1
When asked “”What type of sales representative has a tougher time making sales?”” sales
managers most frequently stated that it is salespeople who:
(A)
Speak too fast
(B)
Have heavy accents
(C)
Are older
(D)
Dress sloppily
(E)
Are overweight
Answer:
(D)
Dress sloppily
2
In the area of skills, the variables affecting sales performance the most are:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
Answer:
(B)
Vocational and general management skills
3
Research indicates interpersonal skills:
(A)
Are not closely related to sales performance
(B)
Are more important than vocational skills
(C)
Are equally as important as general management skills
(D)
Are less important than vocational esteem skills
(E)
None of the above
Answer:
(A)
Are not closely related to sales performance
4
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.
(A)
Self-confidence; asking good questions
(B)
Intelligence; good listening skills
(C)
Positive attitude; being likable
(D)
Being likable; understanding business
(E)
Good listening skills; Product knowledge
Answer:
(E)
Good listening skills; Product knowledge
5
In a survey of customers and salespeople, which of the following was considered LEAST
important in determining whether a salesperson was trustworthy?
(A)
Product knowledge
(B)
Positive attitude
(C)
Being well-dressed
(D)
Intelligent
(E)
Asking good questions
Answer:
(C)
Being well-dressed
6
In a survey of customers and salespeople, which of the following was considered MOST
important in determining whether a salesperson was trustworthy?
(A)
Product knowledge
(B)
Positive attitude
(C)
Being well-dressed
(D)
Intelligent
(E)
Asking good questions
Answer:
(A)
Product knowledge
7
Research indicates that in jobs involving the sale of services:
(A)
Sales presentation skills are important
(B)
Intelligence and self-esteem are good indicators of sales success
(C)
Professional skills and traits are good indicators of sales success
(D)
Being well-dressed is a major predictor of sales success
(E)
Aggressiveness and motivation are good indicators of sales success
Answer:
(E)
Aggressiveness and motivation are good indicators of sales success
8
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.
(A)
Missionary
(B)
New product
(C)
Order-taking
(D)
Trade
(E)
Technical
Answer:
(D)
Trade
9
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?
(A)
Empathy
(B)
Age and maturity
(C)
Knowledge of customer
(D)
Knowledge of business methods
(E)
All of the above
Answer:
(E)
All of the above
10
The more skill a salesperson has:
(A)
The greater his or her need for extrinsic rewards
(B)
The better his or her performance is likely to be
(C)
The greater his or her sense of responsibility
(D)
The easier it is to become a sales manager
(E)
The lower his or her creativity is likely to be
Answer:
(B)
The better his or her performance is likely to be
11
As the technology and customers become more sophisticated:
(A)
Sales managers hire younger workers
(B)
Sales managers hire people with technical backgrounds
(C)
The quality of the presentation must get better
(D)
Industrial buyers are leaving the industry
(E)
Interpersonal skills are becoming less important
Answer:
(C)
The quality of the presentation must get better
12
Which of the following statements about the personal variables that produce successful
salespeople is true?
(A)
Factors that reflect a person’s emotional maturity and cooperative behavior also tend to be
good predictors of sales performance
(B)
Matching salespeople with customers on the basis of personality similarities is the most
preferred method for assigning accounts
(C)
Salespeople with equal motivation, role perceptions, and training will invariably perform
equally well since these are the factors that management can influence
(D)
Sales managers should hire salespeople with relatively similar personality traits, aptitudes, and
skills to minimize the differences within the sales force
(E)
The more similar the salespeople are to their customers, the higher the probability of success
Answer:
(A)
Factors that reflect a person’s emotional maturity and cooperative behavior also tend to
be good predictors of sales performance
13
Which of the following personal characteristics is the best predictor of sales success?
(A)
The salesperson’s sex
(B)
The salesperson’s ethnic background
(C)
The result of the salesperson’s intelligence test
(D)
The salesperson’s personal history and family background
(E)
Results of sales aptitude tests
Answer:
(D)
The salesperson’s personal history and family background
14
Which of the following background and experience variables is the best predictor of a
candidate’s potential for sales success?
(A)
Educational attainment
(B)
Educational content
(C)
Sales experience
(D)
General work experience
(E)
Personal history and family background
Answer:
(E)
Personal history and family background
15
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?
