Communicating Effectively with Diverse Customers (Answer Key)

Communicating Effectively with Diverse Customers MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS Ans: c 1. Which of the following statements about communication is false? a. It is a process whereby information and understanding are conveyed between two or more people. b. It is a much broader concept than promotion. c. It involves one-way communication between a buyer and seller. d. It involves the transfer of information between parties. Ans: d 2. Which of the following modes of communication would generally be least effective for salespeople? a. b. c. d. Listening Writing Talking Drawing Ans: a 3. A chronic complaint of buyers is that salespeople a. do not listen. b. focus too much attention on a buyer’s needs. c. are too focused on making a sale. d. do not talk enough during the selling process. Ans: a 4. Poor listening can result in a. a failure to establish good rapport with the prospect. b. a keen understanding of the prospect’s problem and needs. c. an increased probability of making the sale. d. increased time to make sales calls. Ans: d 5. Today’s top professional salespeople continually increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their communication by improving their skills in all of the following except a. using space. b. asking questions. c. interpreting nonverbal communication. d. becoming an expert at a single communication style. Ans: a 6. The three dimensions of listening are a. sensing, processing, and responding. b. hearing, interpreting, and reacting. c. identifying, recalling, and behaving. d. hearing, processing, and restating. Ans: c 7. _______ entails hearing words, inflection, and paralanguage (e.g., speed of speech, use of colloquialisms), as well as observation of nonverbal language (e.g., body language, facial expressions). a. Hearing b. Processing c. Sensing d. Responding Ans: b 8. Operations in the salesperson’s mind that give meaning to the message through understanding, interpreting, evaluating, and remembering the communication are referred to as a. hearing. b. processing. c. sensing. d. responding. Ans: d 9. The listening dimension that refers to the information that listeners send back to speakers indicating that the speakers’ message has been received correctly is referred to as a. hearing. b. processing. c. sensing. d. responding. Ans: d 10. Which of the following is not part of the listening hierarchy? a. Marginal listening b. Evaluative listening c. Active listening d. Proactive listening Ans: c 11. When marginal listening occurs, salespeople a. hear the words and understand them. b. are very focused on what is being said. c. are likely to miss a key point or important material provided by the buyer. d. are very attentive to the prospect’s communication. Ans: b 12. ________ entails concentrating on what the buyer is saying but not sensing what is being said through nonverbal or subtle verbal cues. a. Marginal listening b. Evaluative listening c. Active listening d. Active empathetic listening Ans: c 13. When salespeople receive a message, process it, and then respond to it to encourage further communication, they are engaging in what kind of listening? a. b. c. d. Ans: d 14. Marginal listening Evaluative listening Active listening Active empathetic listening When a salesperson receives verbal and nonverbal messages, processes them cognitively, responds to them verbally and nonverbally, and attempts to assess their underlying meaning intuitively by putting himself or herself in the customer’s place throughout, he or she is using a. marginal listening. b. evaluative listening. c. active listening. d. active empathetic listening. Ans: a 15. Consider the following situation. A car buyer says, “I don’t like the color.” If the salesperson responds by saying, “Let’s take a test drive,” what kind of listening is the salesperson using? a. Marginal listening b. Evaluative listening c. Active listening d. Active empathetic listening Ans: b 16. Consider the following situation. A car buyer says, “I don’t like the color.” If the salesperson responds by saying, “There’s a blue one over there. Let’s take a test drive,” what kind of listening is the salesperson using? a. Marginal listening b. Evaluative listening c. Active listening d. Active empathetic listening Ans: c 17. Consider the following situation. A car buyer says, “I don’t like the color.” If the salesperson responds by saying, “What is it that you dislike about the color of the car? Is there anything else you don’t like about the car?” what kind of listening is the salesperson using? a. Marginal listening b. Evaluative listening c. Active listening d. Active empathetic listening Ans: d 18. Consider the following situation. A car buyer says, “I don’t like the color.” If the salesperson responds by saying, “You seem to be saying that this car is not right for you. What are the really key features that you want your car to have? Because then we will consider only cars that have those particular features,” what kind of listening is the salesperson using? a. Marginal listening b. Evaluative listening c. Active listening d. Active empathetic listening Ans: d 19. To aid in being a good listener, salespeople should do each of the following except a. ask probing questions. b. paraphrase the information they hear. c. clarify the information. d. use technical terms. Ans: d 20. To become a good listener, salespeople should do each of the following except a. summarize the conversation with the buyer. b. use pauses and silences. c. use affirmative responses. d. Ans: b 21. not use leading phrases. Which of the following statements about listening is false? a. b. c. d. By nodding their heads, salespeople can convey to prospects that they are actively empathetically listening. Restating the prospect’s key words should be minimized because doing so suggests to the buyer that the salesperson is not comprehending the message. Probing questions can stimulate a need for your product and ultimately convert the prospect into a customer. It’s better to seek clarification before the sale is