Deck 5: Continual Development of the Salesforce:

Question 1

Initiation to task is the degree

A) to which the salesperson has managed to prioritize tasks in a way that will ensure success.
B) of personal satisfaction that the sales trainee feels in his or her job.
C) to which a sales trainee feels competent and accepted as a working partner.
D) of training that the sales trainee has received.
E) of the sales trainee's understanding of how time should be allocated among tasks.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

With regards to salesforce socialization, role definition is

A) the degree to which the salesperson has managed to prioritize tasks in a way that will ensure success.
B) personal satisfaction that the sales trainee feels in his or her job.
C) the degree to which a sales trainee feels competent and accepted as a working partner.
D) the degree of training that the sales trainee has received.
E) an understanding of what tasks are to be performed, what the priorities of the tasks are, and how time should be allocated among tasks.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

A study of manufacturers' salespeople found ___________ relationship between job satisfaction and salespeople's commitment to the organization.

A) no direct
B) a positive
C) very little
D) a negative
E) a parallel

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Activities that sales managers might spend time on during the planning and implementation of sales training include all of the following except

A) arranging for salespeople to work with key personnel in various departments in the firm to become familiar with their functions.
B) enrolling salespeople in professional workshops or training programs.
C) accompanying salespeople in the field to critique their sales behavior and reinforce other training.
D) selecting literature, sales aids, software and materials for study.
E) managing the recruitment and selection of new salespeople.

Question 5

The sales training process includes all of the following interrelated steps except

A) follow-up and evaluation.
B) designing the sales training program.
C) assessing sales training needs.
D) performing a salesforce audit.
E) evaluating training alternatives.

Question 6

The final step in the sales training process is

A) design sales training program.
B) assess sales training needs.
C) perform sales training.
D) conduct follow-up and evaluation.
E) evaluate training alternatives.

Question 7

The purpose of sales training needs assessment is to compare the specific performance-related skills, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors required for salesforce success to the

A) salesforce rating results of a customer survey.
B) performance test results of each salesperson.
C) job analysis of each sales position.
D) state of readiness of the salesforce.
E) personal observations of various salespeople recorded by sales managers.

Question 8

All of the following are methods of needs assessment except

A) salesforce audit.
B) performance testing.
C) observation.
D) salesforce survey.
E) job description.

Question 9

Methods of needs assessment include all of the following except

A) performance audit.
B) observation.
C) salesforce survey.
D) customer survey.
E) job analysis.

Question 10

A systematic, diagnostic, prescriptive tool that can be employed on a periodic basis to identify and address sales department problems and to prevent or reduce the impact of future problems is

A) a performance test.
B) sales management observation.
C) a salesforce survey.
D) an anonymous questionnaire sent to customers.
E) a salesforce audit.

Question 11

According to the text, in the sales training area, the audit examines questions such as the following except

A) Is the training program adequate in light of objectives and resources?
B) Does the training program need revision?
C) Is there an ongoing training program for senior salespeople?
D) Does the training program contribute in a positive manner to the socialization, of sales trainees?
E) Should the training program be conducted internally or externally?

Question 12

An example of a performance test would be

A) asking first-level sales managers to critique the performance of the salespersons with whom they work.
B) giving salespeople a written exam over product knowledge to check their retention rate.
C) appraising the salesforce activities and the environment in which the salesforce operates.
D) checking the results of a customer survey to see if the performance of the salesforce is rated as good as or better than a competitor's.
E) asking the salesperson to give an impromptu sales presentation for a convenient item, such as a ballpoint pen.

Question 13

A ____________ asks salespeople to indicate areas of need that could be addressed by sales training.

A) customer survey
B) job analysis
C) competitor survey
D) salesforce survey
E) salesforce audit

Question 14

If personal selling is prominent in the firm's marketing strategy, some sort of _________ to help determine sales training needs is highly recommended.

A) customer survey
B) job analysis
C) competitor survey
D) performance testing
E) salesforce audit

Question 15

A ____________ helps determine how competitive the salesforce is compared with other salesforces in the industry.

A) customer survey
B) job analysis
C) competitor survey
D) performance testing
E) salesforce audit

Question 16

A ______________ defines expected behavior for salespeople.

A) customer survey
B) job analysis
C) competitor survey
D) performance testing
E) salesforce audit

Question 17

A ______________ is an investigation of the task, duties, and responsibilities of the sales job.

A) customer survey
B) job analysis
C) competitor survey
D) performance testing
E) salesforce audit

Question 18

According to the text, common mistakes made by salespeople who need training on sales techniques include all of the following except

A) over-controlling the sales call.
B) lack of preplanning of sales calls.
C) not spending enough time with old customers.
D) failure to effectively confirm the sale.
E) ineffective listening and questioning.