(A)
The applicant’s current marital and family status
(B)
The applicant’s educational attainment
(C)
The applicant’s scores on intelligence and math ability tests
(D)
The applicant’s self-esteem
(E)
None of the above
Answer:
(A)
The applicant’s current marital and family status
16
Surprisingly, companies continue to focus on hiring sales representatives _____________
even though this does not do a good job in explaining differences in sales performance.
(A)
With prior experience
(B)
Without college degrees
(C)
Without aptitude testing
(D)
With close relatives in the company
(E)
None of the above
Answer:
(A)
With prior experience
17
Research indicates that within the category of a salesperson’s present marital, family, and
financial status, salespeople __________________ tend to have better sales performance.
(A)
With a diverse lifestyle
(B)
Who are conservative
(C)
With larger mortgages
(D)
Who are in the process of a divorce
(E)
None of the above
Answer:
(C)
With larger mortgages
18
Aptitude tests:
(A)
Are a good predictor of sales performance
(B)
Such as general intelligence tests are highly correlated to sales performance
(C)
Are illegal under Title VII employment law
(D)
That test cognitive ability, are a relatively good indicator of likely sales success
(E)
Are good predictors of aggressiveness
Answer:
(D)
That test cognitive ability, are a relatively good indicator of likely sales success
19
Individual personality traits:
(A)
Include demographic and lifestyle characteristics
(B)
Explain very little of the differences in salespeople’s performance
(C)
Show aptitude and work background are more important than responsibility
(D)
Submissive salespeople are equally as effective as dominant salespeople
(E)
Show skill variables explain differences in salespeople’s performance
Answer:
(B)
Explain very little of the differences in salespeople’s performance
20
Research in the area of personality traits indicates:
(A)
Willingness to assert oneself is an important indicator of sales success
(B)
Sociability is more important than creativity as an indicator of sales success
(C)
Willingness to cooperate is a key characteristic for sales success
(D)
Self-esteem explains over 15 percent of sales performance
(E)
Needs for achievement is more intrinsic than extrinsic
Answer:
(C)
Willingness to cooperate is a key characteristic for sales success
21
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. Jay’s primary job for the company is to engage in low–key _____
selling.
(A)
Missionary
(B)
Order-taking
(C)
Technical
(D)
Trade
(E)
Consumer
Answer:
(A)
Missionary
22
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 most crucial for Jay’s sales
success?
(A)
Age and maturity
(B)
High energy and stamina
(C)
Empathy
(D)
Ability to deal with stress
(E)
Problem-solving
Answer:
(B)
High energy and stamina
23
What skills and traits have been found to be relatively good predictors of success for
business-to-business institutional sales?
Answer:
Feedback:
Research indicates “”professional”” skills and traits-such as sales aptitude, sales
presentation skills, interpersonal skills, and self esteem are relatively good predictors of
success for business-to-business sales.
24
What skills and traits have been found to be relatively good predictors of success for jobs
involving the sale of services?
Answer:
Feedback:
Research indicates aggressiveness and motivation are better indicators of success in selling
services.
25
Compare the salesperson characteristics most important in trade selling versus missionary
selling.
Answer:
Feedback:
Age, maturity, empathy, and knowledge of customer and business needs were considered
the most important characteristics in trade selling. Youth, high energy, verbal skills, and
persuasiveness were considered the most important characteristics in missionary selling.
26
Compare the salesperson characteristics most important in technical selling versus new
business selling.
Answer:
Feedback:
In technical selling, education, product and customer knowledge, and intelligence were
considered most important. In new business selling, experience, age, aggressiveness,
persuasiveness, and persistence were considered most important.
27
Respond to the statement, “”Good salespeople are born not made.””
Answer:
Feedback:
Most managers believe that the things a firm does to train and develop its salespeople are
the most critical determinants of their future success, but many sales managers also
believe that a firm cannot put in the salesperson all of the elements of success and that
certain basic personal traits—such as a strong ego, self-confidence, decisiveness, and the
need for achievement are necessary requirements for success.
28
Why are women not equally represented in the sales force?
