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Creativity may be taught to salespeople by encouraging them to break out of their routines or to decorate
4. Student answers will vary. Here is a sample answer.
Although telecommuting sounds utopian, it is not always as effective in practice. On the positive side,
5. Among the possibilities are:
• Wealth of knowledge about a firm’s customers, competitors, and products;
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Listening skills: Use to understand the needs and wants of the customer.
Ability to adapt sales style from situation to situation: Use to be nimble and meet
the varying needs of customer to provide solutions that add value.
7. Student answers will vary. Here is a sample answer:
• Most like to perform
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Make sales presentation: It is enjoyable to be “on stage” and have opportunity to
have a dialogue with customers.
8. The buying center roles in the purchase include:
• Initiators
• Users
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my firm was a Gatekeeper, as they provided me with important technical
9. Larger companies will have purchasing functions with professional personnel who specialize in
the purchase of certain products. Smaller companies may have only one buyer for many lines of products.
The composition of the buying center in small companies, for major purchases, will more likely involve
top management and personnel from other areas. In a large company, the composition of the buying
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professors will be teaching the course. In some schools, the department head and the
professor might be involved. In the most involved case, all of the marketing faculty might
10. A new-task purchase is where a customer is buying a relatively complex and expensive product
or service for the first time (e.g. a new piece of production equipment or a new computer system). In this
case, the seller is an “out supplier,” and the objective is to move the customer away from the automatic
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to maintain or increase the repeat ordering by keeping the customer satisfied and continuing the
relationship with the buyer who handles that seller (usually a newer buyer or assistant).
11. The proliferation of information available to all purchasers has radically altered the relationship
between purchasing and sales, with purchasing agents expecting a different kind of approach from the
salespeople who call on them today. Selling to today’s professional purchasing agent is no longer a matter
of simply drawing on long-standing personalities where prices were the principle point of negotiation.
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and sales environment. It also enables you to discuss the differences in selling activities between sales
people selling primarily to consumers versus salespeople who sell to other businesses.
Answers to Leadership Challenge Questions
1. B2B markets generally are smaller (fewer customers), more concentrated (for example the
automobile business in Detroit or the technology businesses of Southern California), and as a general rule,
2. The two most significant challenges will involve: 1) identifying, selecting, and recruiting a retail
sales force and 2) training them to deliver value added service for the customer. Renner is faced with a
major choice, does he hire more experienced ‘trades people” who know construction and can help the
customer with their knowledge but require higher salary levels and more training than younger, less
experienced individuals? Once he makes that decision he must focus on a strategy to identify the right
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This role-play finds Geoff Knard and Bridgette Face of Emblem Foods preparing to go on a recruiting
trip to Mercury College. They hope to attract good students to interview for careers with Emblem.
Geoff and Bridgette will meet for breakfast to discuss ideas on how to get top students interested in
sales, and especially in selling for Emblem. Also, they want to be prepared to handle any negative
stereotypes about selling that may come up while visiting with the students at Mercury College.
Hints for the Instructor
The student playing Bridgette should understand that despite the fact that Bridgette has never been on
a recruiting trip before and is young and was just recruited out of college, she should be a big asset on
this project and her opinions are important.
Minicase: Rising Action Bakery and Power Flour, LLC
Teaching Notes
This case prompts students to think about the organizational buying process and the various roles
individuals within the company play in the purchase decision. Students should be encouraged to answer
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© 2016 Taylor & Francis
the questions provided with the case. In addition, students should be encouraged to determine Joe Reeka’s
role in the process and how he should approach identifying the responsibilities and influence of the
various Rising Action employees.
Chapter 2 – The Process of Selling and Buying
Answers to Minicase Questions
1 and 2 are best illustrated in the following table:
Name
Position
Buying Center
Role(s)
Primary Interests
Level of Influence
Joan
Wells
Purchasing
Manager
Gatekeeper and
Buyer
▪ Following company
policy.
▪ Satisfying the needs
of other buying center
members.
Medium to high
depending on latitude
allowed for negotiating.
Ana
Paula
Gutierrez
Chief
Executive
Officer
Initiator and
Decider
▪ Equipment that will
accomplish company
objectives.
Low initially but high at
the end as the final
decision is made.
Nimesh
Patel
Sales and
Marketing
Manager
Influencer
▪ Maintaining or
increasing market
share.
Medium to high given
his position and Ana
Paula’s reliance on his
expertise.
Dawn
Chiles
Production and
Operations
Manager
Influencer and,
as production
manager, she
also represents
the Users in the
buying process.
▪ Efficient
manufacturing
process and keeping
operating costs low.
Medium to high given
her position as
production manager and
Ana Paula’s reliance on
her expertise.
Matt
Simon
Finance and
Accounting
Manager
Controller and
Influencer
▪ Financial outlay for
new product.
▪ Keeping within
established budgets.
Low to moderate.
Dan
Levy
Store
Coordination
Manager
Influencer
▪ Overall corporate
success and adherence
to company policies.
▪ Communicating
changes to stores
Medium because of his
close relationship with
both stores and
suppliers.
Janice
Purchasing
Assistant
Manager
Gatekeeper
▪ Following company
policy.
▪ Satisfying the needs
of other buying center
members.
Medium—Low
decision-making
authority but high
importance because is
initial point of contact.
Dawn’s
Assistant
Assistant
Production and
Operations
Manager
Influencer and
User
▪ Determine and
communicate
quantities for
ordering.
Low because primarily a
messenger
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3. A relationship selling approach would be more effective than a transactional selling approach for
Joe and Power Flour for several reasons. Building a long-term relationship will allow opportunities for
Joe to add values that are not based solely on price. Joe and Power Flour are not just selling a product, but
4. The buying process Rising Action would use mirrors that provided in the chapter. Ana Paula and
her senior management team have just finished a meeting that can represent Stage One of the process—
recognition of a problem or need. Dawn, as production manager, and her assistant manager would be in
charge of Stage Two of the process—determination and description of the traits, qualities, and quantities
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and use that conversation to learn more about Rising Action and begin to develop a relationship with the
company.