Deck 13: Time, Territory, and Self-Management

Question 1

The following is an example of a good sales goal: "Carlos will be more successful this year."

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Mapline and Badgersales are CRM software which offer route planning and scheduling.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Emotional intelligence consists of five abilities.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Heterogeneous markets may well be served by an undifferentiated selling plan.

Question 5

Salespeople using the account segmentation approach believe their territory has accounts with different needs and characteristics; hence, different selling strategies need to be deployed to maximize potential revenue.

Question 6

In general terms, it is a best practice for salespeople to establish a minimum number of times they will visit each class of accounts.

Question 7

Fewer overnight trips and regular contact with productive customers can reduce sales expenses as well as reduce a firm's sales-cost ratio.

Question 8

The term sales response function of a customer refers to the relationship between sales volume and sales effort.

Question 9

According to the text, there is no industry in which sales territories are more rigorously enforced than the real estate industry.

Question 10

A salesperson should allocate their time based on the location of the account.

Question 11

One of the reasons why some companies do not enforce strict territory criteria is based on the notion that in some industries such as real estate and insurance sales are often based on personal connections and friendships.

Question 12

Companies that enforce formalized scheduling designs often do it to maximize territory coverage by the salesperson.

Question 13

The only important objective of the salesperson is to develop and maintain relationships.

Question 14

The 80/20 principle is a time management concept that favours a salesperson putting 80 percent of his time on planning and 20 percent on selling.

Question 15

The setting of objectives is important to help meet sales goals.

Question 16

The process of determining if an account has the potential to warrant a visit by the salesperson broadly describes the process of prospecting.

Question 17

The development of individual territory and time usage objectives is called sales-time allocation.

Question 18

Evidence suggests there is an inverse relationship between the number of sales calls made and actual products sold by salespeople.

Question 19

According to a national survey of salespeople, the most important factor in facilitating the carrying out of their selling duties is time and territory management.

Question 20

Although it is useful to have lunch with a prospect or a client, dining alone can be very productive for a professional salesperson.

Question 21

Neil is comparing his sales figures from the last two years.For the month of December, the average sales were $25,000.For this upcoming December, Neil has set a target of $100,000.Which of the following goal setting elements is Neil neglecting?

A)Specific
B)Measurable
C)Achievable
D)Relevant
E)Time bound

Question 22

Which of the following terms best describes the notion of a "key account"?

A)double-value
B)segmented
C)extra-large
D)undifferentiated
E)valueless

Question 23

The term routing refers to the travel pattern the salesperson uses in working his or her territory.

Question 24

Which of the following would NOT be a strong enough reason to establish a specific sales territory?

A)to establish the responsibilities of their salespeople
B)to reduce sales expenses
C)to allow for a good fit between salesperson and the territories they serve
D)to benefit the general manager's personal schedule
E)to obtain thorough coverage of the market

Question 25

Which of the following statements about undifferentiated selling is true?

A)The undifferentiated selling approach is only useful if customers are heterogeneous.
B)Many door-to-door salespeople use this undifferentiated approach.
C)The undifferentiated selling approach allows salespeople to devote time to customers in proportion to the customer's potential value.
D)The undifferentiated selling approach allows salespeople to streamline their precall preparation, and thus, is growing in popularity.
E)If several undifferentiated product groups are sold, different approaches will be needed.

Question 26

Which of the following statements about sales territories is true?

A)A sales territory typically contains homogeneous customers of the same size and buying habits.
B)By definition, sales territories have geographic boundaries.
C)Sales territories are intended to insure thorough coverage of the market.
D)A sales territory typically contains the potential for an organization to breakeven.
E)Sales territories are used to increase sales expense.

Question 27

Which of the following statements captures the 80/20 principle in sales?

A)is a territorial management concept that favours a salesperson putting 80 percent of his time on planning and 20 percent on action
B)refers to the fact that eighty salespeople require twenty sales managers to keep the appropriate 4-to-1 ratio of supervisors to employees
C)indicates that no matter how hard a salesperson tries 20 percent of the customer's potential business ends up going to competitors
D)is a territorial management concept that favours a salesperson putting 80 percent of her time on action and 20 percent on planning
E)refers to the idea that a small portion of a firm's customers account for a large portion of its profitable sales

Question 28

A local company has asked you to provide advice on what they should consider before establishing sales territories.Which of the following would NOT likely be included in your advice?

A)to better establish a salesperson's responsibilities
B)to aid in reaching the firm's objectives
C)to facilitate utilization of an undifferentiated selling approach
D)to afford company salespeople the opportunity to meet their personal needs and reach sales objectives for the company
E)to allow better matching of salesperson to customer's needs

Question 29

What is the first of the seven key elements of proper time and territory management for the salesperson?

