MKT 504 Take Home Exam

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Term Test 3: Take Home Friday, November 27, 2020 MKT 504-701 Shiyan Paskaran 500705938
Question 1, Part A This part of the question asks to both define and list ‘trust builders’ along with the knowledge bases. To start off, trust builders are different marketing strategies and aspects that when used effectively, it aids in developing trust, or as stated within the textbook, helps develop “the extent of the buyer’s confidence that he or she can rely on the salesperson’s integrity” (Textbook pg. 298). The five significant trust builders discussed in the textbook are expertise, dependability, candour, customer orientation, and compatibility. Expertise is “the ability, knowledge, and resources to meet customer expectations” (Textbook pg. 298). “ Dependability hinges on the predictability of the salesperson’s actions” (Textbook pg. 35). “ Candour deals with the honesty of the spoken word” (Textbook pg. 36). “ Customer orientation means placing as much emphasis on the customer’s interests as you would on your own” (Textbook pg. 36). “A salesperson who has a customer orientation gives fair and balanced presentations” (Textbook pg. 36). Compatibility , also known as likeability , is “a salesperson’s commonalities with other individuals” (Textbook pg. 298). The knowledge bases support in building trust and relationships between buyers and salespeople as well. The eight different knowledge bases are industry and company knowledge, product knowledge, promotion knowledge, price knowledge, market knowledge, customer knowledge, competitor knowledge, and technology knowledge. Industry and Company knowledge is knowledge on the company and industry’s history as well as its operations and policies. Product knowledge is “detailed information on the manufacture of a product and knowing whether the company has up-to-date production methods” (Textbook pg. 298). Promotion knowledge is “knowledge tools salespeople must possess to explain their firms’ promotional program” (Textbook pg. 298). Price knowledge is “knowledge tools salespeople must have about pricing policies in order to quote prices and offer discounts on products” (Textbook pg. 298). Market knowledge is “information salespeople must have if larger companies break their customers into distinct markets; salespeople must be familiar with these markets to tailor their sales presentations” (Textbook pg. 298). Customer knowledge is information about customers that is gathered over time and from very different sources that helps the salesperson determine customer needs to better serve them” (Textbook pg. 298) .
Competitor knowledge is “knowledge of a competitor’s strengths and weaknesses in the market” (Textbook pg. 298). Technology knowledge is “information salespeople must have about the latest technology” (Textbook pg. 298). Question 1, Part B In a situation where I am about to buy a new house, how I would expect my real estate agent to incorporate these trust builders in the buying process is by helping in providing me the best results with minimal spending and costs, in terms of houses, and is able to meet my expectations to my fullest satisfaction. This would be an example of customer orientation. I would also expect him to display exceptional customer service and treat me as if I am his/her best friend or family throughout the buying process and being kind and patient as well as being fully honest and showing integrity as I am looking to buy a new house. This would be an example of both candour and compatibility/likeability. I would expect him to know a lot about his field of study and his profession, specifically have extensive knowledge on real estate and about houses in the area so that he/she can enlighten me on it. This would be a prime example of the expertise trust builder. Lastly, I would expect to be able to depend and rely on my real estate agent to the point where I am able to foresee his/her actions and thoughts prior. This is a good exemplar of dependability in trust building. Question 1, Part C The different types of sales presentations include canned sales presentations which are “ sales presentations that include scripted sales calls, memorized presentations, and automated presentations” (Textbook pg. 296). I wouldn’t expect my real estate agent to use this type of selling as this type of selling seems to be more intended for sales jobs and phone companies and wouldn’t really help in the field of real estate. There’s also adaptive selling which is “the ability of salespeople to alter their sales messages and behaviours during a sales presentation or as they encounter different sales situations and different customers” (Textbook pg.296). This also wouldn’t work best for my real estate agent as he/she won’t be dealing with various sales situations and different customers when only helping me buy a house. Stimulus-response selling is “ an approach to selling in which the key idea is that various stimuli can elicit predictable responses from customers. Salespeople furnish the stimuli from a repertoire of words and actions designed to produce the desired response” (Textbook pg. 296). This also wouldn’t be the best
option for my real estate agent to use as when it comes to real estate and getting a person to buy a house, the responses from the customers aren’t usually supposed to be predictable. Mental states selling is “an approach to personal selling that assumes that the buying process for most buyers is essentially identical and that buyers can be led through certain mental states, or steps, in the buying process; also called the formula approach”. This type of sales presentation could work in the favour of my real estate agent as it will make it easier and more coherent for both the buyer and salesperson when the buying process is structured in mental steps. There is also need satisfaction selling which is “an approach to selling based on the notion that the customer is buying to satisfy a particular need or set of needs” (Textbook pg.296). I would also expect my real estate agent to use this approach as it would help in finding my needs and how I want my house to be and look and as a real estate agent/salesperson it is crucial to be able to satisfy my needs. Problem-solving selling is “ an extension of need satisfaction selling that goes beyond identifying needs to developing alternative solutions for satisfying these needs” (Textbook pg.296) whereas, consultative selling is “the process of helping customers reach their strategic goals by using the products, services, and expertise of the sales organization” (Textbook pg. 296) . I would expect my real estate agent to use problem-solving selling for the same reasons in using need satisfaction selling however, I would not expect him/her to use consultative selling as there is no literal strategic goal behind buying a house.
