Deck 2: Building Trust and Sales Ethics

Question 1

Andrew is a new sales rep for an industrial chemical supplier. Andrew makes it a point to never be late for an appointment and to always follow through immediately on promises he makes to his customers. These behaviors help Andrew build trust with his customers because they perceive him as:

A) An expert
B) Candid
C) Dependable
D) Competent
E) Helpful

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Jennifer is a salesperson for a business insurance company. Recently she told several of her customers about new legislation that may adversely affect their businesses. Jennifer is earning trust because her customers will perceive her as ____.

A) Likeable
B) Candid
C) Dependable
D) Customer-Oriented
E) Concerned

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Salespeople who place as much emphasis on their customer's interests as their own are perceived as being:

A) Dependable
B) Customer oriented
C) Likeable
D) Candid
E) Knowledgeable

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following best describes a key difference between traditional sales tactics and trust-based relationship selling methods today?

A) In trust-based relationship selling there is little concern for making sales.
B) Traditional selling tactics are always the quickest way to get a sale.
C) Getting orders is not important in trust-based relationship selling.
D) Establishing trust is more important to trust-based relationship selling methods.
E) Traditional sales tactics are more collaborative than trust-based relationship selling methods.

Question 5

Salespeople often adapt their appearance and communication style to that of their customers. This helps them to build trust because their customers perceive them as being:

A) Experts
B) Customer oriented
C) Compatible
D) Candid
E) Knowledgeable

Question 6

Suppose you are salesperson for a sales force automation consulting company. After working with a potential customer for several weeks you determine that a lower-cost and lower margin solution is best for your customer. Although a more expensive and higher margin system will work, by recommending the lower-cost solution you are demonstrating:

A) Dependability
B) Knowledge
C) Likeability
D) Customer orientation
E) Expertise

Question 7

In order for the buyer to be able to rely on what the salesperson says or promises to do, the buyer must:

A) Trust the salesperson
B) Like the salesperson
C) Know the salesperson
D) Believe the salesperson is customer-oriented
E) Believe the salesperson is honest

Question 8

Susan is a new sales rep who does not yet possess a great deal of product knowledge. She is often asked questions to which she does not know the answer. By being up front with her customers about not knowing the answers, Susan builds trust because she is perceived as:

A) An expert
B) Candid
C) Compatible
D) Competent
E) Helpful

Question 9

Which of the following best describes trust in a buyer-seller context:

A) The buyer understands the salesperson
B) The salesperson is honest with the buyer
C) The buyer can rely on what the salesperson says or promises to do
D) The salesperson is able to solve the buyer's needs cost effectively
E) The salesperson is dependable

Question 10

Which of the following is most accurate regarding successful long-term buyer-seller relationships?

A) The seller almost always charges the buyer the lowest price possible.
B) The seller must conceal some cost information from the buyer in order to maintain profitability.
C) Mutual trust is crucial.
D) The seller must be honest with the buyer.
E) All of the above are accurate.

Question 11

Salespeople who always do what they say they'll do earn trust because buyers perceive them as being:

A) Dependable
B) Customer oriented
C) Likeable
D) Candid
E) Knowledgeable

Question 12

The question "Are you being upfront with me" is addressing which component of trust?

A) Competence or expertise
B) Candor
C) Customer orientation
D) Dependability
E) Compatibility

Question 13

Which of the following is not recognized as a trust builder?

A) Customer orientation
B) Competence
C) Dependability
D) Candor
E) All of these are recognized as trust builders

Question 14

Bill has been selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door for the past seven years. Recently he took a new job selling industrial cleaning equipment to large factories and institutions. Bill was assigned a territory that contained 35 accounts with which his company has been doing business for several years. Bill is having trouble adjusting from his role as a traditional salesperson to his role as a relational salesperson. Which of the following best reflects one of the key differences between traditional selling and relational selling that may be causing Bill some adjustment trouble.

A) In his new job, getting orders is not important.
B) The company he is now working for is not concerned about profits.
C) With his new job, Bill has to build and maintain long-term relationships.
D) The customers Bill is now calling on are only concerned about price.
E) All of the above.

Question 15

The question "Do you know what you're talking about?" is addressing which component of trust?

A) Competence or expertise
B) Candor
C) Customer orientation
D) Dependability
E) Compatibility

Question 16

The question "Can you and your company back up your promises?" is addressing which component of trust?

A) Competence or expertise
B) Candor
C) Customer orientation
D) Dependability
E) Compatibility

Question 17

The question "Will you recommend what is best for me?" is addressing which component of trust?

A) Competence or expertise
B) Candor
C) Customer orientation
D) Dependability
E) Compatibility

Question 18

Building long-term, mutually satisfying relationships with customers requires salespeople to be:

A) Competent
B) Likeable
C) Candid
D) Dependable
E) All of the above

Question 19

Which of the following is not recognized as a trust builder?

A) Power
B) Expertise
C) Candor
D) Customer orientation
E) Dependability

Question 20

LaTasha is a purchasing agent for a large construction company. Jeff is a salesperson for a building materials company and has been calling unsuccessfully on LaTasha for several weeks. LaTasha likes Jeff and believes he is selling a good product. Unfortunately, she does not feel she can rely on him if she ever had a problem with one of the orders. Which of the following best reflects the underlying problem?