Question 19

According to the text, a common mistake made by salespeople who need training on sales techniques is

A) under-controlling the sales call.
B) too much preplanning of sales calls.
C) not spending enough time with old customers.
D) failing to effectively confirm the sale.
E) spending too much time building rapport and trust with customers.

Question 20

According to the text, common mistakes made by salespeople who need training on sales techniques include all of the following except

A) ineffective listening and questioning.
B) failure to build rapport and trust.
C) not spending enough time with old customers.
D) lack of sales strategies for different accounts.
E) failure to effectively confirm the sale.

Question 21

Among the following, which is one of the most popular sales training topics?

A) Salesperson etiquette
B) Product knowledge
C) How to file expense reimbursement vouchers
D) How to handle the replacement of defective products
E) How to handle rejection

Question 22

Sales training covering aspects of customer knowledge may include information on all of the following subjects except

A) buying motives.
B) customer needs.
C) buyer personalities.
D) buyers' competitors.
E) buying procedures.

Question 23

For sales training purposes, some firms use classification methods to categorize buyers according to

A) personality and the buying situation.
B) the buyer's expertise and ease of making sales.
C) the firm's account size and products purchased.
D) their interest in trying new product lines.
E) their level of input to the sales decision.

Question 24

According to research on relationship building characteristics, customers want salespeople who do all of the following except

A) personally manage their desired results.
B) offer them the best discounts.
C) understand their business.
D) act as a customer advocate.
E) are easily accessible.

Question 25

A sales training workshop devoted to teaching psychologically oriented sales strategies (such as transactional analysis) would be aimed at teaching salespeople how to work with this type of buyer

A) the sales job facilitator.
B) the persuader.
C) the hard bargainer.
D) the socializer.
E) the straight shooter.

Question 26

A sales training workshop devoted to discussing the ethical and legal implications of transacting business would be aimed at teaching salespeople how to work with this type of buyer:

A) the sales job facilitator.
B) the persuader.
C) the hard bargainer.
D) the socializer.
E) the straight shooter.

Question 27

A sales training workshop devoted to teaching the importance of selling the "substance" of the product offering and not just the "sizzle" is aimed at teaching salespeople how to work with this type of buyer:

A) the sales job facilitator.
B) the persuader.
C) the hard bargainer.
D) the socializer.
E) the straight shooter.

Question 28

A sales training workshop devoted to communicating the importance of qualifying prospects would be aimed at teaching salespeople how to work with this type of buyer:

A) the sales job facilitator.
B) the persuader.
C) the hard bargainer.
D) the socializer.
E) the straight shooter.

Question 29

A sales training workshop devoted to communicating the importance of obtaining marketing information from customers would be aimed at teaching salespeople how to work with this type of buyer:

A) the sales job facilitator.
B) the considerate.
C) the hard bargainer.
D) the socializer.
E) the straight shooter.

Question 30

Which of the following is not one of the self-management behaviors mentioned in the text?

A) self-assessment
B) self-direction
C) self-control
D) self-monitoring
E) self-reinforcement

Question 31

According to the text, in general, sales training objectives are set to support one or more of the following with the exception of

A) increasing sales or profits.
B) teaching administrative procedures.
C) minimizing salesforce turnover rates.
D) developing salespeople for future management positions.
E) increasing the observation powers of first-level sales managers.

Question 32

Which of the following statements regarding the benefits of setting objectives for sales training is false?

A) Specific training objectives provide a standard for measuring the effectiveness of training.
B) Top management is responsive to well-written, specific objectives and may be more willing to provide budget support for the training.
C) Training simply for training's sake is a good doctrine for most companies to follow because it keeps salesforce product knowledge current.
D) Sales managers are forced to define the reasonable expectations of sales training rather than to view training as a quick-fix panacea for all the problems faced by the salesforce.
E) Written objectives become a good communications vehicle to inform the salesforce and other interested parties about upcoming training.

Question 33

In the evaluation of sales training alternatives, the following criteria should be considered:

A) the popularity of that form of training.
B) the reputation of the sales trainer.
C) the location of the training.
D) the intensity of the training.
E) the level of interest among salespeople in that form of training.

Question 34

When critiquing training alternatives, all the following criteria should be established for preliminary screening except the:

A) cost of the training.
B) location of the training.
C) flexibility of prepackaged training materials.
D) popularity of the form of training.
E) time required to implement an alternative training method.