made than after the sale is closed and corrective action is impossible. Ans: a 22. Top salespeople know that superior selling involves a. less talking to the buyer and more asking the buyer questions. b. strongly emphasizing points that contradict the buyer’s inaccurate impressions. c. being sure to talk whenever silence occurs between the buyer and seller. d. never being afraid to interrupt the buyer if necessary. Ans: d 23. Which of the following is not one of the three basic question formats salespeople use? a. Open-ended b. Closed c. Semi-open-ended d. Essay Ans: a 24. Questions that usually begin with words like who, what, why, where, when, and how are ________ questions. a. open-ended b. closed c. semi-open-ended d. essay Ans: a 25. ______ questions allow prospects to answer in their own words and are best for eliciting general background or prospect feelings, confirming understanding of a comment, and probing for subconscious feelings. a. Open-ended b. Closed c. Semi-open-ended Essay d. Ans: b 26. ________ questions are best for ensuring that you are on the right track, confirming information, and narrowing the focus of discussion. a. Open-ended b. Closed c. Semi-open-ended d. Essay Ans: c 27. ________ questions seek precise information and thus have only one answer; they are used to obtain specific facts. a. Open-ended b. c. d. Closed Semi-open-ended Essay Ans: a 28. If a salesperson asks, “Ms. Byrd, if you continue to use a dot matrix printer while other departments are using laser printers, aren’t you afraid that top management will think your reports are less professional?” what type of question is being used? a. Consequence b. Probing c. Evaluative d. Encouragement Ans: a 29. If a salesperson asks, “Will you tell me a little more about the problems you’re having with your current product?” what type of question is being used? a. Elaboration b. Topic change c. Leading d. Loaded Ans: b 30. The way people use space is referred to as a. contiguity. b. proxemics. c. proximity. d. propinquity. Ans: c 31. All of the following are zones of buyer-seller interaction except a. b. c. d. public. social. regional. personal. Ans: c 32. Zones that strangers or business acquaintances are normally allowed to enter are referred to as a. public zones. b. social zones. c. personal zones. d. intimate zones. Ans: b 33. A term describing any movement in our bodies, including shifts in posture (body angle), facial expressions, eye movements, or arm, hand, and leg movements, is a. proxemics. b. kinesics. c. motionology. d. subtle behaviors. Ans: a 34. The body language of a prospect a. can assist salespeople in determining the prospect’s mental state during a sales call. b. is not particularly important to consider during buyer-seller interaction. c. usually does not reveal the interest level of the prospect. d. is far too misleading to be a beneficial selling guide for salespeople. Ans: b 35. Which of the following statements about nonverbal behavior is true? a. Prospects who make back and forth movements with their bodies are usually expressing negative feelings. b. Eye contact in our culture conveys sincerity and interest, while eye avoidance suggests insincerity and dishonesty. c. A rigid erect posture of a prospect conveys openness. d. Prospects who cross their legs away from the salesperson are sending a positive message. Ans: c 36. The amiable, analytical, driver, and expressive kind of communication styles are based on which of the two following dimensions? a. Assertiveness, aggressiveness b. Responsiveness, proactiveness c. Assertiveness, responsiveness d. Aggressiveness, responsiveness Ans: d 37. Individuals with a(n) __________ communication style tend to be low in both assertiveness and responsiveness; are logical, controlled, and self-contained; and are not very demonstrative in their verbal or nonverbal communication. a. amiable b. expressive c. driver d. analytical Ans: c 38. Individuals with a(n) ________communication style tend to be controlled and decisive; operate at a fast pace and are very goaloriented in their relationships with others; and are strong-willed, impatient, tough, “take-charge” personalities. a. amiable b. expressive c. driver d. analytical Ans: b 39. Individuals with a(n) ________ communication style tend to be enthusiastic, spontaneous, talkative, and extroverted; work at a fast pace; and operate largely on intuition and express their views dramatically. a. amiable b. expressive c. driver d. analytical Ans: a 40. Individuals with a(n) ______ communication style tend to be open, relatively unassertive, warm, supportive, and sociable. a. amiable expressive b. c. driver d. analytical Ans: b 41. Which of the following statements about potential conflicts between individuals with dissimilar communication styles is false? a. Amiables and expressives are likely to have conflict over the pace of the interaction. b. Drivers and analyticals are likely to have conflict over the priorities of the interaction. c. Expressives and analyticals are likely to have conflict over both pace and priorities of the interaction. d. Amiables and drivers are likely to have conflict over both pace and priorities of the interaction. Ans: a 42. Style flexing a. enables salespeople to sell to their prospects in the way they want to be sold. b. is too difficult for most salespeople to do, so its benefits are minimal. c. will usually lead to increased conflict between individuals using different communication styles. d. is when salespeople try to match prospects’ communication styles, and prospects view the salespeople as being manipulative and insincere. Ans: a 43. When selling to expressives, a. ask questions that will allow them to brag a little. b. avoid being too animated in making the sales presentation. c. try to close the sale in an unemotional matter-of-fact fashion. d. give a lot of factual detail to reassure them about the purchase. Ans: b 44. When selling to drivers, a. deal with sales resistance passively. b. be well prepared, organized, and fast paced. c. try to close the sale in a matter-of-fact fashion. d. hesitate when first