chapter 3 personal selling

Omaha executives provide their employees with a carefully worded document titled "Values for Success This document covers

•Openness and trust •Honesty and integrity •Customer-focus

is the basic ingredient of character that is exhibited when you achieve congruence between what you know, what you say, and what you do.

Integrity

The specific obligations imposed by government on the way business operates take the form of "statutes," laws passed by Congress or state legislatures

LAWS

-Self-awareness -Self-confidence -Trustworthiness -Adaptability -Initiative -Optimism -Empathy -Well-developed social skills

Qualities associated with high emotional intelligence

is a mutual exchange of benefits, as when a firm buys products from its own customers

Reciprocity

____ ____ are necessary in today's complex sales environment, so salesperson should have the goal to develop a relationship strategy that adds value to the sale

Relationship skills

In many cases, the salesperson has resellers as customers or prospects. Salespeople must be aware of their employer's obligations to the reseller

Salesperson and reseller (ucc)

Salespeople who can build _____ with new prospects have a better chance at achieving successful sales. Once _____ is established, the salesperson is in a better position to identify needs (same word)

rapport

in the partnering style seller/buyer relationship, a high level of ethical decision making becomes the foundation for creating _____

value

if such comparisons are inaccurate, misleading, or slander a company's business reputation, such conduct is illegal

BUSINESS DEFAMATION

____ ____ comprises principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business They help translate values into appropriate and effective foundational behaviors that build and strengthen partnering relationships in day-to-day life

Business ethics

This may be incurred when an unfair and untrue statement is made about a competitor in writing. The statement becomes actionable when it is communicated to a third party and can be interpreted as damaging the company

Business libel

This arises when an unfair and untrue oral statement is made about a competitor. The statement becomes actionable when it is communicated to a third party and can be interpreted as damaging the competitor's business reputation or the personal reputation of an individual in that business

Business slander

What constitutes business defamation

Business slander Business libel Product disparagement

is composed of personal standards, including honesty, integrity, and moral strength

Character

____ ____ should cover distributor relations, customer service, pricing, product development, and related areas

Corporate policies

______ is the sum total of beliefs, values, knowledge, ethnic customs, and objects that people use to adapt to their environment

Culture

We never lose sight of our customers, and constantly challenge ourselves to meet their requirements even better

Customer-Focus (omaha)

The code defines the legal dimensions of a sale. It clearly states that salespeople have the authority to legally obligate the company they represent

Definition of a sale (UCC)

-Maintain high ethical standards -Project professional image -Manage the relationship process

Develop a relationship strategy with three key prescriptions

•Relationship comes first, task second •Be honest with yourself and with others •Personal selling must be viewed as an exchange of value

Developing a Personal Code of Ethics

•Be patient and avoid taking the initiative until knowing the rules •Be prepared for negotiations around meals (typically banquet style) •Harmonious relationships matter •Introduce the oldest first •Give gifts after transactions •Be careful of the meaning of gifts

Doing Business in China

refers to the capacity for monitoring our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions

Emotional intelligence

Often salespeople work for firms that are directly involved in financing products or services or in arranging such financing from outside sources. A salesperson needs to be familiar with the legal aspects of these credit arrangements

Financing of sales (ucc)

____ ____ ____ ____ prohibits U.S. companies from using bribes or kickbacks to influence foreign officials

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Honesty and Integrity We are honest and ethical with others, maintaining the highest standards of personal and professional conduct

Honesty and Integrity (omaha)

•Building new relationships •Transforming relationships •Management of relationships

Information-Age Selling: Relationship Challenges

We encourage an open sharing of ideas and information, displaying a fundamental respect for each other as well as our cultural diversity

Openness and Trust (omaha)

In some cases, goods are delivered to the buyer, but the title remains with the seller. This type of transaction can become complicated if the goods have a limited life span. Depreciation may occur with the passing of time. Salespeople should be familiar with the company's rights in cases where goods are sold on consignment

Product consignment (ucc)

