Deck 15: Managing Your Time and Territory

Question 1

Successful salespeople know once their daily plan is set, they should not deviate from it.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The first step in the self-management process is to determine what has to be done first.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Customer share has been found to be more important than market share in determining profit.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Salespeople should consider the physical resources they manage as investments because they must be managed wisely to produce the best possible return.

Question 5

It much more important for salespeople to have some personal development goals than other people in business organizations.

Question 6

Customer management is includes allocating all the resources at their disposal in the most productive manner.

Question 7

The old axiom, "Time is money" applies to salespeople because salespeople spend too much of their time in front of customers and not enough time preparing for sales calls.

Question 8

Not only does prime selling time vary from one industry to another, it may also vary within the same industry as you move from one nation to another.

Question 9

Sales people have learned that simply allocating sales activities on the basis of sales potential may lead to inefficiencies.

Question 10

Activity goals are important because they reflect how efficiently the salesperson uses resources, such as time, to accomplish performance goals.

Question 11

A system that classifies sales accounts based on a company's competitive position and the account's sales potential is called a competition sales call allocation grid.

Question 12

When deciding what percentage of their time to use making sales presentations, a salesperson should allocate their time in cays that generate the greatest level of sales.

Question 13

If a salesperson is not careful, important activities will tend to be crowded out urgent activities. This is sometimes referred to as the "tyranny of the urgent."

Question 14

Easy goals are more motivating than challenging ones because of the satisfaction that comes from always succeeding.

Question 15

A salesperson that lacks goals will drift around their territory, wasting time and energy.

Question 16

Activity goals are behavioral objectives.

Question 17

All performance goals should be qualitative.

Question 18

ABC analysis is used more successfully by capital equipment sales reps than by consumer packaged goods salespeople.

Question 19

Benchmarking allows sales people to base their goals on the bench or basic level goals that must be achieved.

Question 20

Putting a deadline on when a goal is achieved does not make the goal any more motivating.

Question 21

As an experienced salesperson, you frequently help newly hired reps, and you explain to each that the first step of the self-management process is:

A) setting goals
B) implementing a time management strategy
C) allocating resources
D) doing paper work on time
E) evaluating your own performance

Question 22

Customer contacts should always be in-person sales calls.

Question 23

For a goal to be successful, it should be:

A) reachable yet challenging
B) specific and measurable
C) time-based
D) written down
E) all of the above

Question 24

Which of the following statements about goals is true?

A) Short-term goals should be time based; long-term should not.
B) The effort toward accomplishing a goal matters, not the actual results.
C) Goal setting should be restricted to work activities to prevent health problems brought on by the inability to relax.
D) A time deadline that is near enough in the future puts pressure on the person with a goal to do something now.
E) All of the above statements about goals are true.

Question 25

Goals relating to outcomes are _____ goals.

A) performance
B) consequence
C) activity
D) transformation
E) conversion

Question 26

What is wrong with the following goal: "To increase the number of sales calls made by 10 percent?"

A) It is not measurable.
B) It is not time-based.
C) It is too specific.
D) It requires a comparison with earlier sales efforts.
E) There is nothing wrong with this goal.

Question 27

According to the text, there are three types of goals that a salesperson should set to achieve the highest possible levels of success. Which type of goal should be set first?

A) transformation
B) consequence
C) activity
D) performance
E) conversion

Question 28

Marissa is trying to become a better self-manager. She has no trouble setting goals, but the next step in the self-management process, _____, seems to always cause her a problem.

A) developing a travel plan
B) implementing a time management strategy
C) allocating resources and determining strategy to meet her goals
D) doing paper work on time
E) evaluating her own performance

Question 29

Larry is a new sales rep. He has designed his sales strategy and allocated resources. Next, Larry will need to:

A) set new goals
B) implement a time and territory strategy
C) reallocate resources
D) do paper work before beginning his sales strategy
E) evaluate his performance to date

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a stage of the self-management process in selling?

A) setting goals
B) acquiring additional resources
C) allocating resources
D) implementing a time management strategy
E) evaluating your own performance

Question 31

In sales, zoning means dividing a territory into zones based on ease of travel and concentration of customers.

Question 32

Career and sales goals should be challenging so that the:

A) salesperson setting the goals can efficiently achieve them
B) probability of achieving the goals will be measurable
C) salesperson setting the goals will be motivated
D) time frame in which the goals are to be achieved will be long-term
E) salesperson can get more accomplished

Question 33

Salespeople need to set three types of goals. They are:

A) attitudinal, behavioral, and perceptual goals
B) strategic, tactical, and operational goals
C) formal, semi-formal, and informal goals
D) people, technological, and conceptual goals
E) performance, activity, and conversion goals

Question 34

Which of the following statements about goals is true?

