Question 1

Most beverage distributors have their delivery people act as the firm's sales representatives. The delivery people primarily function as

Accepted Answer

Delivery people who act as sales representatives primarily function as "order takers," taking orders for the firm's products while conducting deliveries. They may also answer basic questions about the products and provide some level of customer service, but their primary role is not to actively sell or push the products.

Question 2

When her salespeople bring in five new customers, Martina gives them a $1,000 payment. This is an example of a

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a bonus, as it is a one-time payment for achieving a specific goal (bringing in five new customers). A commission is usually a percentage of sales, and a sales contest is a competition among salespeople, usually with a prize for the winner. A nonfinancial reward does not involve money, and a salary is a fixed amount paid regularly for work performed, regardless of sales results or other factors.

Question 3

________ involves the planning, direction, and control of personal selling activities.

Accepted Answer

Sales management involves all aspects of planning, direction, and control of personal selling activities, including recruitment, selection, training, motivation, compensation, and evaluation of salespeople. Human resource management and marketing management are broader functions that encompass other areas beyond personal selling, while integrated marketing communications management is primarily focused on coordinating various communication channels. Sales administration may refer to the operational aspects of managing sales, such as order processing and customer service, but does not necessarily encompass the strategic aspects of sales management.

Question 4

The most important activity in recruiting salespeople is determining what the salesperson will be doing and

Accepted Answer

Determining what the salesperson will be doing and what personal traits and abilities they should have is crucial for ensuring that the candidate is a good fit for the role and will be able to perform the required tasks effectively. This helps in creating a job description that attracts the right candidates.

Question 5

Bradley is a new sales rep for an outdoor furniture company. Which form of financial compensation is he least likely to receive?

Accepted Answer

Extra vacation days are not a form of financial compensation, but rather a non-financial perk that some companies may offer as a benefit. The other options (commissions, salary, bonuses, and sales contests) are all forms of financial compensation that Bradley may receive as a sales rep.

Question 6

Nicki just made a huge sale and she is thrilled because she knows she will receive a percentage of the sales revenue. This percentage is known as a

Accepted Answer

The percentage of sales revenue that Nicki will receive is known as a commission.

Question 7

Jack is a sales manager at Motorola. He is responsible for evaluating the sales, profits, orders, and sales ratios of each of the sales representatives in this territory. Jack is evaluating ________ measures.

Accepted Answer

Objective measures are quantifiable and can be easily measured, such as sales, profits, and orders. Jack's evaluation of these metrics indicates that he is using objective measures to evaluate the sales representatives in his territory.

Question 8

Johan works at an electronics store. In addition to his salary, he receives 2 percent of the sales dollars he brings in each month. This extra 2 percent is called a

Accepted Answer

The extra 2 percent that Johan receives is based on the sales dollars he brings in, making it a commission.

Question 9

Managers and sales experts agree that certain personal traits are necessary to be a successful salesperson. Which personal trait is least important for a salesperson?

Accepted Answer

While being accomplished is certainly a desirable personal trait, it is not necessarily the least important for a salesperson. The other traits listed (optimistic, resilient, empathetic, self-motivated) are all crucial for success in sales, as they help salespeople weather rejection and maintain positive relationships with customers.

Question 10

Sonja spends much of her time checking inventories, processing straight rebuys, and making sure that everything is going smoothly. Sonja is primarily a(n)

Accepted Answer

Sonja is responsible for checking inventories and processing straight rebuys, which are routine tasks that fall under the category of order taking. Therefore, D (order taker) is the best choice.

Question 11

Mike sells small-business health insurance programs, working on straight commission. Closing the sale is an extremely stressful point in the selling process for him. If he does not close the sale, the most likely outcome will be

Accepted Answer

Since Mike works on straight commission, if he does not close the sale, he will not generate any income.