approaching them. Ans: d 45. When selling to amiables, a. b. c. d. deal with sales resistance passively. be well prepared, organized, and fast paced. try to close the sale in a matter-of-fact fashion. close in a warm, reassuring way without being pushy or aggressive. Ans: b 46. When selling to analyticals, a. deal with sales resistance passively. b. be prepared to answer a range of questions about the product and its performance. c. try to close the sale in a matter-of-fact fashion. d. close in a warm, reassuring way without being pushy or aggressive. Ans: d 47. All of the following are communication tactics that enhance salesperson trust except a. candor. b. dependability. c. likableness. d. talkativeness. Ans: a 48. When salespeople use consistent words and actions when dealing with prospects, a. the trust a buyer has put in the salesperson is likely to be enhanced. b. prospects become confused because of the lack of clarity provided by the salesperson. c. the trust a buyer has put in the salesperson is likely to be reduced. d. conflict between the salesperson and the prospect is likely to increase. Ans: c 49. When the communication style used by both the salesperson and the prospect are identical, a. little communication will take place due to boredom. b. the likelihood of winning the sale is decreased. c. trust between the salesperson and the prospect is likely to be enhanced. d. conflict between the salesperson and the prospect is likely to increase. Ans: d 50. Which of the following would be the least effective match-up between salesperson and prospect? a. Amiable with expressive b. Expressive with driver c. Amiable with analytical d. Expressive with analytical Ans: d 51. Which of the following is least likely to be a “trust builder”? a. Candor b. Dependability c. Competence d. Market orientation TRUE-FALSE QUESTIONS Ans: T 52. T F If a salesperson cannot effectively communicate, he or she cannot effectively sell. Ans: F 53. T F Promotion involves the same process as communication. Ans: T 54. T F Nonverbal communication is expressed through our bodies or our voices. Ans: T 55. T F A chronic complaint of buyers is that salespeople simply do not listen to them. Ans: F 56. T F Salespeople who reassure customers on a point even if it turns out to be inaccurate seldom jeopardize their relationships because showing confidence is more important than just telling a little untruth now and then. Ans: T 57. T F Listening is the most important of all the communication skills that a salesperson uses. Ans: F 58. T F The three dimensions of listening are sensing, interpreting, and reacting. Ans: F 59. T F The least effective kind of listening is evaluative listening. Ans: T 60. T F Evaluative listening involves concentrating on what the buyer is saying but not sensing what is being said through nonverbal or subtle verbal cues. Ans: T 61. T F By using active empathetic listening, salespeople show genuine concern for the prospect. Ans: F 62. T F When paraphrasing the information salespeople hear from prospects, they should restate it in the exact same words as the prospect. Ans: T 63. T F It’s better to seek clarification before the sale is made than after the sale is closed. Ans: F 64. T F Salespeople should rarely use silence when interacting with prospects. Ans: T 65. T F The more questions salespeople ask, the more successful they usually are in closing sales. Ans: F 66. T F Posing a multiple-choice question to a prospect during the close is an ineffective means for getting the sale. Ans: T 67. T F Asking the right types of questions in the right format, in the right tenor, and in the right context is an art and a science. Ans: F 68. T F Where the salesperson stands in the prospect’s office will likely have little impact in winning or losing the sale. Ans: T 69. T F Using a social zone for buyer-seller interaction is best for most sales presentations. Ans: T 70. T F Kinesics refers to any movement in our bodies, including shifts in posture (body angle), facial expressions, eye movements, or arm, hand, and leg movements. Ans: F 71. T F Prospects rarely send signals via body language. Ans: T 72. T F A salesperson’s voice quality has a strong influence on the effectiveness of his or her communication. Ans: T 73. T F The stage of the relationship salespeople have with the buyer (i.e., early, middle, late), as well as the buyer’s communication style, influence the communication style that the salespeople use. Ans: F 74. T F An individual with a driver communication style is high on assertiveness and responsiveness. Ans: T 75. T F Salespeople and prospects are likely to differ in their communication styles with respect to responsiveness, assertiveness, pace, and priority. Ans: T 76. T F Top-performing salespeople try to flex their communication styles with different types of prospects and customers. ESSAY QUESTIONS 77. What is communication and what are its elements? 78. Why is effective communication so important for selling success? 79. Today’s top professional salespeople continually increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their communication by improving their skills in (1) listening, (2) asking questions, (3) using space, (4) interpreting nonverbal communication, and (5) dealing with alternate communication styles of buyers. Discuss why each one of these is critical for selling success. 80. Describe the four levels of listening and offer an example of each. 81. Discuss some general guidelines for effective listening. 82. Describe each of the following kinds of questions and indicate the purpose of each, as well as the time at which each should be used: probing, evaluative, strategic, tactical, dichotomous, and multiple. 83. What are proxemics and kinesics, and why are they important to selling success? 84. Compare and contrast the communication styles of drivers, amiables, analyticals, and expressives on the two-dimensional grid and indicate how salespeople should sell to each type. 85. What is style flexing and how do salespeople engage in it? 86. What are the five trust builders that develop during buyer-seller communication?