A) Jeff has lied to LaTasha.
B) Jeff's company needs to work on its ability to deliver orders accurately and on time.
C) LaTasha doesn't trust Jeff.
D) LaTasha is simply a tough buyer.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 21

In order to better understand their own product's position in the market place, salespeople need:

A) To be customer oriented.
B) A high degree of competitor knowledge.
C) To be candid.
D) A high degree of customer knowledge.
E) Both a and c are correct.

Question 22

Which of the following are considered unethical behavior?

A) Exaggerating product benefits
B) Withholding relevant information from the customer
C) Providing answers to questions to which they do not know the answer
D) Both b and c
E) All of the above

Question 23

In order for salespeople to be able to deliver complete comparative product information in sales presentations they must possess:

A) assertiveness
B) adaptability
C) competitor knowledge
D) trust
E) customer knowledge

Question 24

Which of the following most accurately reflects buyers' information needs?

A) Generally speaking, buyers know everything they need to know about the markets in which they compete.
B) Buyers are not interested in factual knowledge unless it relates to fulfilling their specific needs.
C) Buyers are interested in learning as much factual knowledge as they can.
D) Buyers really don't expect salespeople to be able to provide them with valuable information.
E) None of the above.

Question 25

It is important for salespeople to have a complete understanding of their companies' pricing policies because:

A) They are often responsible for negotiating price with their customers.
B) Then they can arbitrarily charge different customers different prices.
C) They can legally obligate the company to a quoted price.
D) Then they will be perceived as more dependable.
E) Both a and c are correct.

Question 26

Which of the following is not one of the most common areas of unethical behavior associated with salespeople?

A) Deceptive practices
B) Illegal activities
C) Non-customer-oriented behavior
D) Poor customer service
E) All of the above.

Question 27

Which of the following best completes the sentence "It's difficult to ____ someone if I don't ____ them."?

A) Know, trust
B) Know, like
C) Trust, like
D) Trust, buy from them
E) None of the above

Question 28

Which of the following are considered ethical behavior?

A) Exaggerating product benefits
B) Withholding relevant information from the customer
C) Providing answers to questions to which they do not know the answer
D) Both b and c
E) None of the above

Question 29

Ethics refers to:

A) Correct behavior.
B) Right and wrong conduct of individuals and institutions of which they are a part.
C) Moral conduct as determined by the government and society.
D) Laws governing society.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 30

Which of the following are potential resources salespeople may use to increase their market and customer knowledge base?

A) Newspapers
B) World Wide Web
C) Trade magazines
D) Trade associations
E) All of the above are potential resources

Question 31

Suppose you were just hired as a salesperson and are preparing for training. Which of the following is not one of the more common topics covered during initial sales training programs?

A) Recruiting
B) Company history
C) Selling techniques
D) Industry history
E) Enhancing relationships

Question 32

Which of the following types of communications technology sometimes backfires on sales organizations by actually frustrating their customers?

A) e-mail
B) Web/internet
C) Voice mail
D) Pagers
E) Fax

Question 33

What does the acronym SMEI stand for?

A) Sales and Marketing Executives International
B) Senior Marketing Executives International
C) Self-Made Entrepreneurs International
D) Sales and Marketing Era Industry
E) None of the above

Question 34

Steve is a new salesperson for XYZ Computer Co. and is responsible for business-to-business sales. Transferring from the engineering staff, Steve knows better than any other salesperson the technical specifications and performance statistics of the computers he sells. Unfortunately, Steve is relatively unfamiliar with how businesspeople use the computers on a day-to-day basis. Steve needs to work on his ____ knowledge.

A) Product
B) Competitor
C) Technical
D) Market and Customer
E) Company

Question 35

Possessing strong product, service, and customer knowledge bases helps salespeople do a better job of:

A) creating value-added solutions to the specific needs of their customers.
B) competing on price.
C) knowing how low they can drop the price and still make a profit.
D) increasing profitability by controlling selling expenses.
E) manipulating the customer into buying the most profitable solution.

Question 36

Which of the following types of knowledge is probably least likely to contribute to a salesperson's expertise?

A) Product knowledge
B) Competitor knowledge
C) Customer knowledge
D) Service knowledge
E) Historical knowledge

Question 37

Which of the following statements is most accurate with respect to sales and ethics?

A) Ethics are universal; they're the same in every country.
B) Ethics are culturally based; they vary from country to country
C) Ethical standards are, by definition, legal standards.
D) It's OK for salespeople to engage in unethical behavior because buyers do all the time.
E) None of the above are accurate.

Question 38

In order for salespeople to fine tune a market offer to the specific needs of their customers, they must have a strong ____ knowledge base.

A) Industry
B) Competition
C) Technology
D) Product (including service and price)
E) Technical

Question 39

Which of the following training topics does not include information that will help salespeople earn trust?

A) Company policies
B) Competitive knowledge
C) Product knowledge
D) Developing customer relationships
E) All of the above will help salespeople learn how to earn trust.