This occurs when false or deceptive comparisons or distorted claims are made concerning a competitor's product, services, or property

Product disparagement

Definition of a sale Warranties and guarantees Salesperson and reseller Financing of sales Product consignment

Several areas featured in the UCC focus directly on the seller-buyer relationship. Some of the primary areas follow

•Sharing confidential information •Reciprocity Bribery •Giving gifts •Entertainment •Business defamation •Use of the internet

Situations Benefitting from Corporate Guidance

In a consultative sale, the customer focus shifts from the product to the person who sells the product

Trust in consultative sales

The strategic alliance buyer wants to do business with an institution that can be trusted. This buyer looks beyond the well-qualified salesperson and assesses the entire organization. A strategic alliance customer will not feel comfortable partnering with a company whose values differ greatly from his or her own. Ethical ac- countability will greatly influence the way an alliance partner is judged and valued

Trust in strategic alliance sales

The primary customer focus in this type of sale is trust in the product

Trust in transactional sales

____ ____ ____ ___ prohibits any form of commercial bribery

U.K. Anti-Bribery Act

The ___ ___ ___ is a major law influencing sales throughout the United States. The___ is a legal guide to a wide range of transactions between the seller and the buyer. This law has been adopted throughout the United States(same word)

Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)

___ serve as a foundation for either constructive or destructive attitudes, and these attitudes serve as a foundation for ethical or unethical behavior

Values

The code distinguishes between express warranties and im- plied warranties. Express warranties are those that are described by the express language of the seller. Implied warranties are the obligations imposed by law on the seller that are not assumed in express language

Warranties and guarantees (ucc)

is simply a promise or promises that the courts will enforce

contract

vary from state to state, their primary purpose is to give customers an op- portunity to reconsider a buying decision made under a salesperson's persuasive influence

cooling-off laws

Cultural differences can make building relationships more _____

difficult

that contain inflammatory or abusive content, inappropriate jokes, embarrassing gossip, or breaches of confidentiality can lead to legal liabilities

e-mail messages

Cultural differences may present direct ____ _____

ethical challenges

____ _____ _____ is the foundation for partnering style, relationship, product, customer, and presentation strategies

ethical decision making

Corporate policies and practices are necessary because many employees will not have their own well-developed ____ _____ but they will follow that of the company

ethical philosophy

Salespeople who accept this ethical guideline view personal selling as something you do __ customers, not something you do __ customers

for to

Do not give gifts before doing business with a customer. Do not use the gift as a substitute for effective selling methods. Never convey the impression you are "buying" the customer's business with gifts. When this happens, the gift becomes nothing more than a bribe. When gift giving is done correctly, the customer clearly views it as symbolic of your appreciation—a "no strings attached" goodwill gesture. Be sure the gift is not a violation of the policies of your firm or of your customer's firm. Some firms do not allow employees to accept gifts at all. Other firms place a dollar limit on a gift's value.

guidelines of gift giving

People who are __ in emotional intelligence have qualities needed in sales work since they enable strong and positive relationships

high

Whether a specific behavior is right or wrong, ethical or unethical, is often determined by company (5)

leaders, customers, investors, the legal system, and the community

The organization's ____ ____, as established by management personnel, is the most important single determinant of employee ethics

moral tone

Salespeople must manage a _____ of different relationships

multitude

The good news is that one's emotional intelligence can be enhanced with a variety of _____ _____ _____

self-development activities

Salespeople can deal more openly with prospects if they have a role model, if the company has ethical policies, and if they have _____ ____ ____

strong personal values

These _____ are often motivated by offers from clients, competitors, company personnel, and suppliers, and may involve personal gain on the part of the salesperson

temptations

In the field of personal selling, the temptation to maximize short-term gains by some type of ___ ____ is always present and occurs more often than in most other careers

unethical conduct

There is no one ____ ____ of ethics for all salespeople as societal and relational norms can vary from person to person

uniform code

Salespeople are especially _____ to unethical decision making because they are subject to many temptations

vulnerable