Sample Paper R BEC V.pdf

PA RT ONE

Questions 1 – 7

Market awareness of the mobile telephone has exploded and the retailer who specialises

in mobile phones is seeing growth like never before. Admittedly, some customers buy

their first mobile phone in the supermarket, but for advice, add-ons and particular

services they turn to the specialist. There are a large number of mobile phone retailers and

I can’t help but feel the market only has room for four players. Undoubtedly, customer

service is the factor that differentiates operators and I think this year we will probably see

rationalisation in the sector.

• Look at the statements below and the comments given on the opposite page by mobile phone

retailers.

• Which section ( A , B , C or D ) does each statement 1 – 7 refer to?

• or each statement 1 – 7 , mark one letter ( A , B , C or D ) on your Answer Sheet.

• ou will need to use some of these letters more than once.

Example:

the extent to which mobile phones have changed in size

When I first started in the industry, mobile

phones were retailing at a thousand pounds and

were as large as box files. Now, prices are

constantly being driven down and handsets are

considerably more compact. There is intense

competition between the network providers,

and every time they lower their tariffs, more

people come into the market. This will

continue, and while retail dealers’ profits will

be affected dramatically, network providers

will have to generate more revenue by offering

internet provision and data services to the

mobile user.

ABCD

1 the need for retail staff to stay informed about the mobile phones they are selling

2 the belief that the market will not sustain the present number of mobile phone retailers

3 the use of mobile phones no longer being restricted to a specific group of people

Over a few years, prices have dropped sharply and technological advances have meant

products have changed – and are changing. Successful retailers must try to keep on top of

these developments and invest in the training of employees so they are able to offer impartial

advice to customers. E-commerce is taking off but this won’t necessarily replace traditional

retail outlets. In order to stand out, you need innovative ideas on customer service. We don’t

believe in criticising other retailers, but there’s nothing particularly exciting out there at

present.

4 the relationship between charges and the number of mobile phone users

5 a negative view of competing mobile phone retailers

6 a comparison between change in the mobile phone industry and that in a different sector

7 those services available at mobile phone outlets that are not provided by other retailers

The mobile phone business is behaving like the

internet industry in take-up and the pace of

innovation, and it’s important not to be left

behind. We must continue to innovate in

delivering the product to the customer. In

comparisons between us and our closest rival,

but clearly all the main mobile phone retailers

have succeeded in taking the industry forward.

Growth has accelerated rapidly and the mobile

telephone has changed from simply being a

business tool, to being a means of

communication for everyone.

Turn Over

PA RT TWO

Questions 8 – 12

Example:

ABCDEF G

• Read the article below about a survey of businesswomen staying in hotels.

• Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.

• or each gap 8–12 , mark one letter ( A–G ) on your Answer Sheet.

• Do not use any letter more than once.

• There is an example at the beginning, ( 0 ).

A The hotel staff assumed they should be

booked into the same room.

E Making sure that facilities in guest

bedrooms cater equally for the needs of

male and female guests is one such idea.

B But there is clear evidence that things are

slowly improving.

F Most of the women, when questioned

further, thought that the reason for this

was that they were female and travelling

alone.

Hotels Failing Businesswomen

C This would enable women to make an

informed choice about a hotel, and they

would not be placed in the uncomfortable

position of having to complain about poor

service.

Hoteliers should take note because they are facing

serious criticism! Women account for more than

half of all business travellers, but hotels are not

doing enough for them. (0) .... G .... . These show

that the number of complaints made about the way

women guests are treated is increasing.

choose to sit together over a meal, was a further

suggestion. Guests in the dining room would then

have the opportunity to meet up with others who

might, for example, be attending the same

conference, or have the same business interests.

G This is evident from the results of a

questionnaire distributed to hotel guests by

the Business Travel Association.

D It is advisable for them to do this during

their stay rather than waiting until they

check out.

The Bartonsfield Hotel in London also conducted a

recent survey of UK businesswomen, which

reveals that 70% feel they receive an inferior

service. (8) ...... . The attitude of hotel staff made

them feel out of place in public areas; for example,

62% chose to eat in their rooms because they were

made to feel uncomfortable by staff when dining

alone. (9) ...... . Four years ago, for example, a

similar survey had revealed that a significant

number of women travelling alone and wishing to

use the hotel restaurant were actually turned away.

Wendy Manning, executive manager of the

Bartonsfield Hotel, agreed with the Business Travel

Association that hotel star ratings should be

influenced by the level of service they offer to

female business guests. (11) ...... . ‘Our survey

highlighted the unwillingness of many women to

air their views if they are treated badly,’ Wendy

Manning pointed out.

