Question 1

Jennifer walks in to her customer's office and immediately the customer begins talking about his problems both at work and at home. Jennifer had a sales presentation prepared for the customer but, instead quietly listens, asking questions where appropriate and offering support when appropriate. Jennifer is practicing:
A)the paraphrasing what a prospect says mirroring technique.
B)active listening.
C)the body language agreement method.
D)the tolerating silence presentation format.
E)the low-context, high-context differential.

Accepted Answer

Jennifer is demonstrating active listening by fully focusing on the customer's concerns, asking clarifying questions and offering supportive comments. She is not interrupting or redirecting the conversation towards her sales presentation, rather respecting the customer's need to share their concerns.

Question 2

Tyler is paying careful attention to what Jack (her prospect) says and sorting out relevant facts from all the statements. With eye contact and nods of her head, she tells Jack she's interested in what Jack is saying. Tyler is engaged in:
A)focused learning.
B)presentation protocol.
C)active listening.
D)dynamic hearing.
E)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Tyler is practicing active listening, which involves paying close attention, showing interest through nonverbal cues, and sorting out relevant information from what is being said. The other options (focused learning, presentation protocol, dynamic hearing) do not fully capture the specific behavior that Tyler is exhibiting.

Question 3

Andrea is a technical assistant for a computer company. After listening to the customer, she asks, "What is it the software will not do?" Andrea is practicing the active listening skill of:
A)paraphrasing what a prospect says.
B)listening to the customer's words from the customer's point of view.
C)asking questions to gain a more complete understanding of what the customer is trying to communicate.
D)tolerating silence gives the customer time to think.
E)summarizing provides both the salesperson and the customer with an overview of what has been said.

Accepted Answer

Andrea is using questioning skills to clarify what the customer is experiencing with the software. She is seeking a more complete understanding of the issue.

Question 4

During the sales presentation, why would the salesperson repeat the negative comment the customer made about his product's service contract word for word?
A)to buy time, so he could determine how to deal with a customer objection
B)to provide feedback to the customer
C)to avoid having any lulls in the conversation
D)to verify that he decoded the customer's message correctly
E)to summarize the customer's concerns

Accepted Answer

By repeating the negative comment word for word, the salesperson can verify that he understood the customer's message correctly. This allows the salesperson to address the specific concern and show the customer that he is listening attentively.

Question 5

One way to define the speaking-listening differential is to say:
A)active listening makes better speakers.
B)customers can listen to words at a rate more than five times as fast as the rate at which the salesperson can speak.
C)loose lips sink ships.
D)speaking divided by listening equals communication.
E)articulation equals listening divided by speech rate.

Accepted Answer

The speaking-listening differential refers to the difference between the rate at which a speaker can articulate words and the rate at which a listener can process those words. Research has shown that customers can listen to words at a rate more than five times as fast as the rate at which a salesperson can speak, which highlights the importance of active listening in effective communication. Therefore, option B is the correct choice.

Question 6

To make the point that communications need to be appropriate to the audience receiving them, Kathy showed a group of reading teachers the molecular formula for compounds produced by PKC Pharmaceutical companies. Even though the information was in English, the teachers did not have a clue what it was about. Kathy was using:
A)an analogy.
B)an 80-20 rule diagram.
C)public zone, and personal zone differentials.
D)nonverbal communication.
E)high-inflection culture content.

Accepted Answer

Kathy was using an analogy, comparing the molecular formula to something the teachers would understand or relate to in order to make her point about appropriate communication. However, the analogy wasn't effective in this case as the teachers did not understand it.

Question 7

Ursula is in the middle of a serious negotiation with her customer. She is not sure what the customer meant by his last statement. Ursula should ___________________ in order to verify her customer's intent.
A)start her presentation over from the beginning
B)quickly move to a trial close
C)restate the customer's comment
D)call her sales manager
E)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Restating the customer's comment allows Ursula to clarify any misunderstandings and make sure she understands the customer's intentions before moving forward. Starting over or moving to a trial close may not address the confusion, and calling her sales manager may not be necessary or efficient at this stage.