Answer:
Feedback:
One reason is the idea among some sales managers that women are too emotional and
lack the aggressiveness and self-confidence to be effective in sales. Some managers
thought the turnover rate would be higher among women, and some managers state they
do not know how to manage women sales personnel.
29
What personal characteristics would a sales manager for an automobile dealership likely
look for?
Answer:
Feedback:
Enthusiasm is consistently among the most important personal characteristics. In addition,
ambition, organization, verbal skill, and persuasiveness are important. Especially for auto
sales, persuasiveness would be an important factor.
30
Managers should hire salespeople with demographic and personality characteristics as
similar as possible to those of the prospects upon whom they will be calling. Respond to
this statement.
Answer:
Feedback:
While salespeople similar in age, gender, or ethnicity to their customers may be better able
to relate to customers, it may be illegal or impossible to pursue such a sales-hiring
strategy. Also, in business-to-business sales, purchasing agents and buyers come in all
ages and backgrounds, making similarity a difficult strategy to implement. Lastly, one
study found that very little of sales could be explained by salesperson-customer similarity.
31
What characteristic do customers think make a sales rep trustworthy? What characteristic
do sales reps think make them trustworthy?
Answer:
Feedback:
Customers rank product knowledge while sales reps rank good listening skills most often.
32
What types of aptitude tests are relatively good predictors of selling success?
Answer:
Feedback:
Cognitive ability tests.
33
What quality in a sales representative makes it tougher to make sales?
Answer:
Feedback:
A sloppily-dressed sales rep.
34
Which of the following organizations would be most likely to have members of its sales
force acting as technical salespeople?
(A)
A manufacturer of baby food
(B)
A manufacturer of road building equipment
(C)
A television network
(D)
A newspaper publisher
(E)
An advertising agency
Answer:
(B)
A manufacturer of road building equipment
35
Which of the following characteristics is important for someone who is planning to take a
position as a technical salesperson for a chemical company?
(A)
Product and customer knowledge
(B)
Age and maturity
(C)
Customer empathy
(D)
Sales aggressiveness
(E)
All of the above
Answer:
(A)
Product and customer knowledge
36
A characteristic that is important for a salesperson engaged in new business selling is:
(A)
The ability to set up long-term relationships with customers
(B)
Persistence
(C)
Youthful energy and stamina
(D)
Customer empathy
(E)
High-ego involvement in selling
Answer:
(B)
Persistence
37
For people selling business-to-business products, _________ skills and traits are relatively
good predictors of successful performance.
(A)
Basic
(B)
Key
(C)
Professional
(D)
High-level
(E)
None of the above
Answer:
(C)
Professional
38
The potentially most useful approach to defining sales aptitude and evaluating a person‘s
potential is to:
(A)
Gain all the demographic information possible about the job candidate
(B)
Establish the person’s aptitude and if and where any training is needed for a general sales
position
(C)
Match the salesperson in terms of demographics, personality, and attitude with the customers
he or she will be calling on
(D)
First determine the kinds of tasks involved in a specific sales job
(E)
Rely on managerial opinion and experience in the selection process
Answer:
(D)
First determine the kinds of tasks involved in a specific sales job
39
From the studies cited in the text, what variables explain sales performance?
Answer:
Feedback:
Aptitude, personal characteristics, skill levels, role perceptions, motivation, and
organizational and environmental factors.
40
Which variable was found to account for the largest percentage of variation in sales
performance?
Answer:
Feedback:
Personal history and family background including parent’s occupation, number of siblings,
and family responsibilities.
41
What sales force selection criteria used in developing countries would be considered illegal
or inappropriate in the United States?
Answer:
Feedback:
Age, gender, family background, marital status, and lifestyle would be considered illegal or
inappropriate in the United States.
42
What five variables were found to have the most impact on sales performance?
Answer:
Feedback:
Personal history and family background—parent’s occupation, number of siblings, and
family responsibilities was the top variable. Second was current marital status—number
and ages of dependents. Third was vocational skills—job- and company-specific skills.
Fourth was general management skills—organizational and leadership skills. Fifth was
cognitive ability—mental flexibility.
43
What is fundamentally incorrect with the hypothesis: “”Salespeople are more likely to be
successful when dealing with prospects who are similar to themselves in demographic
characteristics, personality traits, and attitudes than when their prospects have
characteristics different from their own.””
