Deck 7: Developing, Delivering, and Reinforcing a Sales Training Program

Question 1

There is little educational merit in delayed sales training.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Selecting recruits is an important part of developing a training program.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A good sales training program should not waste time covering the company's organizational hierarchy and procedures.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Training the top third of a sales force provides the best return on investment.

Question 5

Relationship building skills are often an important aspect of sales training.

Question 6

In order to determine the training a sales force needs,it will be necessary to do some field investigation.

Question 7

One result that can be expected from a good training program is a lower turnover rate among the sales force.

Question 8

The use of line sales executives as trainers should be avoided since sales representatives tend to resent them.

Question 9

Training may lead to greater effort.

Question 10

Approximately thirty percent of businesses do not provide any sales training.

Question 11

Companies whose sales plan requires repeated calls on the same customers usually use delayed training.

Question 12

In trying to lower training costs,most firms have gone to central training facilities.

Question 13

Centralized training is usually more expensive to conduct than decentralized programs.

Question 14

During the training assessment phase of developing a training program,the content of the training program is determined.

Question 15

Training for experienced reps should generally be standardized.

Question 16

Most sales managers do not need training.

Question 17

Many companies spend over $100,000 per rep for training.

Question 18

Sales training programs which include needs analyses are able to utilize the analysis to identify weaknesses in selling skills and design alternative sales methods to eliminate these weaknesses.

Question 19

A lack of reinforcement is one reason why training programs are not effective.

Question 20

Business principles are an important content area for sales training programs.

Question 21

Sales training is a critical factor for ensuring the success of a salesperson for which of the following reasons?

A)Because salespeople's positive attitudes toward their jobs are affected by the amount and quality of training received.
B)Success factors,such as knowledge and identifying customer needs,are directly related to the amount of training received.
C)With the exception of "individual effort" most failures on the job relate to deficiencies which can be corrected through sales training.
D)Sales training empowers reps with greater self-confidence and so they are willing to put forth greater effort.
E)All of these.

Question 22

Which of the following is one of the three main reasons why many sales training programs are not very effective.

A)The inability of trainers to connect theoretical concepts to the real challenges in the field.
B)A lack of reinforcement leads to minimal behavioral change.
C)Training sessions are viewed by many reps as time off.
D)Managers don't use the proper training methods.
E)None of these the main reasons why training programs are not very effective.

Question 23

Web-based training costs less,but takes more time to achieve the training objective.

Question 24

Sales training is related to all of the following except:

A)Product knowledge
B)Understanding of customer needs
C)Sales aptitude
D)Selling skills
E)Self confidence

Question 25

Any of the following is likely to be an objective of a sales training program,except:

A)To evaluate the reps' sales performance in the field.
B)To build the reps' confidence in their ability to perform well.
C)To reduce selling costs.
D)To show the reps how to better manage their time.
E)To show the reps how to service their accounts.

Question 26

Student participation is the most effective method for teaching salesmanship.

Question 27

Role playing should be the main means for teaching sales techniques.

Question 28

The decision-making areas in sales training usually do not include the question of:

A)What should be the content of the program?
B)Who should do the training?
C)What sources should be used to find good salespeople?
D)What teaching methods should be used?
E)Where should the training be done?

Question 29

Which of the following are topics that are often covered in sales training programs?

A)Business principles.
B)Relationship building skills.
C)Team selling skills.
D)Computer assisted selling skills.
E)All of these.

Question 30

Round tables are good for continual training meetings.

Question 31

Which of the following is not one of the phases of developing and conducting a successful training program?

A)Training assessment.
B)Program design.
C)Reinforcement.
D)Selecting applicants.
E)All of these are phases.

Question 32

While the lecture method is the easiest,cheapest,and quickest way to present a body of knowledge,it is also likely to be the least effective.

Question 33

According to the textbook,the study which attempts to uncover selling difficulties in the field is called:

A)Training assessment.
B)Difficulty analysis.
C)Customer satisfaction.
D)Standard training effectiveness.
E)Program design.

Question 34

If a company's salespeople are ranked based on performance from the top performers down,which group which achieve the greatest return per dollar invested in sales training?

A)Top third of the salespeople.
B)Middle third of the salespeople.
C)Bottom third of salespeople.
D)There are no differences in what each group will return.
E)The top half of the salespeople.

Question 35

A benefit of a good sales training program is likely to be:

A)Increased efficiency in controlling sales force activities.
B)Improved morale in the sales force.
C)Lowered rate of turnover among sales representatives.
D)All of these.
E)Only two of A-B-C.