A) Career goals should reflect personal ambitions and desires.
B) Sales goals should reflect career goals.
C) Performance goals are usually set before activity and conversion goals.
D) Sales goals guide the salesperson's decisions as to which activities to perform, when to perform these activities, whom to see, and how to sell.
E) All of the above statements about goals are true.

Question 35

Which of the following is the best example of a performance goal?

A) to increase the number of cold calls from 10 per month to 12 per month
B) to make more sales calls using the telephone
C) to increase the amount of sales revenue generated by 10 percent
D) to increase the number of sales made relative to the number of sales calls made
E) to increase the number of customer accounts relative to the number of cold calls made

Question 36

To often salespeople fail to take the final step in the self-management process;

A) revising goals
B) implementing a time management strategy
C) allocating resources
D) doing paper work on time
E) evaluating their own performance

Question 37

In sales, the old axiom "Time is money" refers to:

A) determining what needs to be accomplished versus what can be accomplished
B) implementing a time management strategy that maximizes pipeline flow while minimizing lost customer drip
C) the fact that salespeople must make every hour count to be successful
D) doing paper work on time
E) setting monetary goals before setting time goals

Question 38

A goal to increase the amount of commission earned by 15 percent is an example of a(n) _____ goal.

A) performance
B) consequence
C) activity
D) transformation
E) conversion

Question 39

Harrison is self-employed. He sells advertising specialty items like calendars, pens, etc. imprinted with the name and advertising messages of local business who give the items to customers and prospects. He has set for himself a goal of $180,000 in sales for this year. Harrison's revenue goal is an example of a(n) _____ goal.

A) transformation
B) consequence
C) activity
D) performance
E) conversion

Question 40

Sales call routing plans vary depending on the demands of the customer and the ability to schedule calls at convenient times.

Question 41

Dmitri believes he can increase his income by 10 percent if he makes two more sales calls per week. His goal to increase the number of calls he makes is an example of a(n) _____ goal.

A) transformation
B) consequence
C) activity
D) performance
E) conversion

Question 42

As a salesperson, Paige is likely to be responsible for all of the following physical resources EXCEPT:

A) product samples
B) display racks
C) brochures
D) direct mail budgets
E) customer delight

Question 43

The ABC analysis makes use of the:

A) social audit
B) expectancy theory
C) iceberg principle
D) 80/20 rule
E) equity theory

Question 44

Traci's company expects her to give no less than three demonstrations per work day. This is an example of a(n) _____ goal.

A) transformation
B) consequence
C) activity
D) performance
E) conversion

Question 45

Mariah is a stock broker. She knows that to increase her number of clients she must do a lot of prospecting since only about 1 out of each 30 prospects she works with will become profitable clients. She believes by doing a better job qualifying her prospects she will be able to persuade 1 out of 25 next month. This goal is an example of a (n) _____ goal.

A) transformation
B) consequence
C) activity
D) performance
E) conversion

Question 46

Evelissa classifies her customers into three groups to aid her in allocating her time and other resources appropriately. Group 1 is her best accounts, Group two is accounts of moderate value, and Group 3 is noncustomers and very low value accounts. Evelissa is using:

A) triple play grouping
B) trilateral grouping
C) triangular analysis
D) ABC analysis
E) good-better-best grouping

Question 47

Karen knew that the best salesperson in her company had a sales conversion ratio of 75 percent while hers was only 55 percent. Since one of Karen's goals is to improve her conversion ratio, she could use ______ and compare what she was doing with what the best salesperson in the company does to identify ways that she could improve her sales conversion rate.

A) benchmarking
B) haloing
C) market analysis
D) sales analysis
E) goal assessment

Question 48

Behavioral objectives such as increasing the number of demonstrations performed are also called _____ goals.

A) Transformation
B) Conformance
C) Activity
D) Performance
E) Conversion

Question 49

If a salesperson receives $200 commission per sale and has set a goal of earning $3000 per month. With a conversion rate of 1 out of 8 prospects, he or she will need to make __________ sales presentations to achieve their performance goal.

A) 120
B) 100
C) 200
D) 80
E) cannot be determined

Question 50

What is wrong with the following personal development goal: "To reduce my dependency on a memorized sales presentation within the next six months?"