Question 35

One of the key questions to be asked when evaluating alternatives for training is

A) Which method (or methods) and media are best suited for conducting the training?
B) Which method will require the least amount of time away from active selling?
C) Which method is the least expensive?
D) Which media is the most attractive to upper-management levels?
E) Which method requires the least amount of preplanning on the part of the sales manager?

Question 36

In general, companies rely most heavily on ____________ to conduct sales training.

A) outside training consultants
B) specialized schools
C) mass-produced videotapes
D) their own personnel
E) industry association conferences

Question 37

Sales training is conducted in

A) home offices.
B) central training facilities.
C) manufacturing plants.
D) hotels.
E) any of the above.

Question 38

Questions to consider when choosing an outside training program include all of the following except:

A) Is the training company willing to invest time in learning about your business?
B) How cutting-edge is the training company?
C) Does the content of the training program align with your training priorities or can it be customized for your business?
D) Will the training program fit into your schedule?
E) How flexible is the delivery of the training (e.g., virtual In-person)?

Question 39

Questions to consider when choosing an outside training program include all of the following except:

A) Is the training company willing to invest time in learning about your business?
B) Who will actually manage the training and do the work?
C) Does the content of the training program align with your training priorities or can it be customized for your business?
D) Will the training program fit into your schedule?
E) All of the above questions should be considered when choosing an outside training program.

Question 40

Which of the following is not one of the four categories of training methods discussed in the text?

A) On-the-job
B) Behavioral simulations
C) Case studies
D) Classroom/conference
E) Absorption

Question 41

This training method features lectures, demonstrations, and group discussion with expert trainers serving as instructors:

A) on-the-job
B) behavioral simulations
C) absorption
D) classroom/conference
E) none of the above

Question 42

This training method is frequently used for training on basic product knowledge, new product introductions, and legal issues:

A) on-the-job
B) behavioral simulations
C) absorption
D) classroom/conference
E) none of the above

Question 43

Which of the following are true regarding mentoring?

A) Salespeople with mentors have higher performance and less intent to leave than those with no mentors.
B) Manager mentors inside the organization are superior to peer mentors or those outside of the organization.
C) Mentoring tends to work best when the protégé makes clear to the mentor what he or she expects from the relationship
D) Mentoring tends to work best when the mentor "shows" rather than "tells" the protégé how to do something.
E) All of the above are true regarding mentoring.

Question 44

This form of on-the-job training is often used to groom salespeople for management positions:

A) filling in for vacationing salespeople
B) job rotation
C) working with a senior salesperson
D) working with a sales manager who acts as a "coach"
E) a "sink or swim" form of on-the-job training

Question 45

This training method includes business games and simulations, case studies, and role playing:

A) on-the-job
B) behavioral simulations
C) absorption
D) classroom/conference
E) none of the above

Question 46

Which of the following statements regarding role play as a training technique is false?

A) The role play is often videotaped for critique by a group of salespeople.
B) Typically one trainee plays the role of the salesperson, and another trainee acts as the buyer.
C) This can be an extremely effective means of teaching personal selling, without the risk of a poor performance in the presence of a live customer.
D) Properly conducted role play includes a prompt critique emphasizing the negative points of the performance that need improvement.
E) A good way to maximize the critique is to have the person who has played the role of salesperson offer opinions first and then solicit opinions from observers.

Question 47

This category of sales training methods involves furnishing trainees or salespeople with materials that they peruse without opportunity for immediate feedback and questioning:

A) on-the-job
B) behavioral simulations
C) absorption
D) classroom/conference
E) none of the above

Question 48

These training methods are best used as supplemental training to update the salesforce, reinforce previous training, or to provide basic materials to be covered in more detail at a later date:

A) on-the-job.
B) behavioral simulations.
C) ease studies.
D) classroom/conference.
E) absorption.

Question 49

Which of the following media can be used to train the salesforce?

A) Internet
B) telephone conferencing
C) videoconferencing
D) satellite television
E) any or all of the above may be used

Question 50

According to the text, which of the following is not one of the recommended tips for designing mobile learning content?

A) Limit content to ten minutes.
B) Use animation, even for serious content.
C) Offer customized content in a conversational style.
D) Offer information to make the user better, smarter or faster.
E) Focus on areas of work that are done incorrectly or lack compliance.

Question 51

During this step in the sales training process, sales managers may have to seek budget approval from upper management:

A) assess sales training needs
B) perform sales training
C) design sales training program
D) follow-up and evaluation
E) evaluate training alternatives

Question 52

Answers to the what, when, where, and how questions are finalized during this step in the sales training process:

A) assess sales training needs
B) perform sales training
C) design sales training program
D) follow-up and evaluation
E) evaluate training alternatives

Question 53

The primary responsibility of the sales manager while the training is being conducted is to

A) perform a final exam to measure the level of retention.
B) monitor the progress of the trainees and ensure adequate presentation of the training topics.
C) determine if the training facility is meeting the needs of the trainees adequately.
D) make sure that the training session does not exceed budgetary limits.
E) make travel arrangements for the trainees and external trainers.