(A)
Federal legislation makes it illegal to gather this information about individual salespeople
(B)
The hypothesis is illogical because it is a well-known fact that opposites attract
(C)
Research does not support the similarity hypothesis
(D)
No research has yet been done to prove this hypothesis
(E)
Research has shown there is nothing wrong with this hypothesis which should be widely used
by all sales managers
Answer:
(C)
Research does not support the similarity hypothesis
44
Salespeople are born not made.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Salespeople are BOTH born and made.
45
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act applies to all private employers of 15 or more persons.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
46
Extensive empirical research compares the job performance of minority salespeople with
that of other ethnic groups.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
There is a lack of empirical research on minority salespeople.
47
Sales managers should not use sex to explain differences in performances among a cross-
section of salespeople.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
48
Research has proven that a salesperson’s success rate is directly related to how similar his
or her physical characteristics, personality, and attitudes are to those of the prospect.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Although it is often hypothesized that a salesperson’s success may be linked to similarities
to their customers, there is no valid research supporting that hypothesis.
49
The ways in which people spend their time outside of their jobs do not appear to be closely
related to their likely performance as a salesperson.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
50
The most potentially useful approach to defining sales aptitude and evaluating a person‘s
potential is first to determine the kinds of tasks involved in a specific sales job.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
51
Vicon Pharmaceuticals spends considerable effort testing and interviewing candidates for
their sales positions and determining which candidates have the traits and characteristics
needed for success. Vicon has developed ________________ to use in choosing sales
reps.
(A)
Corporate visions
(B)
Selection criteria
(C)
Character references
(D)
Performance indicators
(E)
Industry guidelines
Answer:
(B)
Selection criteria
52
Training and supervision are management actions that primarily attempt to influence:
(A)
Role perceptions and motivation
(B)
Aptitude and skill levels
(C)
Motivation and aptitude
(D)
Aptitude and role perceptions
(E)
Skill levels and role perceptions
Answer:
(E)
Skill levels and role perceptions
53
Women have achieved greater acceptance in the construction and primary metals
industries than in the insurance industry.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Women have achieved greater acceptance in industries such as communications,
publishing, insurance, and business services rather than in traditionally male-dominated
industries such as construction, machinery, and primary metals.
54
There is no strong correlation between demographic factors and sales performance.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
55
Aptitude is defined as learned proficiencies and attitudes necessary for effective
performance of specific job tasks.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Aptitude is enduring personal characteristics that determine an individual’s overall ability to
perform a sales job.
56
There is no way to integrate and evaluate the findings of the hundreds of different research
projects done to determine the relationships between the performance of an individual
salesperson and the number of personal and organizational factors that might influence his
or her performance.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Meta-analysis integrates the findings of many studies.
57
Many sales executives have somewhat mixed feelings concerning what it takes to become a
successful salesperson
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
58
Factors that sales managers cannot control or influence—such as role perceptions, skills,
and motivation—account for the largest proportion of the variance in performance across
salespeople.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Role perception, skills, and motivation are factors that managers can control. And they
account for the largest proportion of variance in performance across salespeople.
59
How salespeople are managed is even more crucial to their ultimate success than how they
are hired.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
60
Selecting recruits with personal traits and abilities appropriate for specific selling tasks is
an important determinant of their ultimate sales performance, but how those salespeople
are managed is even more crucial to their success.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
61
Aptitude and personal characteristics are typically thought to place an upper limit on an
individual’s ability to perform a given sales job.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(A)
True
62
All of the selection criteria that provide relevant information for predicting the future
success of salespeople can be legally collected through interviews and job resumes.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Not all criteria can legally be collected for use in the selection process.
63
The educational background of a potential salesperson is one of the most reliable factors
that a sales manager can use to predict the subsequent success of an individual.
(A)
True
(B)
False
Answer:
(B)
False
Feedback:
Educational background has not been proven to be effective in accounting for differences in
sales performance.
64
_________________ are management actions that primarily attempt to influence aptitude
and personal characteristics.