A)establishment of the quota for the salesperson's territory
B)customer sales planning
C)account analysis
D)set account objectives and sales quotas
E)sales call allocation

Question 30

It is common knowledge of those in the sales profession that a consumer goods salesperson should segment accounts by time spent with an account to ensure those customers who contribute the most to his sales success receive the most attention.

Question 31

Mike, a general sales manager establishes sales quotas for each salesperson based in part on the potential of a specific territory.Then, the salesperson must perform an account analysis for each prospect and customer to attempt to maximize the chances of reaching his/her sales goals.

Question 32

Sue Jackson sells text books for a very large publisher employing hundreds of salespeople.She is new to the job and would like to establish "good" sales goals for herself.Which of the following statements would NOT be a good example of a goal for Sue?

A)find two new customers per week
B)become the company's top salesperson in one month
C)make the list of top new salespeople at least twice this year
D)convert 50 percent of prospects into customers over the next year
E)generate at least $45,000 in commission in the first year

Question 33

Why do so many companies concentrate on improving the way their salespeople manage their time and territories?

A)the cost of direct selling is rapidly decreasing
B)the time available for face-to-face customer contact is increasing
C)there is reduced emphasis on profitability
D)time is always limited
E)territory and time have no relationship

Question 34

When using the ELMS system to differentiate accounts, what do territory managers usually use to classify the accounts?

A)determine demographic characteristics so that the needs of the customers match the abilities of the salespeople
B)rate salespeople at performance appraisal time
C)match the personalities of salespeople to those of their customers
D)create the most efficient travel routes for salespeople
E)categorize accounts in terms of profitability

Question 35

The seventh step in the process of time and territory management is customer evaluation.This last step allows the salesperson to compare projected sales results against what the company developed as targets for each territory.

Question 36

A Sales Manager has set a goal for all of his employees.The goal reads as follows, "Achieve $500,000 in sales." The Sales VP of the firm comes in and points out a major flaw in this goal.Based on the information provided, which of the following goal setting elements is flawed in this goal?

A)Specific
B)Measurable
C)Achievable
D)Relevant
E)Time bound

Question 37

Which of the following factor or variable will NOT shape a great sales culture or environment?

A)being recognized by management for a job well done
B)income
C)being empowered to make decisions
D)being respected for your knowledge and experience
E)knowing what is unexpected

Question 38

When would a salesperson use the undifferentiated selling approach?

A)his company has a single target market
B)his customers are heterogeneous
C)the product line is varied and has different uses
D)he does not have time to make distinctions among the various accounts in the territory
E)the customer needs are different and customized presentations are required

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons for having unrestricted sales territories discussed in the textbook?

A)Salespeople are more motivated by unrestricted territories as they can develop customers anywhere
B)The management may not have any plans for evaluating the performance of its sales team
C)The company may be too small to be thinking about implementing territories
D)The company's management may not have either the time or the expertise to develop sales territories
E)Personal friendships or kinship may be the basis of attracting new customers

Question 40

Most firms do NOT allow their salespeople to have considerable latitude in routing their sales calls.

Question 41

Which of the following rules should a salesperson adopt in order to have more productive lunch periods?

A)If she is lunching with a client, she should keep an eye on the clock so that she does not monopolize too much of her buyer's time.
B)He should have a drink only if his client suggests it because some buyers do not approve of alcohol.
C)When taking a client to lunch, she should try to get the order signed before her return to the client's office where something may have come up that will distract the buyer.
D)If he is lunching alone, he should use the time to read something relaxing and get his mind off business.
E)A salesperson can take as much time as she needs during lunch with a client because it takes time to a build trustworthy relationship.

Question 42

One of your colleagues comes to you looking for some advice.No matter what she does, she seems to be always buried in paperwork often impacting her ability to spend time with her clients.What advice would you give here?

A)tell her to postpone doing paper work until absolutely necessary or when she starts to receive calls from head office
B)tell her she was hired for her sales ability not her administrative skills - head office will understand
C)tell here to develop a daily schedule that includes an element of administrative work; evenings or in between sales calls are great times to schedule these activities
D)tell her to accumulate the paperwork, and take care of it at regularly planned monthly intervals
E)tell her to hire a secretary who can perform her paperwork on her behalf

Question 43

To calculate break-even point, the sales person must divide:

A)Gross profit percentage by fixed costs
B)Gross profit percentage by cost per hour
C)Cost per hour by gross profit percentage
D)Cost of goods sold by sales
E)Fixed costs by gross profit percentage

Question 44

Which one of the following suggestions is NOT offered in the textbook to help you manage your sales time effectively?