Question 2, Part A The business-to-business buying process comprises of eight sequential steps: “ (1) recognition of the problem or need, (2) determination of the characteristics of the item and the quantity needed, (3) description of the characteristics of the item and quantity needed, (4) search for and qualification of potential sources, (5) acquisition and analysis of proposals, 6) evaluation of proposals and selection of suppliers, (7) selection of an order routine, and (8) performance feedback and evaluation” (Textbook pg. 59). Recognition of the problem or need results from an individual cognitively and emotionally processing information relevant to his or her actual state of being and comparing it with the desired state of being” (Textbook pg. 61). “Salespeople can also use sales conversations to present buyers with information and opportunities that effectively raise the desired state, generate a need, and trigger the purchase decision process” (Textbook pg. 61). Determination of the characteristics of the item and the quantity needed involves the consideration and study of the overall situation to understand what is required in the form of a preferred solution” (Textbook pg. 64). Description of the characteristics of the item and quantity needed happens when by “ using the desired characteristics and quantities developed in the previous phase as a starting point, buyers translate that general information into detailed specifications describing exactly what is expected and required” (Textbook pg. 64). Search for and qualification of potential sources is the phase where “ buyers must locate and qualify potential suppliers capable of providing the preferred solution” (Textbook pg. 65). Acquisition and analysis of proposals is the phase in which salespeople are “ responsible for presenting the proposed features and benefits in such a manner that the proposed solution is evaluated as providing higher levels of benefits and value to the buyer than other competing proposals” (Textbook pg. 65). Evaluation of proposals and selection of suppliers is the sixth step in which “the buying decision is the outcome of the buyer’s evaluation of the various proposals acquired from potential suppliers (Textbook pg. 69) and selection of suppliers. Selection of an order routine is the process where “ once the supplier(s) has been selected, details associated with the purchase decision must be settled. These details include delivery quantities, locations, and times along with return policies and the routine for reorders associated with the purchase” (Textbook pg. 69). Finally, performance feedback and evaluation is the evaluation of performance and feedback shared among all parties for the purpose of improving future performance and enhancing buyer–seller relationships” (Textbook pg. 69). Straight rebuy decision is “a purchase
decision resulting from an ongoing purchasing relationship with a supplier” (Textbook pg. 300). Modified rebuy decision is “ a purchase decision that occurs when a buyer has experience in purchasing a product in the past but is interested in acquiring additional information regarding alternative products and suppliers” (Textbook pg. 300). New task buying decision is “a purchase decision that occurs when a buyer is purchasing a product or service for the first time” (Textbook pg. 300). Question 2, Part B The participants in the business buying center are initiators, influencers, users, deciders, purchasers, and gatekeepers. “ Initiators are individuals within the organization who identify a need or perhaps realize that the acquisition of a product might solve a need or problem” (Textbook pg. 77). Influencers are “individuals who guide the decision process by making recommendations and expressing preferences” (Textbook pg. 77). “ Users are the individuals within the organization who will actually use the product being purchased. They evaluate a product on the basis of how it will affect their own job performance” (Textbook pg. 77). Deciders are individuals with “the ultimate responsibility for determining which product or service will be purchased” (Textbook pg. 77). “ Purchasers have the responsibility for negotiating final terms of purchase with suppliers and executing the actual purchase or acquisition” (Textbook pg. 77). Gatekeepers are “ members who are in a position to control the flow of information to and between vendors and other buying centre members” (Textbook pg. 77). Question 2, Part C Initiators : I believe this type of buying center participant would likely be involved in both modified rebuy decisions and new task buying decisions as one of the hidden roles of the initiator entails acquiring important information on different products and services based on solving their needs and problems before buying, even though he/she has enough knowledge and experience in buying products. This type of buying decision behaviour is best suited under modified rebuy decisions. It can also work under new task buying decisions as an initiator can switch to purchasing different products or services for the first time in order to fulfill his/her specific needs. An example of this can be where someone working as a cashier at a nail salon had to go buy different nail products for the first time in order to fulfill the need of stocking inventory at work.
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