Question 12

Deena was recently promoted to a sales management position. She was about to begin her first salesperson recruitment campaign. The most important thing Deena can do to ensure that she recruits the right people is to

Accepted Answer

It is critical for Deena to identify and define exactly what the salesperson will be doing and what traits and abilities the job candidates will need to ensure that she recruits the right people. This will help Deena to evaluate the job candidates more effectively and select those with the skills and abilities required to perform the job successfully. Checking references and running credit checks may be important, but they are less critical than defining the job requirements and skills needed. Focusing on paperwork and whether her boss is pleased with the number of candidates interviewed will not help Deena to make good recruitment decisions.

Question 13

When Motorola first entered the Mexican marketplace, the company wanted direct control of salespeople in major urban markets but was not as concerned about control in less populated areas of the country. Motorola probably used ________ in major urban areas and ________ in less populated areas of Mexico.

Accepted Answer

Motorola's desire for direct control in major urban areas suggests the use of a company sales force, which allows for direct employment and management of salespeople. In less populated areas, where direct control was less of a concern, using manufacturer's reps, who are independent sales agents that represent the company's products but are not direct employees, would be a more flexible and cost-effective approach.

Question 14

Daniel's firm had grown steadily and the products and systems had become more and more complicated. In the past year or so, Daniel and his sales colleagues have been changing their approach due to the sales growth and increasing product complexity. Customer relationships for the most important accounts are now being handled more and more by ________, whose primary duties are order getting, order taking, or sales support, which is typical of firms experiencing this kind of growth.

Accepted Answer

The paragraph mentions that as the firm has grown, customer relationships for important accounts are now being handled more by "selling teams." This matches choice A. The other choices (B, C, D, E) are not mentioned as being involved in handling customer relationships in this context.

Question 15

What is the best description of a company sales force?

Accepted Answer

A company sales force typically refers to employees of the selling company who are responsible for selling its products or services. This group is distinct from independent agents, who work as contractors and are not employees of the company they sell products for. While a sales force may work in teams or focus on selling to other companies, these characteristics do not define or limit the overall definition of a sales force. The term also does not refer to an organization that supplies sales reps to other companies or include people both inside and outside the organization.

Question 16

Manny's job was selling products to industrial users, and he spent most of his time working on customers' new buy and modified new buy situations. Manny was primarily a(n)

Accepted Answer

Manny's job involves selling products to industrial users and working on customers' new buy and modified new buy situations, which suggests that he is focused on acquiring new business rather than maintaining existing relationships. Therefore, he is an order getter, who is responsible for identifying and pursuing new sales opportunities.

Question 17

Salespeople should be evaluated and rewarded only for those activities and outcomes that

Accepted Answer

Evaluating and rewarding salespeople based on activities and outcomes that fall under their control ensures that their compensation is based on their performance and not on external factors like market conditions or competitors' actions. This approach also helps to motivate salespeople to focus on activities that they can directly impact, which can ultimately lead to improved sales results. A and B may not necessarily be directly within the control of the salesperson, and D and E are not relevant to evaluating salespeople's performance.

Question 18

Every Monday during the month of December, salespeople who had the highest sales the previous week participate in a package surprise, where they receive a package containing either a $50 or a $100 bill. This short-term incentive is known as a

Accepted Answer

This is a sales contest because it is a competition among salespeople to achieve the highest sales within a specified period, with the reward being a surprise package containing money.

Question 19

A small office supply company may have a person whose primary responsibility is to process routine orders, reorders, or rebuys of products for clients. This employee is known as a(n)

Accepted Answer

An order taker is an employee responsible for processing routine orders, reorders, or rebuys of products for clients.

Question 20

The internal monthly magazine and blog at the cosmetics firm Mary Kay serve as ________ for employees because they are outlets for not only selling advice but also company-wide recognition of individual salespeople's accomplishments.

Accepted Answer

The internal monthly magazine and blog at Mary Kay serve as nonfinancial rewards for employees, providing them with recognition and selling advice instead of offering financial incentives such as bonuses, commissions, or salary increases.

Quiz 19: Personal Selling and Sales Management