As companies become more market-centered, a customer-focused sales force is most likely to:

• A. prioritize selling products at the lowest possible price to all customers
• B. focus primarily on increasing production efficiency regardless of consumer preferences
• C. ignore differences in willingness to pay among customers
• D. seek to understand and maximize consumer surplus by addressing individual willingness to pay

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of a customer-focused sales force, which aims to tailor sales strategies based on individual customer preferences and willingness to pay.
2. Recall that consumer surplus is the difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for a good and what they actually pay, representing the extra benefit to the consumer.
3. Recognize that a customer-focused sales force seeks to maximize consumer surplus by identifying and addressing differences in willingness to pay among customers, rather than treating all customers the same.
4. Contrast this approach with strategies that prioritize lowest prices for all customers or focus solely on production efficiency without considering consumer preferences.
5. Conclude that the customer-focused sales force aims to understand individual customer needs and willingness to pay to enhance satisfaction and sales effectiveness.