A)work your numbers so you know how many prospects you have to visit to meet your goals
B)use a set time each day for certain sales activities
C)leverage your lunch break
D)stay focused on your task
E)call all prospects even if they are not qualified

Question 45

What is one main reason why a salesperson should segment their accounts by size?

A)reduce the amount of time they spend with large accounts
B)improve the turn-around time in visiting clients
C)perform a SELL analysis
D)ensure they use their time appropriately
E)they can use single selling strategy to satisfy most clients

Question 46

Mr.Lee is the owner of a hockey equipment manufacturer based out of Montreal.He likes to segregate his customers based on the following four classification; Professional teams, Semi-pro teams, Schools and Universities, and Not-for-profit teams.What approach to segmentation is Mr.Lee using?

A)the OAKS segmentation method
B)the account segmentation method
C)the dual differentiation method
D)the multi-segmentation method
E)the total territory management method

Question 47

Hans is a manufacturer's salesperson.He finds it useful to divide the accounts in his territory on the basis of their actual yearly sales volume.What strategy is Hans using?

A)sales call allocation
B)dual segmentation marketing
C)ELMS system
D)key account selling
E)undifferentiating selling

Question 48

Which one of the following may NOT be a question other ask rhetorically to determine your executive presence?

A)Are you a credible person?
B)Does he have the formal education to succeed?
C)Do your collogues perceive you as a genuine person?
D)Do you have the skills required to accept the increasing level of responsibilities?
E)Do you possess the attitude to accept the challenges in the role?

Question 49

Which of the following describes the notion of "sales response function"?

A)an effective SCRM system
B)breaking down sales by segments
C)the ratio of sales volume to sales calls
D)how a client responds to your sales strategy
E)the response call positioning

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT among the six time management skills to help salespeople achieve success listed in the textbook?

A)Be selective in prioritizing time
B)Develop an effective plan for allocating efforts across activities, goals, and time periods
C)Avoid overcommitting to core work tasks at the expense of nonessential tasks
D)Spend time on high-priority tasks
E)Have a better sense of time needed to complete tasks

Question 51

The old adage "time is money" resonates with many successful salespeople.Which of the following would NOT be variables that a successful salesperson would include in a time management plan?

A)develop monthly, weekly, and daily sales plans each having different levels of information and detail
B)uses the time management plan to populate sales presentation material
C)makes sure that prospects in the plan are qualified
D)ensures prospects included in the plan have the potential or are profitable
E)uses the plan to coordinate and leverages waiting times

Question 52

The difference between cost of goods sold and sales is called:

A)Sales revenue
B)Profit
C)Net income
D)Gross profit
E)Fixed costs

Question 53

The break-even analysis helps the salesperson in determining:

A)The level of sales at which the total cost equals total revenue
B)The level of revenue at which the total sales equals total cost
C)The level of cost at which the total sales equals total revenue
D)The level of gross profit at which the total cost of goods sold equals total revenue
E)The level of cost of goods sold at which the total gross profit equals total sales

Question 54

A company directs its sales force members to use multiple selling strategies.What are its salespeople expected to do?

A)split commissions if a buyer's purchasing office is in one salesperson's territory and the retail outlet in the territory of another salesperson
B)have several sales approaches planned so that if their first sales attempt is unsuccessful, they can shift to an alternate approach without delay
C)develop a variety of plans for selling the numerous products in the company's product line to a variety of different market segments
D)invest the bulk of their time and other resources in the large, important accounts in their territories
E)develop one form of presentation for existing accounts and another for prospects

Question 55

A particular salesperson develops the following goal or objective; "To increase the number of sales calls each day." What kind of objective or goal is this?

A)Specific goal
B)Relevant goal
C)account objective
D)Measurable goal
E)sales position objective

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT offered by territory analysis?

A)Salespeople can understand each customer within the territory
B)Salespeople can continually monitory their sales performance
C)Salespeople can see the cost of serving each customer
D)Salespeople can also see the time spent with each customer
E)Salespeople can understand the performance of the whole territory

Question 57

You are the salesperson for a wholesale business that makes CRM platforms for a variety of different industries.Which of the following variables will lead you to increase the numbers of visits to a particular wholesaler?

A)the complexity of the systems sold decreases
B)the number of orders placed decreases
C)future sales potential decreases
D)the number of different CRM systems sold to the wholesaler increases
E)the total number of managerial levels increases

Question 58

Typically, the salesperson invests time in direct proportion to the actual or potential sales that the account represents.What is the term that best describes this relationship?

A)sales response function
B)break-even point
C)basis for time allocation
D)basis for territory evaluation
E)correlation of effort and reward

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT one of the seven variables discussed in the textbook that should be considered when a salesperson attempts to determine how much time should be spent calling on customers in a specific territory?