(A)
Interviews and testing
(B)
Aptitude and skill levels
(C)
Recruitment and selection policies
(D)
Aptitude and motivation
(E)
Training and supervision
Answer:
(C)
Recruitment and selection policies
65
Which of the following statements is based on research that has been done about the
characteristics needed for a successful salesperson?
(A)
Research has shown that a candidate’s aptitude for sales is unimportant because aptitude can
be taught
(B)
On average, factors that sales managers cannot control account for the largest proportion of
the variance in performance across salespeople
(C)
Personal characteristics do not explain and cannot be used to explain individual differences in
performances
(D)
The performance of a given salesperson is a function of organizational variables and unrelated
to personal traits
(E)
Successful salespeople are both born and made
Answer:
(E)
Successful salespeople are both born and made
66
After studying the “”Summary of the effect of variables on salesperson performance,””
many sales managers find:
(A)
Demographic variables are consistently the most important factors
(B)
Responsibility among salespeople overcomes weaknesses in other areas
(C)
Some traits commonly used to evaluate new recruits have not proven effective in accounting
for differences in sales performance
(D)
Sociability and self-esteem are negative variables that take away from sales performance
(E)
All of the above
Answer:
(C)
Some traits commonly used to evaluate new recruits have not proven effective in
accounting for differences in sales performance
67
Results indicating that demographic factors account for less than 5 percent of the
difference in performance among salespeople:
(A)
Imply that sales managers should hire more women
(B)
Refute the conventional wisdom espoused by some sales managers in the past
(C)
Suggest that managers should hire taller and attractive salespeople
(D)
Confirm the idea that lifestyle is less important than gender
(E)
None of the above
Answer:
(B)
Refute the conventional wisdom espoused by some sales managers in the past
68
Different types of selling situations appear that require salespeople with:
(A)
Consistent educational achievement
(B)
Different personal traits and abilities
(C)
A variety of references
(D)
Experience and authority
(E)
Psychological profiles consistent with the work requirements
Answer:
(B)
Different personal traits and abilities
69
Which of the following statements about women in sales is TRUE?
(A)
Women have achieved greater acceptance in some industries than others
(B)
Older sales managers often thought women were too emotional for sales
(C)
Some male managers feared having to supervise women
(D)
Some managers thought the turnover rates among women would be higher
(E)
All of the above
Answer:
(E)
All of the above
70
Which of the following aptitudes is most relevant to the success of a person who is hired
for a sales position?
(A)
Intelligence
(B)
Math ability
(C)
Cognitive abilities
(D)
Sales aptitude
(E)
Verbal intelligence
Answer:
(C)
Cognitive abilities
71
You would NOT expect to find a high percentage of women on the sales staff in companies
in the _____ industry.
(A)
Steel
(B)
Publishing
(C)
Insurance
(D)
Management consulting
(E)
Television
Answer:
(A)
Steel
72
Research suggests older salespeople _________________ than younger salespeople.
(A)
Have higher energy levels
(B)
Have greater knowledge of products/services
(C)
Have lower commitment to clients
(D)
Are more adaptive to travel demands
(E)
All of the above
Answer:
(B)
Have greater knowledge of products/services
73
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act:
(A)
Has been unaffected by political changes in the executive branch of the federal government
(B)
Prohibits withholding jobs or promotions because of either customer preferences for
salespeople of a particular race or sex or presumed differences in turnover rates
(C)
Applies to all private employers, no matter what size their organization
(D)
Applies to both public and private employers with 20 or more employees
(E)
Is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice
Answer:
(B)
Prohibits withholding jobs or promotions because of either customer preferences for
salespeople of a particular race or sex or presumed differences in turnover rates
74
Which of the following statements about how personal characteristics can be used as
predictors of sales performance success is true?
(A)
Some personal variables such as personal history, family background, current marital status,
and vocational skills are related to differences in performance among salespeople
(B)
Gender is an important factor for explaining the differences in performance across salespeople
(C)
Sales aptitude and self-esteem explain the largest portion of the variance in performance
across salespeople
(D)
Physical appearance is a strong predictor of whether a candidate for a sales job will be a
successful salesperson
(E)
Marital status, family status, and financial status cannot be used as predictors of an individual’s
success in a sales job
Answer:
(A)
Some personal variables such as personal history, family background, current marital
status, and vocational skills are related to differences in performance among salespeople
75
Which of the following questions CANNOT be legally asked during a job interview?
