Decision Making & Problem Solving Flashcards
7 cards from real IS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Decision Making & Problem Solving flashcards as text
A deal has stalled for 30 days with no response from the prospect. What is the best inbound sales decision?
Answer: Send a break-up email that gives the prospect an easy way to re-engage or formally close the loop
A break-up email respects the prospect's time, creates urgency, and often re-engages stalled deals more effectively than repeated outreach.
Which cognitive bias most commonly affects salespeople's decision to keep pursuing a bad-fit prospect?
Answer: Sunk cost fallacy
The sunk cost fallacy causes salespeople to continue investing in losing deals because of previous time and effort spent.
When a prospect has authority to buy but is not the end user, what problem-solving step is critical?
Answer: Ensure end users are also consulted and their adoption needs are addressed
End-user buy-in is critical for successful implementation and renewal, even when they don't sign the contract.
What is the most important factor when deciding whether to offer a free trial to a prospect?
Answer: Whether the prospect is qualified and the trial will help resolve a specific concern blocking the decision
Free trials are most effective when used purposefully to address a specific concern, not as a default tactic for every prospect.
A prospect admits they have budget but says this quarter is bad timing. What is the best response?
Answer: Explore what about this quarter is challenging and whether a phased start could work
Understanding the specific timing barrier opens creative options like phased starts that solve the prospect's real constraint.
In inbound sales, what role does data play in the problem-solving process?
Answer: Data helps quantify the prospect's problem and build a business case for change
Using data to quantify the problem makes the impact tangible and strengthens the case for taking action.
A salesperson receives conflicting signals — the prospect seems interested verbally but hasn't taken any agreed next steps. What should they do?
Answer: Name the discrepancy directly and ask what is really preventing progress
Naming the gap between words and actions surfaces the real obstacle and shows the salesperson is paying attention.