Question 8

The 80-20 ______________ suggests salespeople should listen 80 percent of the time and talk no more than 20 percent of the time.
A)listening model
B)personal-interpersonal differential
C)body language agreement model
D)speaking-listening differential
E)word picture-loudness zone

Accepted Answer

The answer of The 80-20 ______________ suggests salespeople should listen...

Question 9

Which of the following statements about body language is true?
A)Only one's voice characteristics carry more of the communication exchange than body language.
B)Customers may look away from the salesperson while they actively consider information in the sales presentation.
C)Hand gestures have the same meanings in all cultures.
D)A person rocking from side-to-side is conveying a positive outlook.
E)Broad, vigorous arm gestures indicate a lack of interest in the verbal portion of the communication process.

Accepted Answer

It is true that customers may look away from the salesperson while they actively consider information in the sales presentation. This does not necessarily indicate disinterest, but rather a moment of reflection or processing. The other options are false or too generalized to be considered universally true.

Question 10

Salespeople should vary the loudness of their speech:
A)to produce recognizable images.
B)according to the gatekeeper's instructions.
C)to determine your constant inflection point.
D)to avoid monotony.
E)is accurately described by all of the above

Accepted Answer

Varying the loudness of speech helps to avoid monotony, which can lead to the loss of the listener's attention.

Question 11

Which of the following is a suggestion for active listening?
A)Avoid repeating the same information.
B)Never summarize information already provided.
C)Do not embarrass the customer by rephrasing his or her comments.
D)Do not allow any moments of silence during the sales pitch.
E)None of the above is a suggestion for active listening.

Accepted Answer

Active listening involves techniques like summarizing, rephrasing, and allowing pauses to ensure understanding, which contradicts the suggestions in options A, B, C, and D.

Question 12

Which of the following statements describes a problem the speaking-listening differential may cause?
A)The quality of the salesperson's handshake becomes more important.
B)Centralized buying may take the customer firm's buying function out of the salesperson's territory.
C)The buying center will have multiple gatekeepers.
D)The salesperson may not know what the prospect wants even after the prospect has told him or her.
E)Salespeople will have trouble making appointments with prospects.

Accepted Answer

The speaking-listening differential may cause a problem if the salesperson does not fully understand what the prospect wants, even if the prospect has told them. This is because of a lack of active listening skills or misinterpretation of the prospect's needs.

Question 13

Which of the following is a suggestion for active listening?
A)Echo what the prospect has said.
B)Summarize the conversation.
C)Be quiet while the prospect thinks.
D)Concentrate on ideas rather than just words.
E)Do any of the above to encourage active listening.

Accepted Answer

All of the options (A-D) are good suggestions for active listening and can be used together to encourage effective communication with the prospect. Echoing what the prospect has said shows that you are paying attention and can clarify any misunderstandings. Summarizing the conversation can help both parties ensure that they are on the same page and understanding each other. Being quiet while the prospect thinks allows them the space to share their thoughts and feelings without interruption. Concentrating on ideas rather than just words shows a willingness to understand what the prospect is saying beyond the surface level. Using all of these suggestions can help create a positive and productive conversation.

Question 14

In the vignette "Open Lines of Communication, Please" the author asks salespeople to tell him about:
A)the latest technological advances competitors are developing.
B)internal company politics that might affect corporate/government relations.
C)situational effectiveness of communications vehicles.
D)bad news, good news, and changes.
E)none of the above

Accepted Answer

The author asks salespeople to provide information about bad news, good news, and changes so that they can maintain open lines of communication within the company. The other options are not mentioned in the vignette.

Question 15

Sabrina needs to "bite her tongue" after asking the prospect a difficult question. Tolerating silence is often important to allow the customer:
A)time to think.
B)an opportunity to end the meeting.
C)to shift from the intimate to the social zone.
D)inflection.
E)alternative body language word pictures.

Accepted Answer

Tolerating silence after asking a difficult question allows the customer time to think and process the question. This can lead to more thoughtful and honest responses from the customer.