(A)
Do you have a college degree?
(B)
How long did you work for your previous employer?
(C)
What characteristics do you have that you think make you suited to a job in sales?
(D)
What kind of extracurricular activities did you participate in while in school?
(E)
How old are you?
Answer:
(E)
How old are you?
76
Which of the following statements about the characteristics sales managers look for in
potential salespeople is true?
(A)
Company executives typically know what characteristics are needed, and direct sales managers
are to hire individuals with those characteristics
(B)
General sales experience is considered more relevant than specific product or industry
experience
(C)
Research has replaced opinions and experience as the primary tool for selecting an individual
who will be a successful salesperson
(D)
A study of a large cross-section of salespeople to determine what factors make a salesperson
successful would be useless because it would not be industry specific
(E)
All techniques used by sales managers to determine which potential recruits will be successful
salespeople are completely subjective
Answer:
(B)
General sales experience is considered more relevant than specific product or industry
experience
77
From the research summarized in the text, which of the following categories of personal
and organizational variables has the greatest impact on sales performance?
(A)
Aptitude
(B)
Personal characteristics
(C)
Motivation
(D)
Role perceptions
(E)
No one category has the greatest impact
Answer:
(E)
No one category has the greatest impact
78
One of the variables affecting sales performance is motivation. What can a sales manager
do to influence his sales force’s level of motivation?
(A)
Make sure that the company only recruits highly motivated individuals to be salespeople
(B)
Set up extensive and thorough training programs for all salespeople
(C)
Set up a compensation and reward system that directly satisfies the needs of the members of
the sales force
(D)
Set up a management hierarchy based on wide spans of control
(E)
Any or all of the above
Answer:
(C)
Set up a compensation and reward system that directly satisfies the needs of the
members of the sales force
79
One of the variables affecting sales performance is “”personal characteristics.”” What can a
sales manager do to incorporate aptitude in his/her sales force?
(A)
Carefully design recruitment and selection policies
(B)
Improve training and supervision
(C)
Reduce supervisory pressure
(D)
Institute competitive rewards systems
(E)
Organize logical and effective territory designs
Answer:
(A)
Carefully design recruitment and selection policies
80
One of the variables affecting sales performance is organizational and environmental
factors. What can a sales manager do to incorporate this in his/her sales management
strategy?
(A)
Carefully design recruitment and selection policies
(B)
Improve training and supervision
(C)
Reduce supervisory pressure
(D)
Institute competitive rewards systems
(E)
Organize logical and effective territory designs
Answer:
(E)
Organize logical and effective territory designs
81
One of the variables affecting sales performance is skill levels. What can a sales manager
do to incorporate skill levels in his/her sales force?
(A)
Carefully design recruitment and selection policies
(B)
Improve training and supervision
(C)
Reduce supervisory pressure
(D)
Institute competitive rewards systems
(E)
Organize logical and effective territory designs
Answer:
(B)
Improve training and supervision
82
The chances that a salesperson will quit or be fired in their first five years are:
(A)
1 in 100
(B)
90 out of 100
(C)
Almost 100 percent
(D)
50 out of 100
(E)
Almost zero percent
Answer:
(D)
50 out of 100
83
Research indicates which of the following is NOT one of the personal characteristics that
sales managers look for when selecting new salespeople?
(A)
Nonverbal communication skills
(B)
Enthusiasm
(C)
Organization
(D)
Persuasiveness
(E)
Ambition
Answer:
(A)
Nonverbal communication skills
84
Which of the following characteristics would a sales manager for a company that sells meat
process equipment be likely to consider MOST important when looking at potential sales
recruits?
(A)
Selling experience in the athletic shoe industry
(B)
Enthusiasm
(C)
Good verbal skills
(D)
Well organized
(E)
Ambitious
Answer:
(B)
Enthusiasm
85
Regarding older salespeople, sales managers now know that:
(A)
They lack energy
(B)
Stereotypes about them have definitely lost their thunder.
(C)
They are too inflexible
(D)
They are less committed
(E)
None of the above is true
Answer:
(B)
Stereotypes about them have definitely lost their thunder.