A) It is too specific.
B) It is not derived from previous goals.
C) It has no impact on career goals.
D) It is not challenging.
E) There is nothing wrong with this personal development goal.

Question 51

Which of the following is the best example of a conversion goal?

A) to increase the amount of commission checks by 15 percent
B) to increase the number of telephone sales calls by 12 percent
C) to improve the sales presentation
D) to improve the average sales generated revenue per sales call made
E) to decrease the number of customer complaints by 5 percent

Question 52

A (n) _____ rate resembles a batting average; it is calculated by taking the number of sales and dividing by the number of calls.

A) transformation
B) consequence
C) activity
D) performance
E) conversion

Question 53

_____ goals are important because they reflect how efficiently a salesperson uses resources, such as time, to accomplish performance goals.

A) Transformation
B) Consequence
C) Activity
D) Performance
E) Conversion

Question 54

Which of the following slogans best suggests efforts to improve a salesperson's efficiency?

A) "take two and hit to right"
B) "between a rock and a hard place"
C) "he or she who laughs last, laughs loudest"
D) "work smarter, not harder"
E) "a blind man on a galloping horse won't notice it"

Question 55

A goal to increase the number of sales calls made in one day from eight to nine is an example of a(n) _____ goal.

A) performance
B) consequence
C) activity
D) transformation
E) conversion

Question 56

Which of the following statements about customer classification and resource allocation to customers is true?

A) Customer management is simply a time management issue.
B) The 80-20 principle can be used to help allocate resources to the most profitable customers.
C) The most complex of the systems used to classify customers and determine resource allocation to each is the ABC analysis.
D) The ABC analysis is also called the grid analysis.
E) None of the above statements about customer classification and resource allocation to customers is true.

Question 57

Salespeople are often told to "work smarter, not harder." What does this expression mean?

A) Get more sales relative to the number of calls you make.
B) Lower your activity goals and live with the results; life's too short to let work make you miserable.
C) Don't set your performance goals so high they cause stress.
D) If you charge more to your expense account, it's like getting a tax-free raise.
E) Spend less time on non-selling activities like travel and paperwork.

Question 58

ABC analysis would be of LEAST value to a salesperson selling:

A) dress shirts to department stores
B) MRI equipment to hospitals
C) Post Cereal to supermarkets and grocery stores
D) pharmaceuticals to drug store pharmacies
E) hand tools to auto mechanics

Question 59

Which of the following statements about sales force resource management is true?

A) As a rule, 10 percent of a salesperson's sales come from 90 percent of his customers.
B) Meetings and learning about new products are examples of a salesperson's nonselling investment of their time.
C) As a basis for resource allocation, a salesperson should classify customers on the basis of the geographic proximity to his location.
D) The physical resources managed by a salesperson represent costs to her but investments to the company for which she works.
E) Managing resources is the third stage of self-management.

Question 60

Performance and conversion goals are the basis for _____ goals.

A) consequence
B) activity
C) venture
D) track record
E) project

Question 61

Which of the following is an example of an investment a safety equipment salesperson could make in a client?

A) sample earplugs
B) time
C) training customer's employees on how to use hazardous waste clean-up equipment
D) free trial use of a $3,000 machine for cleaning up toxic wastes
E) all of the above

Question 62

The first step in using time effectively is to:

A) determine the priority of each activity to be performed
B) estimate time needed to complete each activity
C) list the activities that need to be performed
D) develop a time schedule for performing activities
E) spend more time on low-priority activities

Question 63

Farrah will be working most of this weekend. She has been given four additional counties in her territory as a result of a corporate restructuring, and she needs to rework her travel plans to include these new accounts while holding travel time to a minimum. The activity Farrah is engaged in is called:

A) niching
B) outlining
C) routing
D) patterning
E) converting

Question 64

_____ classifies accounts on the basis of the company's competitive position with an account along with the account's sales potential.

A) ABC analysis
B) Product differentiation
C) Cloverleaf analysis
D) The sales call allocation grid
E) Market basket analysis

Question 65

_____________________ computer software has been especially effective at helping salespeople understand an account's needs.

A) Spreadsheet programs like Excel
B) Word processing programs
C) Financial management programs like Quicken
D) Customer relationship management (CRM)
E) Networking software

Question 66

Which of the following statements about time management is true?