Question 36

Regarding the relation between sales training and strategic planning:

A)Sales training is related to strategic planning,but not to the implementation of these plans.
B)Sales training objectives should be consistent with the company's marketing goals.
C)Changes in the sales organizational structure do not affect the sales training program.
D)All of these are correct.
E)Only two of A-B-C are correct.

Question 37

Which group of a company's salespeople will likely benefit the most from sales training?

A)The top performing salespeople.
B)The lowest performing salespeople.
C)The middle performing salespeople.
D)They all would benefit equally.
E)The bottom two-thirds will benefit the most.

Question 38

Which of the following is least likely to be an objective of a sales training program?

A)Reduce the rate of job turnover on the sales force.
B)Teach the sales representatives how to prepare a job description.
C)Improve customer relations.
D)Reduce selling costs as a percentage of sales.
E)Help the representatives to make better use of their time.

Question 39

Sales training covers topics such as business management,teamwork,and skills for building relationships.All of the following provide the reasons for this except:

A)Customers are demanding much more from their suppliers in terms of quality and service.
B)Many firms are reducing the number of their suppliers thus developing stronger ties with those vendors they elect to work with.
C)Sales reps who sell products and/or services need to learn how to avoid customers over-reaching demands and problems.
D)Many firms have adopted team selling strategies to respond to an increase in customer's expectations.
E)Sales organization must be consistent with the firm's marketing objective.

Question 40

When planning a sales training program,management is least likely to consider:

A)What should be the basis for setting sales quotas?
B)What are the objectives of the training program?
C)To what extent should role playing be used?
D)When should training take place.
E)Who should be trained.

Question 41

Sales training programs can provide a useful purpose in training all but one of the following:

A)Distributor's sales reps.
B)Manufacturer's sales reps.
C)Experienced,highly productive,company sales reps.
D)Company's nonselling employees.
E)None of these.

Question 42

Using _________________________ as sales trainers is advantageous because their words carry much authority and they typically have had successful sales experience.

A)Company staff trainers in sales department.
B)Outside training specialist.
C)Line executives in sales department.
D)Trainers from personnel department.
E)The trainees' peer group.

Question 43

The amount of training needed for each sales rep depends on the training objectives.Which of the following stated objectives best matches the allotted time for sales training?

A)Improving the sales reps' customer orientation: half day.
B)Basic selling skills to new recruits: one year or more.
C)New product/service features and benefits: three months.
D)New promotional programs: half day.
E)Training programs for new hires: three to four days.

Question 44

An advantage of having a line executive conduct a training program is that:

A)Credibility - they are more credible.
B)Specialization - they specialize in providing training.
C)Standardization - they provide very standardized training.
D)All of these.
E)None of these.

Question 45

Regarding the use of an outside training pecialist,one should:

A)Only use an outside training specialist if the firm cannot do the training internally.
B)Not use these programs because they are much more expensive than developing an internal program.
C)Realize that these training programs are not customized to your firm's situation.
D)Preview or audit the program before purchasing it.
E)Set general guidelines and let the outside firm develop the specific objectives.

Question 46

Which of the following is least likely to be used as a sales trainer?

A)Field sales supervisor.
B)Someone from company's personnel department.
C)Training specialist from outside the company.
D)Territorial sales manager.
E)Staff trainer in sales department.

Question 47

Regarding sales manager's need for training:

A)Sales manager candidates need training to do their jobs
B)Almost all companies provide training for their new sales managers
C)Generally,companies that provide excellent training for salespeople provide similar training for their sales managers.
D)Most sales managers have already had all the training they need when they become managers.

Question 48

Regarding the need for sales training in our company:

A)Experienced reps hired from competitors do not need to go through our training program.
B)People who have sold for us for years can be excused from our training program.
C)New reps who were recruited from our production and office steps can skip the "product knowledge" part of our training.
D)All of our reps should go through the same training program.
E)All salespeople need some training.

Question 49

An advantage of using line sales executives to do the sales training is that they usually:

A)Have much practical experience from which to draw.
B)Have more time to devote to training than other executives do.
C)Are excellent teachers.
D)Are better at developing the theory,rather than the practice,selling.
E)None of these.

Question 50

Which of the following groups of salespeople should be excluded from sales training?

A)Experienced sales representatives hired from our competitors.
B)Successful salespeople who have been with our firm for several years.
C)Newly-hired recent college graduates.
D)Newly-hired representatives who had successful experience selling products related to ours.
E)None of these should be excluded.That is,they all need training.

Question 51

Which of the following statements is not true?