Question 16

One way to define the _____ is to say Ned can listen to words at a rate more than five times as fast as the rate at which Louise can speak.
A)active listening
B)speaking-listening differential
C)lazy tongue syndrome
D)the need for indirect questioning
E)the need for open-ended questions

Accepted Answer

The speaking-listening differential refers to the difference in rates at which individuals can speak and listen. This is demonstrated in the given scenario where Ned can listen at a much faster rate than Louise can speak.

Question 17

In the vignette "Communication is Key in my Business" the medical supply salesman suggests it is important for him to maintain careful and constant communication with:
A)customers and his sales manager.
B)the American Medical Association.
C)the general public.
D)providers of alternative medicine services.
E)past patients.

Accepted Answer

The medical supply salesman notes the importance of maintaining communication with both customers and his sales manager, indicating that these are the most important parties he needs to stay in contact with in order to be successful in his business.

Question 18

Instead of describing the product, the salesperson was nodding her head and using expressions like, "Really?" "Uh-huh," and "That's interesting." The salesperson is:
A)trying to find the appropriate time to close the sale.
B)dealing with customer objections.
C)engaging in active listening.
D)watching for nonverbal communication to see if the customer really meant what he was saying.
E)encouraging active speaking.

Accepted Answer

The salesperson is engaging in active listening by nodding and expressing interest in what the customer is saying. This helps to build rapport and trust with the customer and can lead to a successful sale.

Question 19

When asking questions the salesperson should:
A)encourage the customer to provide a full response.
B)let the prospect know the salesperson's time is valuable.
C)ask questions that interest him or her.
D)ask questions that can only have one answer.
E)do all of the above

Accepted Answer

Encouraging the customer to provide a full response allows the salesperson to gather more information about the customer's needs and preferences, which can aid in providing a tailored solution. It also shows the salesperson is interested in the customer and values their opinions. The other choices, such as letting the prospect know the salesperson's time is valuable, asking questions that only have one answer, or asking questions that only interest the salesperson, can make the customer feel undervalued and disengaged.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about active listening is FALSE?
A)Paraphrasing what a prospect says is fine, but never repeat things word for word.
B)The salesperson should listen to the customer's words from the customer's point of view.
C)Additional questions can give the salesperson a more complete understanding of what the prospect is trying to communicate.
D)Tolerating silence gives the customer time to think.
E)Summarizing provides both the salesperson and the customer with an overview of what has been said.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false because repeating things word for word, also known as reflective listening, is a valid active listening technique. It can show the customer that the salesperson is paying attention and help clarify misunderstandings.

Quiz 4: Using Communication Principles to Build Relationships

Tyler is paying careful attention to what Jack (her prospect) says and sorting out relevant facts from all the statements. With eye contact and nods of her head, she tells Jack she's interested in what Jack is saying. Tyler is engaged in:

Andrea is a technical assistant for a computer company. After listening to the customer, she asks, "What is it the software will not do?" Andrea is practicing the active listening skill of:

During the sales presentation, why would the salesperson repeat the negative comment the customer made about his product's service contract word for word?

One way to define the speaking-listening differential is to say:

Ursula is in the middle of a serious negotiation with her customer. She is not sure what the customer meant by his last statement. Ursula should ___________________ in order to verify her customer's intent.

The 80-20 ______________ suggests salespeople should listen 80 percent of the time and talk no more than 20 percent of the time.

Which of the following statements about body language is true?

Salespeople should vary the loudness of their speech:

Which of the following is a suggestion for active listening?

Which of the following statements describes a problem the speaking-listening differential may cause?

Which of the following is a suggestion for active listening?

In the vignette "Open Lines of Communication, Please" the author asks salespeople to tell him about:

Sabrina needs to "bite her tongue" after asking the prospect a difficult question. Tolerating silence is often important to allow the customer:

One way to define the _____ is to say Ned can listen to words at a rate more than five times as fast as the rate at which Louise can speak.

In the vignette "Communication is Key in my Business" the medical supply salesman suggests it is important for him to maintain careful and constant communication with:

Instead of describing the product, the salesperson was nodding her head and using expressions like, "Really?" "Uh-huh," and "That's interesting." The salesperson is:

When asking questions the salesperson should:

Which of the following statements about active listening is FALSE?