Question 54

With a self-directed training program, salespeople are responsible for

A) diagnosing their individual training needs.
B) formulating learning goals.
C) identifying, choosing and implementing learning strategies.
D) assessing learning outcomes.
E) all of the above.

Question 55

The problem with an evaluation of sales training effectiveness is

A) it is hard to attribute future performance variations strictly to sales training.
B) an evaluation can only be made after the training has occurred.
C) a final exam may not be predictive of the salesperson's actual learning ability.
D) sales volume per salesperson is hard to measure accurately.
E) salespeople generally overestimate the good they get from sales training sessions in the post-training self-assessment questionnaires.

Question 56

Which of the following is not one of the steps in evaluating training and development programs?

A) Assess changes in job behavior resulting from training.
B) Assess participant satisfaction with training.
C) Determine outcomes resulting from using what was learned.
D) Determine principles, techniques and facts that were learned.
E) Determine changes needed in training.

Question 57

Which of the following is not one of the tips for reinforcing sales training?

A) Include refresher training throughout the year.
B) Provide short (five minutes or less) learning modules that are easily accessible.
C) Provide coaching and mentoring to reinforce what was learned.
D) Use gamification to motivate and reinforce learned information.
E) Review learner progress each week to determine if material is sticking.

Question 58

According to a study of buyers, which of the following was considered the most unethical sales practice?

A) Giving physical gifts such as free sales promotion prizes.
B) Using the firm's economic power to obtain premium prices or other concessions from buyers.
C) Making statements to an existing purchaser that exaggerates the seriousness of the problem in order to obtain a bigger order or other concessions.
D) Exaggerating how quickly orders will be delivered to get a sale.
E) Giving preferential treatment to customers who are also good suppliers.

Question 59

Important legal reminders that should be included in a sales training program include all of the following except

A) use factual data rather than general statements of praise during the sales presentation.
B) do not overstep authority, as the salesperson's actions can be binding to the selling firm.
C) discuss only these topics with competitors: sales territories or markets to be served, and the rejection or termination of customers.
D) offer the same price and support to all buyers who purchase under the same set of circumstances.
E) do not tamper with a competitor's product.

Question 60

Initiation to task is the degree to which a sales trainee feels competent and accepted as a working partner.

Question 61

Role definition is the degree to which a sales trainee feels competent and accepted as a working partner.

Question 62

Role definition is an understanding of what tasks need to be performed, what the priorities of the tasks are, and how time should be allocated among the tasks.

Question 63

Trainees who have been properly recruited and trained tend to be more confident on the job.

Question 64

When salespeople believe their company is taking action to reduce the difficulties associated with their position, they are more committed and satisfied with the job.

Question 65

The need for salesforce socialization to extend past the initial training period is unnecessary for salesforce members with limited personal contact with peers, managers, and other company personnel.

Question 66

There is an ongoing need to conduct sales training to improve salesforce performance.

Question 67

The average cost to train a new salesperson runs more than $70,000 a year.

Question 68

Sales organizations consider decreasing the time it takes to bring new sales hires to full productivity to be one of their most important productivity goals.

Question 69

A study of world class sales practices found organizational cultural support for the continuous development of salespeople to be one of the top ten world-class sales practices.

Question 70

When properly applied, sales training tends to produce a positive return on investment.

Question 71

According to our text, some research indicates a negative relationship between training expenditures and the firm's share price.

Question 72

Sales managers may spend considerable time conducting periodic training meetings and professional training conferences.

Question 73

Sales managers typically are not involved in selecting literature, sales aids, software, and materials for training.

Question 74

When assessing training needs, it is important to consider the knowledge, skills and abilities salespeople must have to fulfill both organizational level and salesforce level goals and objectives.

Question 75

The preferred role of sales training is to prevent problems and improve salesforce productivity on a reactive basis.

Question 76

The training needs of an experienced salesperson might include training in advanced sales techniques.

Question 77

The salesforce audit might examine the question, "Do we have an ongoing training program for senior salespeople?"

Question 78

Performance testing specifies the evaluation of particular tasks or skills of the salesforce.

Question 79

Sales managers using observation techniques to assess sales training needs sometimes address the need instantaneously by critiquing the salesperson's performance after the sales call has been completed.

Question 80

The salesforce survey can be particularly useful in defining customer expectations and determining how competitive the salesforce is compared to other salesforces in the industry.