phones that allow them to send and receive text messages instead of landlines that do not allow for text messaging D) a computerized, Internet-based CRM system that allows them both to enter and access information about their clients E) the same email client so they can read emails from each other

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Victoria Canning is an inside sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As an inside sales representative, she makes sales presentations via webinar and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, and instant messaging, all from her home office. She says the best thing about her job is having a fulfilling professional career but never having to commute to an office. Which of the following would answer the phone for Victoria when she is having a conference with a client? A) fax machine B) electronic mail C) voice mail system D) audiovisual equipment E) personal digital assistant

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Victoria Canning is an inside sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As an inside sales representative, she makes sales presentations via webinar and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, and instant messaging, all from her home office. She says the best thing about her job is having a fulfilling professional career but never having to commute to an office. Which of the following would most likely help Victoria manage her time effectively? A) preparing a "to do" list each day and prioritizing tasks B) creating a monthly sales log to submit to her manager C) making notes of customers she calls each week D) contacting customers by e-mail and text E) maintaining a separate home office telephone

Q: Braeden Innovations is a company that sells database systems and software integration packages to schools and universities. Victoria Canning is an inside sales representative with Braeden Innovations. As an inside sales representative, she makes sales presentations via webinar and contacts clients and prospects by phone, email, and instant messaging, all from her home office. She says the best thing about her job is having a fulfilling professional career but never having to commute to an office. Victoria needs to organize her territory. Which categories would make the most sense for Victoria to use to organize her territory to schedule her calls most efficiently? A) zip code and type of organization B) time zone and size of organization C) time zone and zip code D) zip code and contact's position in the organization E) area code and contact's position in the organization

Q: List the guiding principles that can be used to develop a routing and scheduling plan.

Q: Sound time management techniques can pave the way to greater sales productivity. List and discuss four time-saving techniques used by time-conscious people in all walks of life.

Q: A(n) ________ is a weekly action plan that is used to record planned and completed sales calls.

Q: ________ refers to two simultaneous events: an external stimulus called a stressor, and the physical and emotional responses to that stimulus.

Q: The primary objective of a sales ________ and scheduling plan is to increase actual face-to-face selling.

Q: ________ is a four-dimensional process consisting of time management, territory management, records management, and stress management.

Q: A(n) ________ is the geographic area where prospects and customers reside.

Q: Which of the following is an effective way to manage stress? A) Increase the focus on job tasks. B) Work from home less frequently. C) Maintain a realistic outlook to avoid disappointment. D) Practice healthy emotional expression. E) Fight or ignore most major problems.

Q: Which of the following would LEAST likely eliminate stress in a short amount of time? A) visualizing a vacation spot B) organizing a schedule C) walking outside D) napping after lunch E) having a massage

Q: The fight or flight response is a typical response to: A) pessimism B) physical pain C) stress D) organizational culture E) office politics

Q: An external stimulus called a stressor and the physical and emotional responses to that stimulus are called: A) emotionalism B) tension C) hypertension D) stress E) stimulus syndrome

Q: Maintaining accurate sales records can help a salesperson by putting current sales into: A) arrears B) escrow C) danger D) territories E) perspective

Q: Which of the following should LEAST likely be kept by salespeople? A) shipping labels B) customer files C) call reports D) expense records E) sales records

Q: A sales call plan is: A) a daily action plan initiated by the salesperson B) a weekly action plan, often initiated by the sales manager C) a monthly action plan, initiated by the salesperson D) a record of sales calls that have been made in the previous month E) a record of sales calls that are to be made that day

Q: Many salespeople schedule routing by using the 80/20 rule, meaning: A) 80 percent of their time on calls from the office and 20 percent on face-to-face calls B) 80 percent of their time on face-to-face calls and 20 percent on calls from the office C) 80 percent of their time on larger accounts and 20 percent on less profitable accounts D) 80 percent of their time on calls and 20 percent on prospecting E) 80 percent of their time on sales activities and 20 percent on paperwork

Q: Salespeople with families can most likely balance work and family obligations by: A) traveling on the same days every month B) working for firms that sell services instead of products C) working for an organization that offers maternity leave D) delaying marriage and children until establishing a career E) maintaining a home office and communicating with clients remotely