A)The sales manager is likely to know from his or her experience what difficulties the sales reps are encountering in the field thus can use such knowledge as a basis for developing a sales training program.
B)Sales managers who think they know the problems on which their salespeople need training may be deluding themselves.
C)The field sales problems encountered by the sales force vary over time and between sales territories.
D)All of these.
E)None of these.

Question 52

Which of the following are true?

A)Standardized training is more appropriate for inexperienced reps than for experienced reps.
B)Standardized training is more appropriate for experienced reps than for inexperienced reps.
C)Standardized training is the recommended structure for both experienced and inexperienced reps.
D)Training for experienced for reps should generally be customized.
E)Both A and D are true.

Question 53

In a sales training program,the purpose of a difficulty analysis is to:

A)Take the place of a job description.
B)Explain to the trainees how tough the job of selling is.
C)Determine what difficulties are likely to be encountered in the field.
D)Evaluate the trainees' progress in the program.
E)Help the new reps adjust to their new surroundings.

Question 54

Regarding the use of outside training specialists in a company's sales training program:

A)These specialists cannot be used effectively by large firms.
B)These people can be used effectively by small firms.
C)You do not use these specialists when you have your own sales training executives.
D)Outside specialists constitute a fixed cost for a firm.
E)It is better to use these specialists instead of spending the valuable time of line sales executives in training activities.

Question 55

Who should lead the sales training,when,where,what and how are all part of a process called:

A)Program design.
B)Training personnel.
C)Decentralized training.
D)AKA (attitude,knowledge and application)design.
E)Presentation methodology.

Question 56

Manufacturer's provide sales training for their dealer's sales force for all but one of the following reasons:

A)It encourages the retail clerk to push the product because the clerk knows about it and how to do.
B)It increases customer satisfaction with the manufacturer's product if the sales has been made by someone who really knows about the item.
C)The dealer is more likely to buy from a manufacture that provides such sales support.
D)Such training costs relatively little.
E)None of these.

Question 57

With regard to who provides training:

A)Most companies rely strictly on sales managers to provide training.
B)Most managers rely on top salespeople to help train other reps.
C)Most large companies rely primarily on outside training specialists for training salespeople.
D)HR provides the majority of the training in most companies.
E)Sales managers are usually paid specifically for each salesperson they successfully train.

Question 58

Regarding the use of company staff trainers to conduct a sales training program:

A)These trainers should be in the personnel department.
B)They will not be used if management prefers to have line executives do the actual training.
C)This gives management a chance to hire a specialist who is an excellent teacher,and who can devote much time to planning and operating the program.
D)Those trainers have line authority over the sales force.
E)None of these are correct.

Question 59

Which of the following is not determined in the training assessment phase of sales training planning?

A)How much training is needed.
B)What are the training needs of the reps.
C)Content of training.
D)Program objectives.
E)All of these are part of training assessment.

Question 60

Experienced salespeople - either in our firm or recently hired from a competitor - need some training because:

A)Our sales and marketing goals may change over a period of time.
B)We develop new products that need explanation.
C)Our policies may be different from those of our competitors,or our own people may have picked up some bad habits.
D)All of these are reasons why experienced reps may need some training.
E)Only two of A-B-C are correct.

Question 61

To insure training effectiveness manager should ask:

A)Are the results of the training measurable?
B)Is the training reinforced?
C)Are the salespeople empowered to leverage what they learn?
D)Does the training reflect customer needs?
E)All of these.

Question 62

Which of the following statements is correct?

A)Task related KSAs (knowledge,skills,abilities)enhance learning of growth-related KSAa.
B)Growth related KSAs enhance learning of meta KSAs.
C)Meta KSAs enhance learning of task and growth-related KSAs.
D)None of the KSA's enhance learning other KSAs.

Question 63

Product training for sales reps should be done:

A)Only during the induction training program.
B)In the home office.
C)Mainly by lecture and case analysis teaching methods.
D)As the first step in a training program.
E)On a continuing basis.

Question 64

After some basic product knowledge and company information have been imparted in a short initial training program,some firms send the representatives out to the field to sell.Then later these salespeople are brought back for additional training in selling techniques.This practice of "delayed initial training" is likely to be adopted when:

A)The average order is large.
B)Repeat business is important.
C)This firm is selling an office copying machine like Xerox or Canon.
D)Customers are sold only once,and each sale is of little importance to total volume.
E)None of these;that is,delayed training is not an advisable policy.

Question 65

Which of the following is a growth-related KSA (knowledge,skill,ability)?

