Question 1

Which of the following personal characteristics is the best predictor of sales success?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

Research indicates interpersonal skills:

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

Jay's job is to visit hospitals to explain to physicians and nurses the advantages of his company's line of bandages. Jay hopes this activity will encourage the medical personnel to request that their hospital stock Jay's brand. Arlene works for the same company, but her job is to convince pharmacies and supermarkets to carry the company's line of consumer adhesive bandages. Which of the following characteristics is crucial for Arlene's sales success?

Accepted Answer

E

Question 4

When asked ""What type of sales representative has a tougher time making sales?"" sales managers most frequently stated that it is salespeople who:

Accepted Answer

Sales managers often believe that salespeople who dress sloppily have a tougher time making sales because appearance can significantly impact first impressions and perceived professionalism.

Question 5

Aptitude tests:

Accepted Answer

Aptitude tests that measure cognitive ability (such as verbal and numerical reasoning) have been found to be a relatively good indicator of likely sales success. However, it is important to note that no test or measure can predict sales success with complete accuracy, and other factors such as personality traits and sales-specific skills and knowledge also play a role.

Question 6

The more skill a salesperson has:

Accepted Answer

The more skill a salesperson has, the better his or her performance is likely to be. This is because a skilled salesperson has a better understanding of the sales process, customer needs, and effective communication techniques.

Question 7

While salespeople indicate ____________ is/are most critical in building trust with the customer, customers themselves rank ____________________ as the top characteristic needed for salespeople to win customer trust.

Accepted Answer

The answer of While salespeople indicate ____________ is/are most critical...

Question 8

Research indicates that in jobs involving the sale of services:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research indicates that in jobs involving the...

Question 9

Research in the area of personality traits indicates:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research in the area of personality traits...

Question 10

Jay's job is to visit hospitals to explain to physicians and nurses the advantages of his company's line of bandages. Jay hopes this activity will encourage the medical personnel to request that their hospital stock Jay's brand. Arlene works for the same company, but her job is to convince pharmacies and supermarkets to carry the company's line of consumer adhesive bandages. Arlene is a _____ salesperson for the company.

Accepted Answer

Arlene's job is to sell the company's products to pharmacies and supermarkets, which are trade customers. Therefore, Arlene is a trade salesperson.

Question 11

Surprisingly, companies continue to focus on hiring sales representatives _____________ even though this does not do a good job in explaining differences in sales performance.

Accepted Answer

The passage suggests that companies continue to focus on hiring sales representatives with prior experience, despite this not being a good indicator of sales performance.

Question 12

Individual personality traits:

Accepted Answer

Individual personality traits explain very little of the differences in salespeople's performance, as other factors like skills and experience often play a more significant role.

Question 13

In the area of skills, the variables affecting sales performance the most are:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the area of skills, the variables...

Question 14

In a survey of customers and salespeople, which of the following was considered MOST important in determining whether a salesperson was trustworthy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a survey of customers and salespeople,...

Question 15

Which of the following background and experience variables is the best predictor of a candidate's potential for sales success?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following background and experience...

Question 16

Which of the following personal characteristics appears to reflect a salesperson's emotional maturity and motivation and is, therefore, a relatively good indicator of sales performance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following personal characteristics appears...

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the personal variables that produce successful salespeople is true?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that factors such as emotional maturity, cooperative behavior, and empathy are good predictors of sales performance. These personal variables contribute to a salesperson's ability to build trust and rapport with customers, understand their needs and offer effective solutions. However, personality similarities do not necessarily guarantee success in sales, and hiring salespeople with similar traits can lead to a lack of diversity and innovation within the sales team.

Question 18

Research indicates that within the category of a salesperson's present marital, family, and financial status, salespeople __________________ tend to have better sales performance.

Accepted Answer

Salespeople with larger mortgages may have a greater financial motivation to perform well in sales to meet their financial obligations.

Question 19

As the technology and customers become more sophisticated:

Accepted Answer

The answer of As the technology and customers become more...

Question 20

In a survey of customers and salespeople, which of the following was considered LEAST important in determining whether a salesperson was trustworthy?

Accepted Answer

In the survey, being well-dressed was considered the least important factor in determining a salesperson's trustworthiness. This suggests that appearance may not be as influential as other factors such as product knowledge, positive attitude, intelligence, and asking good questions.

Quiz 8: Personal Characteristics and Sales Aptitude: Criteria for Selecting Salespeople