Question 40

Technology is providing faster and more efficient ways for salespeople to communicate with their customers. With respect to communication with their customers, whenever possible, salespeople should:

A) Use e-mail because it is quick and can be read/sent anytime of the day or night.
B) Use voice mail because most people are familiar with it.
C) Use the web/internet because it provides 24 hour access.
D) Use whatever communication method the customer prefers.
E) Use the telephone because it is inexpensive and allows for two-way interaction.

Question 41

The essence of trust is honesty.

Question 42

It is possible for salesperson who is honest and customer oriented to not be trustworthy.

Question 43

Which of the following actions taken by salespeople may be considered unethical?

A) Forcing a customer to buy only from the salesperson's organization
B) Misrepresenting their products
C) Offering special inducements to the employees of a prospect
D) Linking the sale of one of the salesperson's products to the purchase of one of the buyer's
E) All of the above may be considered unethical

Question 44

Trust and honesty mean about the same thing.

Question 45

Which of the following is not one of the ways in which a salesperson can create product liabilities for a company?

A) Providing express warranties
B) Over-charging customers
C) Misrepresentation
D) Negligence
E) All of the above can create product liabilities for company

Question 46

Trust is composed of a variety of components, including honesty, candor, competence, and customer orientation.

Question 47

Reliability is an important component of trust.

Question 48

It is almost impossible for new salespeople to be perceived as trustworthy if they do not have an expertise in their field.

Question 49

Suppose Martin, a laptop computer salesperson, tells one of his customers that his computers are as fast as lightning. Would Martin's comment be considered unethical?

A) Yes, because the information is deceptive, no computer is fast as lightning.
B) Yes, because he is clearly lying to his customer, an act that is illegal.
C) No, because it is not reasonable to expect that his customer would take his comment literally.
D) No, because it's okay to exaggerate a product's features and benefits when talking with customers.
E) Yes, because he is misleading the customer.

Question 50

Salespeople who develop expertise in their fields are more likely (than those who do not) to develop trust with their customers.

Question 51

Dependability is highly related to predictability.

Question 52

By definition, salespeople who are honest are trustworthy.

Question 53

Expertise is unimportant to a salesperson's ability to be perceived as competent.

Question 54

It's possible for someone to be candid but not honest.

Question 55

Just because a person is dependable does not necessarily mean they are trustworthy.

Question 56

Trust is crucial to the success of long term business relationships.

Question 57

Salespeople who, while making sales presentations, cover both the pros and cons of their market offer are more likely than those who do not to be perceived as customer oriented.

Question 58

Suppose Martin, a laptop computer salesperson, tells one of his customers that his laptop computers weigh only 4 pounds, and Martin knows that the laptop computers actually weigh 6 pounds. Would Martin's comment be considered unethical?

A) Yes, because the information, which his buyer might rely upon, is deceptive.
B) Yes, because he is clearly lying to his customer, an act that is illegal.
C) No, because it is not reasonable to expect that his customer would take his comment literally.
D) No, because it's okay to exaggerate a product's features and benefits when talking with customers.
E) Yes, but only if his customer buys the laptops.

Question 59

A salesperson wishing to limit his or her exposure to legal problems should remember to:

A) Use factual data rather than general statements of praise during the sales presentation
B) Not to try and force the customer to buy only from his or her organization
C) Avoid making promises that will be difficult or impossible to honor
D) Not tamper with a competitor's product
E) Avoid making disparaging comments about a competitor's product without specific evidence

Question 60

Competence is important component of trust.

Question 61

Sales ethics and trust are unrelated.

Question 62

Salespeople may use service to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Question 63

Salespeople need only be concerned with knowing their customers, and not the market in which their customers operate.

Question 64

When deciding what is ethical and unethical, a salesperson need only look at what is legal and illegal.

Question 65

For a salesperson, expertise is closely associated with knowledge of the market.

Question 66

Salespeople need only be concerned with knowing the price of their products, and not their company's pricing policies.

Question 67

It is more important for salespeople to carry a good product than to provide good service.

Question 68

It is unlikely that salespeople could use technology to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Question 69

Voice mail is probably the best way for salespeople to be accessible to every one of their customers.

Question 70

A salesperson's knowledge of their competitors' products will help them better understand their own.

Question 71

Salespeople need to be concerned with knowing not only their products, but their competitors as well.

Question 72

Knowledge is of little importance when it comes to building trust.

Question 73

Most customers will likely assume that salespeople are knowledgeable about the products they're selling.

Question 74

Likeability and compatibility can be used to enhance trust building.

Question 75

Salespeople who are trusted and perceived as customer oriented may be considered (by their customers) advisers rather than salespeople.

Question 76

Technology can often be a barrier to communication between salespeople and their customers.

Question 77

Anything that is unethical is also illegal.

Question 78

Ethical standards are based on society's standards..

Question 79

In order for a salesperson to be customer oriented they must, at least in part, be motivated by their customers' success

Question 80

While salespeople's knowledge of their company and their products is important to building trust, knowledge of their industry is not.