Q: Which of the following would LEAST likely be included in a firm's CRM system? A) weekly sales call plans B) stress management techniques C) monthly planning calendar D) sales meeting notes E) customer information

Q: One of the simplest ways a salesperson can practice time management skills is to create a(n): A) daily to-do list B) personal Web site C) written file card system D) mentoring relationship with a senior salesperson E) support group of salespeople to keep each other on track

Q: According to self-management experts, every moment spent planning saves how many minutes in execution? A) one to two B) two to three C) three to four D) four to five E) five to six

Q: On average, salespeople spend most of their work time on: A) sales meetings and conference calls B) administrative tasks and travel C) face-to-face selling D) customer follow-up E) prospecting

Q: Julio Melara, top seller and motivational speaker, feels that growth and success are facilitated by having: A) plenty of luck, and the ability to act on it B) strong mentors who spend time with you C) natural talent, and the discipline to maximize it D) written goals, both personal and professional E) a strong organization in which to grow

Q: Salespeople are most likely similar to entrepreneurs in that both of them must practice: A) long-term financial planning B) effective recruiting abilities C) multiplatform operations D) presentation skills E) self-management

Q: The major purpose of a call report is to: A) record the time and date of all phone calls B) record the contact information of the customers the salesperson is due to call that day C) provide a summary of time spent with each customer D) provide a precise record of purchases by each customer E) provide a summary of what happened during the call and an indication of what future action is required

Q: Which of the following guidelines regarding territory management is most suitable? A) Develop a routing plan that is based primarily on visiting new accounts. B) Develop a routing plan that is based solely on potential sales volume. C) Develop a routing plan that is based solely on geographical considerations. D) Develop a routing plan that is based on a combination of potential sales volume and geographical considerations. E) Visit only your best customers and ignore those with low potential sales.

Q: Which of the following is a true statement regarding the appropriate use of the telephone in selling? A) The telephone is an ineffective and time-consuming way to keep the customer informed. B) The telephone provides instant communication at a lower cost than other methods. C) The telephone is beneficial for building customer goodwill after a sale. D) The telephone is preferred over email by nearly all customers. E) The telephone should rarely be used to thank a customer.

Q: One of the best ways to gain more time is to: A) delegate all recordkeeping activities to subordinates B) record how time is spent during a typical week C) reduce time spent on prospecting for new clients D) reduce time spent with each prospect by half E) engage frequently in long-term sales strategies

Q: Which is true of doing business in Belgium? A) Speaking Dutch will help you in the Flanders area. B) Speaking French will help you north of Brussels. C) One selling strategy will work for the entire country. D) Dutch is spoken in the Wallonia area in the south of the country. E) Belgians prefer to communicate in business English.

Q: What is a primary reason for requiring sales reports? A) monitor personal selling B) facilitate customer service C) reimburse travel expenditures D) evaluate a salesperson's close E) analyze a salesperson's performance

Q: The best policy concerning recordkeeping is to: A) retain all records for three years before discarding them B) require written responses instead of substituting checkmarks C) record only those details that cannot be committed to memory D) require only records that provide positive benefits to those involved in the sales process E) require records on all details and processes in order to maintain sales process discipline

Q: The sales manager most likely uses information from the routing and scheduling plan to develop a: A) to-do list B) weekly sales report C) sales call plan D) customer contact card E) call record

Q: One of the most effective methods of dealing with stress is to: A) choose the "flight" response B) maintain an optimistic outlook C) initiate a crusade to alleviate all sources of stress D) throw yourself with renewed vigor into your job E) set up a home office so you can work more frequently

Q: The primary objective of a sales routing and scheduling plan is to: A) increase actual selling time by reducing travel time B) have a written record of where you have been and where you are going C) determine the geographical distribution of customers D) initiate new contacts with potential customers E) visualize your territory on a map

Q: Sales territories should, in most cases, be established on the basis of: A) seniority of salespeople B) prospects for new accounts C) mature product lines D) number of customers E) sales potential

Q: When drawing up a daily "to do" list, a salesperson should most likely: A) refer to the previous day's log for unaccomplished activities B) avoid listing more than five items for one day C) record more tasks than can be completed D) list activities in priority order E) rank items alphabetically