Marketing-Information Management
A retail chain wants to find out why customer foot traffic has dropped in two of its locations. Which marketing-information management activity should it use first?
A) Conduct an in-store sales promotion
B) Design and administer a customer survey
C) Add new product lines to attract shoppers
D) Lower prices in all locations
B: Surveys directly collect feedback about customer behaviors and preferences. The other options are tactical responses that don’t provide insight into the actual cause.
Product/service management involves deciding what a business will:
A) Price a product
B) Advertise to consumers
C) Produce or offer
D) Distribute through channels
C: Product/service management focuses on what products or services to provide, and the other functions involve promotion, pricing, or distribution.
A business runs a series of Instagram ads reminding customers of a holiday sale. This activity is an example of:
A) Setting product prices
B) Conducting market research
C) Communicating value through promotion
D) Managing warehouse inventory
C: Promotion focuses on informing, persuading, and reminding customers. The other answers represent other business functions.
During a team project, one member looks discouraged after receiving feedback. A response that demonstrates emotional intelligence would be:
A) Tell them not to take it personally
B) Ignore their reaction and move on
C) Ask how they are feeling about the feedback and offer support
D) Give them more work to distract them
C: Emotional intelligence includes awareness of emotions and showing empathy. The other answers dismiss or worsen the person’s feelings.
Feature-benefit selling means:
A) Selling only during promotions
B) Appealing only to emotions
C) Connecting product features to customer benefits
D) Segmenting the market by demographics
C: Linking features to benefits shows why the product matters to the customer. The other choices don’t describe feature-benefit selling.
An example of an indirect, mechanical observation method to collect accurate customer purchase data is:
A) Point-of-sale scanners
B) Comment cards
C) Manual tallies by employees
D) Sound-wave meters
A: Scanners record purchases automatically and without bias. Comment cards and manual counts are direct methods that rely on human action.
Which is the best definition of product/service management?
A) Setting product price to maximize profit
B) Developing, obtaining, maintaining, and improving goods and services
C) Moving products to consumers through distribution
D) Promoting products using media
B: Product/service management is about the product lifecycle from creation to improvement. The other answers confuse it with other marketing functions.
A “touch point” refers to:
A) A pricing strategy
B) A distribution channel
C) A product feature
D) Any point where a customer interacts with a brand
D: Touch points are customer-brand interactions like ads stores or websites. The other answers define unrelated aspects of marketing.
Acting with self-control means:
A) Reacting immediately in frustration
B) Suppressing emotions completely
C) Choosing behavior intentionally instead of acting impulsively
D) Avoiding all emotional responses
C: Self-control is responding thoughtfully rather than impulsively. The other options describe extremes that don’t reflect true control.
A greeting approach is when the salesperson:
A) Asks immediately for the sale
B) Ignores the customer
C) Welcomes the customer and offers assistance
D) Relies only on displays
C: Greeting approaches build rapport at the start of a sales interaction. The other answers skip or mishandle the introduction.
A survey question phrased as “Do you agree that the government wastes taxpayers' money by supporting unnecessary programs?” is an example of a:
A) Open-ended inquiry
B) Neutral statement
C) Leading question
D) Unstated alternative
C: Leading questions push the respondent toward a biased answer. The other options are neutral or unrelated formats.
A shoe company notices declining sales for one of its best-selling sneakers. Which product/service management action would be most appropriate to address this problem?
A) Lower the price of the sneaker by 20% to attract bargain shoppers
B) Increase advertising frequency across social media channels
C) Conduct product research to identify design improvements customers want
D) Add more wholesalers to distribute the sneaker in new markets
C: Product/service management focuses on improving or updating the product based on consumer needs. Lowering the price or advertising only promotes the existing version, and expanding distribution spreads a product that customers may no longer want.
A company plans to use advertising, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotions together in a coordinated way. What is this set of activities called?
A) Communication channels
B) Marketing communications mix
C) Integrated communications tools
D) Advertising plan
C: The correct term refers to combining all communication tools in a coordinated system. The other options describe parts of the process but not the complete set.
A manager notices that when she shows frustration in meetings, her team becomes quiet and hesitant to share ideas. Which skill is she demonstrating by recognizing this pattern?
A) Conflict resolution
B) Social awareness
C) Self-awareness
D) Time management
C: Self-awareness is part of emotional intelligence because it means recognizing how your emotions affect others. The other options relate to different skills like handling disputes, understanding others, or managing time.