A) Not only does prime selling time vary from one industry to another, but it may also vary within the same industry as you move from one nation to another.
B) If a salesperson is not careful, important activities will tend to crowd out urgent activities. This is sometimes referred to as the "tyranny of the important."
C) The time of day when a buyer is most likely to be willing to see a salesperson is called sales focus time.
D) Successful salespeople know that once your daily plan is set, you should not deviate from it.
E) To effectively plan your day, the first thing you must do is estimate how long each activity you must do will take.

Question 67

Which of the following statements about making sales calls is true?

A) Days before holidays are not good days to call on customers.
B) It is a good idea to avoid making sales calls on bad weather days when you and your samples are likely to be exposed to the elements.
C) Friday afternoons and Mondays are particularly bad times to schedule sales calls.
D) Making daily plans and developing efficient routes are important steps toward better time use.
E) Days after holidays are not good days to call on customers.

Question 68

To use the sales call allocation grid, Spence must classify each of his accounts in terms of their need and ability to pay for his product and:

A) his company's strength with that customer
B) the account-opportunity
C) who the decision maker is
D) its geographic location relative to his home
E) its geographic location relative to his firm's nearest distribution center

Question 69

As Amie plans her day, the first thing for her to do is make a list of activities that should be performed. Next, she should:

A) consult her records regarding how long similar activities took when she did them previously
B) develop a time schedule for doing those activities
C) determine the priority for each activity
D) estimate how long each activity will take
E) develop long term sales goals

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps determine a salesperson's strength-of-position with a customer?

A) how much the customer needs the product
B) the present share of the account's purchases
C) attitude of the account toward the salesperson
D) attitude of the account toward the salesperson's company
E) relationship between salesperson and key decision makers at the customer firm

Question 71

Grant has just installed customer relationship management software on his computer. He is inputting data regarding the current status of customers, ranging from prospects to customers. Grant is creating a:

A) customer rational system
B) pipeline analysis
C) presentation deadline system
D) customer value analysis
E) pipe dream system

Question 72

A sales call allocation grid classifies accounts according to account-opportunity and strength-of-position. Account-opportunity refers to:

A) the value of resources the salesperson is able to focus on this customer
B) how conveniently the sales rep is able to physically get to the customer's offices
C) how much the customer needs the product and whether it is able to pay for the product
D) how strong the company and salesperson's position are with the customer
E) distribution costs associated with serving this customer

Question 73

A sales call allocation grid classifies accounts according to account-opportunity and strength-of-position. Strength-of-position refers to:

A) the value of resources the salesperson is able to focus on this customer
B) how conveniently the sales rep is able to physically get to the customer's offices
C) how much the customer needs the product and whether it is able to pay for the product
D) how strong the company and salesperson's relationship is with the customer
E) increasing the distribution costs associated with serving this customer

Question 74

Taran keeps a database file in which he notes various tasks he has promised he would perform in the future and when they are due to be done. He also keeps information about call backs he is supposed to make. In addition, he has information about many of his customer's birthdays (so he can send a card). This database file helps him make out his to-do lists and get things done on the days he should in a timely manner. It is his:

A) duty box
B) engagement file
C) activity index
D) organizer box
E) tickler file

Question 75

Determining _____, average percentage of business received from a company's accounts, is an important element in the performance of a successful ABC analysis.

A) buying center identification
B) account attitude
C) routing patterns
D) account-opportunity
E) customer share

Question 76

Prime selling time:

A) is the same whether a salesperson is selling in the U.S., Mexico, or Great Britain
B) is the one constant in international selling
C) should be devoted to making sales calls
D) is the appropriate time for servicing accounts and doing paperwork
E) is accurately described by all of the above

Question 77

Using routine sales call patterns, a salesperson:

A) does not need to worry about time management
B) has no perceivable pattern for making his or her sales calls
C) typically uses zoning to save travel time
D) sees the same customer regularly
E) cannot use a cloverleaf approach to routing sales calls

Question 78

The sales call allocation grid is used a great deal for analyzing:

A) current customers
B) time spent on paperwork
C) time spent traveling between accounts
D) the use of the mail and the phone in account maintenance
E) prospects

Question 79

The purpose of classifying accounts using the sales call allocation grid is to:

A) help in the selection of the most useful computer software
B) determine which accounts are worth receiving more resources
C) decide if the company is acting in line with its mission statement
D) gain an understanding of the prospect's corporate culture
E) determine the personality characteristics of the prospect so they can be matched with those of a salesperson

Question 80

The process of scheduling your sales calls to minimize travel time is called:

A) niching
B) outlining
C) routing
D) patterning
E) scheduling