A)Coping strategies.
B)Team-selling skills.
C)Territory management skills.
D)Learning orientation skills
E)None of these are growth related KSAs.

Question 66

A weakness in centralized sales training programs is that:

A)A company cannot make effective use of outside training.
B)There is not a good an opportunity to meet the top executives as there is in branch office programs.
C)Management is more limited in the time that can be devoted to training,as compared with branch programs.
D)There is less opportunity to meet other salespeople than is true in decentralized programs.
E)Management is likely to rely too much on "on-the-job" type of training.

Question 67

A limitation of decentralized sales training is that:

A)It usually costs more than centralized programs.
B)The local trainer (the branch manager,for example)may not have the ability to do the job properly.
C)A trainee is more removed from his work environment than in a centralized program.
D)Management cannot give on-the-job training.
E)Management cannot control these programs.

Question 68

With regard to when a salesperson should be trained:

A)All salespeople,regardless of experience,should receive some retraining immediately after hiring and before going out to sell.
B)The initial training program should be fully completed before a person is sent out to sell.
C)Refresher training of experienced sales representatives should be done at company expense,but during the representative's off-duty time.
D)A good induction (initial)training program supplants the need for further training.
E)Salespeople who are late developers will benefit from delayed training.

Question 69

Which of the following is a meta KSA (knowledge,skill,ability)?

A)Coping strategies.
B)Team selling skills.
C)Territory management skills.
D)Learning orientation skills.
E)None of these are meta KSAs.

Question 70

For which of the following is the lecture method most likely to be used in a sales training program?

A)Teaching salesmanship techniques.
B)Teaching problem solving.
C)Teaching how to meet customers' objections.
D)Teaching company policies or introducing a new topical area in the program.
E)Teaching how the product operates.

Question 71

All of the following are educational or managerial advantages of delayed training,except for:

A)It is easier to train people who have had some field experience.
B)Weak salespeople usually are eliminated before being put through an expensive training program.
C)Delayed training better pinpoints what type of training is needed.
D)People who have had some sales experience are more eager to get answers to the problems they faced in the field.
E)It is particularly good when you are selling complex products calling for a polished sales presentation.

Question 72

In which of the following situations is the case method likely to be the best teaching techniques?

A)Developing a salesperson's ability to analyze problems and make decisions.
B)Developing a salesperson's ability to meet objections in a sales presentation.
C)Teaching product knowledge.
D)Describing the company's history.
E)Giving canned sales presentations.

Question 73

An advantage of a centralized sales training program is that usually:

A)Highly capable training personnel are more likely to be available than in decentralized programs.
B)It is less expensive than decentralized programs.
C)There are fewer administrative problems as compared with branch office programs.
D)Branch managers are better trainers than home office personnel.
E)None of these are correct.

Question 74

Training techniques used to present materials for training programs include:

A)Lectures and discussions.
B)Role playing,demonstrations,and on-the-job training.
C)Audio cassettes and video enhanced programs.
D)Interactive video technology and business TV.
E)All of these.

Question 75

In which of the following situations is the practice of delayed training likely to be used?

A)Boeing aircraft company is selling airplanes to various airlines.
B)A sporting good wholesaler is selling to retail stores.
C)The firm is selling office copying machines such as Xerox or Savin.
D)We are selling conveyor belts to a shoe manufacturer.
E)The firms are selling life insurance to college students.

Question 76

All of the following teaching methods are used in sales training programs,except:

A)Lectures.
B)Demonstrations.
C)Role playing.
D)Trainees do the supervision.
E)Case discussions.

Question 77

Decentralized training programs conducted by branch managers are advantageous because:

A)Branch managers usually are skilled trainers.
B)Salespeople get to know their fellow reps quite well.
C)Salespeople can get away from home.
D)Branch managers have more time for training than do home-office executives.
E)These programs usually are less expensive than centralized programs.

Question 78

All of the following are examples of task-related KSA (knowledge,skill,ability)training content except:

A)Knowledge of the company.
B)Selling skills.
C)Creativity training.
D)Knowledge of legal constraints.
E)Business principles.

Question 79

Which of the following is not an advantage of a centralized training program?

A)Promotes comradeship.
B)Cheaper.
C)Better facilities.
D)Full-time staff trainer.
E)All of these are advantages.

Question 80

Although dependent on specific needs and objectives,the content of sales training programs generally focus on:

A)Attitudes toward selling as a function of the link between a company and its customers.
B)Product knowledge and application.
C)Becoming customer oriented.
D)Time management skills.
E)All of these.