Question 3
(a). Distinguish between salesmanship and entrepreneurship.
(b). Mr. Okon has recently been employed by Ali limited as a salesman. State three functions each Mr. okon would perform to the:
- company;
- company’s customers.
Observation
Candidates could not describe Entrepreneurship as an act/skill/process. They saw it more as a factor of production. A such, they could not differentiate salesmanship from entrepreneurship in part (a) of the question. In part (b), some candidates could not differentiate between the functions of a salesman to the company and the ones he performs to the company’s customers.
The responses expected from candidates are:
Salesmanship is the skill/act of persuading prospects and customers to buy a firm’s products
while
Entrepreneurship is the process of organizing, managing and assuming the risks of a business.
(a) Functions Mr Okon would perform as a salesman to the company:
- Mr Okon would help in pushing the company’s products to the market;
- He would assist in increasing the company’s sales volume/profit;
- He would be an ambassador of the company and build company’s image;
- He would help the company in gathering marketing intelligence
- He would help the company to create competitive advantage in the market;
- He would identify prospects/customers of the company’s products;
- He would assist the company in growing its markets/sales territories.
(b) Functions Mr Okon would perform as a salesman to the company’s customers:
- Mr Okon would assist customers in making purchase decisions;
- He would help to educate and inform customers about the company’s products;
- He would strive to meet customers’ expectations;
- He would handle customers’ objections/complaints diligently;
- He would strive to satisfy the company’s customers;
- He would build good relationship with customers to sustain the company’s business;
- He would provide customers with information about the company’s product mix.