A customer shopping for a laptop is hesitant. The salesperson asks questions about what the laptop will be used for and then demonstrates how the features fit those needs. What approach is being used?
A) Promotional campaign
B) Needs-based approach
C) Consultative approach
D) Direct advertising
C: A consultative approach means tailoring recommendations to the customer’s specific needs. The other options describe general marketing activities, not one-on-one guidance.
A company reviews loyalty card data, industry trends, and regional sales reports to predict demand next quarter. This process is an example of:
A) Promotion strategy planning
B) Sales forecasting
C) Market segmentation
D) Customer relationship management
B: Forecasting combines historical data and trends to estimate future sales. The other options describe separate activities that don’t focus on prediction.
A hotel’s spa services are popular, but guest feedback shows they want more wellness-focused options. Which decision reflects product/service management instead of another marketing function?
A) Developing a new wellness package that combines spa treatments with guided fitness classes
B) Launching a billboard campaign to advertise existing spa services
C) Cutting the price of spa services by 15% to attract more customers
D) Hiring additional staff to speed up service times
A: Product/service management is about creating or modifying offerings to meet customer needs. Advertising pricing and staffing address other functions, but don’t expand the product itself.
Before launching a new sneaker line, a business gathers a small group of target customers to watch sample ads and share their opinions. Which best describes the purpose of this activity?
A) Conducting market segmentation to find the right demographic
B) Running a pricing experiment to test willingness to pay
C) Collecting qualitative feedback to improve promotional messages
D) Forecasting sales volume for the first quarter
C: Focus groups give insights into how customers react to promotional ideas. Segmentation, pricing, and forecasting are different activities not focused on message testing.
A coworker pressures you to “adjust” sales numbers to look better. An emotionally intelligent response is:
A) Falsify the numbers quietly
B) Ignore the request and say nothing
C) Yell and report them instantly
D) Decline respectfully and explain the importance of honesty
D: Emotional intelligence means standing firm while remaining respectful. The other responses either encourage dishonesty or escalate conflict.
A retail store requires employees to follow company rules about refunds, exchanges, and extended warranties. These rules are best described as:
A) Operational guidelines
B) Customer service standards
C) Transaction policies
D) Pricing objectives
C: Transaction policies outline how returns, exchanges, and warranties are handled during a sale. The other answers relate to broader operations, service culture, or pricing, not transaction rules.
A retailer notices more customers are buying online instead of in-store. Adjusting its strategy to invest in e-commerce shows the importance of:
A) Adapting marketing strategies to marketplace changes
B) Keeping strategies consistent for stability
C) Relying only on short-term promotions
D) Expanding product lines without data
A: Businesses must adapt strategies to stay aligned with consumer behavior shifts. The other choices ignore the actual marketplace trend.
A retailer is preparing to launch a new clothing line for teens. After reviewing trend reports and competitor assortments, managers must decide the next step to align the line with customer preferences. Which decision reflects product/service management?
A) Selecting which styles and product variations will be included in the final line
B) Deciding which social media channels should advertise the line
C) Determining whether the line should be priced as premium or budget
D) Choosing which national retailers should distribute the line
A: Product/service management centers on deciding what products to offer based on research. Advertising, pricing, and distribution are other functions that occur after the product line is finalized.
A sports equipment brand is deciding how to promote a new tennis racket. Which method would be considered personal promotion rather than mass promotion?
A) Running a national TV ad campaign during sports broadcasts
B) Publishing articles in tennis magazines about new technology
C) Mailing discount coupons to all loyalty program members
D) Having trained staff demonstrate the rackets in the store
D: Personal promotion requires direct interaction between the salesperson and customer. The other options are mass communication methods without personal contact.
A customer is yelling about a defective product. Which response shows emotional intelligence?
A) Calm them down and grab a supervisor for them
B) Acknowledge their frustration and offer a solution
C) Deal with other customers and wait for them to cool down
D) Blame the supplier for the issue
B: Emotional intelligence requires empathy plus a solution. The other responses deny responsibility or shift blame.
A customer hesitates to buy a laptop. The salesperson says, “Remember, this includes free setup, lifetime tech support, and a one-year warranty.” This is a:
A) Price discount close
B) Scarcity close
C) Reputation close
D) Service close
D: A service close highlights after-sales services to encourage purchase. The other closes use price, urgency, or brand reputation.