Kim is the sales representative for a major textbook publisher. When she calls on the business faculty at General University, her first stop is to chat with Frank, the business department secretary. From Frank, Kim learns which professors have left the university or are newly arrived. Frank also helps Kim to make appointments to see professors to discuss textbook choices. Frank acts as the __________ in the business department buying center.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Frank is the gatekeeper in the business department buying center as he is the one who controls the flow of information to the professors and helps Kim to make appointments. He does not make the final purchase decision or influence it directly, so he is not a buyer or influencer. The professors are the users, and there is no information provided to suggest that Frank initiated the textbook search.

Kim Is the Sales Representative for a Major Textbook Publisher