A)number of sales calls made on customers
B)return on time invested
C)non-selling time
D)clients' receptivity to new products
E)frequency of customer sales calls

Question 60

If a salesperson incurs $50,000 in fixed costs and the gross profit percentage is 50%, then the break-even point is:

A)$25,000
B)$1,000
C)$2,500,000
D)$100,000
E)$50,000

Question 61

Which of the following statements about using routing reports is true?

A)decreases territory coverage.
B)maximizes the travel experience for the salesperson.
C)salespeople are seldom, if ever, asked to specify specific times and accounts on their routing reports.
D)A routing report allows the salesperson's immediate supervisor to know where to find him/her.
E)All large companies have established strict guidelines for routing.

Question 62

Sales Managers discuss various different topics with new salespeople.The textbook highlights several such topics.Select any six topics and discuss them.

Question 63

Which of the following best describes activities associated with territory evaluation?

A)engaging in routing and scheduling activities
B)establishing territorial goals and evaluating performance against those goals
C)dividing and analysing accounts in a territory according to their potential
D)limiting the number of new accounts that may be added to a particular territory
E)developing sales call objectives and profiling potential prospects in a territory

Question 64

Which of the following would NOT be a characteristic of a "good goal" identified in the textbook?

A)specific
B)conservative
C)measurable
D)relevant
E)achievable

Question 65

What activity is a salesperson engaged in when he/she uses online mapping services when planning her client visits?

A)sales calling
B)Account time allocation
C)goal setting
D)Routing
E)Scheduling

Question 66

The textbook discusses four reasons for not developing sales territories.List and describe those four reasons.Explain how each might benefit or hinder salesperson's success.

Question 67

An inexperienced sales person is trying to determine the number of times he/she should call on customers assigned to her territory.If asked, what would you tell this salesperson that would help him/her determine if an increase in frequency of visits to specific customers in his/her territory is warranted?

Question 68

As the office furniture salesperson plans her activities for next week, she is establishing a certain day and time to visit each customer's place of business.What activity is this salesperson engaged in?

A)sales calling
B)scheduling
C)customer time allocation
D)goal setting
E)routing

Question 69

What are the two general approaches used for account analysis and, what are some variables a salesperson should consider when choosing between these two approaches?

Question 70

Bruce describes his employer has having a collegial atmosphere with teamwork, well communicated and clear performance expectations, a high level of employee empowerment and opportunities to earn high income levels.Which of the following terms best describes Bruce's employer?

A)a training centre
B)a recognized team
C)a great sales environment
D)a support team
E)a management team

Question 71

Textbook highlights six time management skills which salespeople can use to achieve success though productivity and efficiency.List these six time management skills.

Question 72

What is the relationship between the ELMS system and the 80/20 principle?

Question 73

Given the importance of developing sales territories it is odd that some companies would not partake in this activity.Based on the information provided in the textbook, what are some of the potential reasons why some companies do not develop sales territories? Provide two examples of industries that find it disadvantageous having specific sales territories assigned to specific sales people.

Question 74

Time and territory management includes several different yet at times related activities.Which of these activities would you NOT include under the umbrella of time and territory management?

A)setting up sales quotas for the territory
B)performing account analysis
C)setting up objectives for each account
D)fine tuning your sales strategy when evaluation performance
E)switching accounts between colleagues working for the same company

Question 75

What is the process of analyzing each prospect and customer to maximize the chances of reaching a sales goal?

A)time management
B)undifferentiated selling
C)time allocation
D)account analysis
E)account segmentation

Question 76

What is the most likely reason why a company would provide strict route plans for its salespeople?

A)to improve collection of overdue accounts
B)to communicate with salespeople about expected location and activities
C)to promote the individual's planning experience
D)to minimize territory size
E)to maximize the utility of the salesperson's weekly report

Question 77

When salespeople set goals, they should meet five criteria.What are they and provide an example that incorporates these four criteria?

Question 78

According to the textbook, which of the following statements about using the telephone for minimal territory coverage is NOT true?

A)The telephone can be useful for handling complaints.
B)It is appropriate to use the telephone to develop leads and qualify prospects.
C)Skype and Facetime facilitate the use of the telephone in selling.
D)If possible, the telephone should be used to replace some personal visits to geographically distant accounts.
E)Assign smaller accounts which generate 5% of the business to telephone selling.

Question 79

Which of the following is one of the abilities of Emotional Intelligence?

A)Your ability to understand what is causing your emotions
B)Your ability to manage other people's emotions
C)Another person's ability to perceive your emotions
D)Another person's ability to identify your emotions
E)Your ability to control other people's emotions

Question 80

Why would a company insist that its salespeople stick to strict route designs?