A group of influential businesswomen recently met

to discuss the results of the Business Travel

Association questionnaire. They suggested that

businesswomen should not hesitate to make it

clear if they have a problem. (12) ...... . Once

clients have gone, it is all too easy for the issue to

be ignored by hotel managers, and it will also be

forgotten by the overworked business executives

themselves.

Many of the suggestions for improved services put

forward by the Business Travel Association are

relatively simple. (10) ...... . Placing tables in

restaurants in a way that allows the head waiter to

introduce guests to one another, so they can

Turn Over

PA RT THREE

Questions 13 – 18

13 According to the text, the end of a product’s life cycle is marked by

A a sharp rise in production costs.

B the product becoming outdated.

C an increase in customer complaints.

D less support from sales management.

• Read the article below about product life cycles and the questions on the opposite page.

• or each question 13 – 18 , mark one letter ( A , B , C or D ) on your Answer Sheet for the answer

you choose.

14 What does the writer say about sales management in the first paragraph?

Product Life Cycles and Sales Strategy

A Companies should spend more time on their sales planning.

B There are many managers who need to improve their sales performance.

C Most sales managers fail to recognise which stage a product has reached.

D The sales approach should change with each phase of the product life cycle.

One of the most important concepts in sales

management and marketing is that of the product life

cycle. This is a historical record of the life of a

product, showing the stage in its life the product has

reached at a particular time. By identifying the stage

that a product is in or may be heading towards,

companies can formulate better marketing plans. All

products have ‘lives’ in as much as they are created,

sell with varying profitability over a period of time,

and then become obsolete and are replaced or simply

no longer produced. A product’s sales position and

profitability can be expected to fluctuate over time

and so, at each successive stage in the product’s

cycle, it is necessary to adopt different tactics.

The two main features of the product life cycle are

unit sales and unit profit. The unit sales figures

usually jump on introduction, as a response to heavy

advertising and promotion, as customers buy the

product experimentally. This is generally followed

by a levelling off while it is evaluated – the length of

this period depending on the use to which the product

is put. Then, unit sales rise steadily through the

growth phase to the maturity phase, when the

product is widely accepted, and so on to saturation

level. By this time, competitors will have entered the

market with their own version and, from this point,

the sales team will have to work even harder to win

all additional sales. Eventually, the product’s sales

decline as better versions enter the market and

competition becomes too strong.

In retrospect, most firms know what happened to

their products from launch to withdrawal. They can

compile this information from the records of unit

sales.

Unfortunately, unit sales are not the complete story

as it is unit profit that is the decisive factor, although

this is not always recorded accurately. It is this figure

that sales management has to monitor, though, to

ensure an effective marketing strategy and to

produce effective profits.

At launch, the product is costed accurately on the

basis of production costs plus selling costs. Initially

these remain fairly stable, but, when the product is

proving successful, competitors will bring out their

own ‘copy-cat’ products. With a competitor in the

field, the original firm has to respond in order to

maintain its market position. It can run special sales

promotions, improve deliveries, make more frequent

sales calls and so on. Often the extra expenditure is

not accurately charged to the product and the result is

that, long before unit sales are noticeably falling, the

unit profit has already fallen.

The product life cycle, then, presents a picture of

what happened in the product’s ‘lifetime’, so how

can this be used as an ongoing aid to management

decision-making? Every sales manager has a chart on

which the progress of sales is plotted and this can be

used as a guide to the stage of development each

product is currently in. An essential management

skill is being able to interpret sales results and draw

in the stages as they occur. Deciding where each

stage begins and ends can be a random exercise,

though usually the stages are based on where the rate

of sales growth or decline becomes pronounced.

15 According to the text, a greater sales effort is required for a product when

A it is particularly innovative.

B the advertising budget has been cut.

C rival companies start to produce something similar.

D consumer interest switches to a new product category.

16 According to the text, a good marketing strategy must primarily be concerned with

A sales statistics.

B product details.

C consumer data.

D profit information.

17 According to the text, profit levels may fail to correspond to the volume of sales because

A the full selling costs have not been taken into account.

B the production costs were not estimated correctly.

C there are unforeseen problems with distribution.

D there has been a lack of economic stability.

18 What does the writer say about the charts that show sales progress?

A It is a matter of judgement where one sales phase finishes and another begins.

B Managers should review policy when a sharp fall in sales is indicated.

C It is difficult to see how sales charts can provide sufficient guidance to managers.

D Managers should get confirmation of the data they plot on the sales charts.

Turn Over

PA RT FOUR

Questions 19 – 33

Example:

A calculate

B depend

C determine

D lean

• Read the advice below about the use of technology in presentations.

• Choose the best word to fill each gap from A , B , C or D on the opposite page.

• or each question 19 – 33 , mark one letter ( A , B , C or D ) on your Answer Sheet.

• There is an example at the beginning, ( 0 ).

A B C D

A produce

B make

C construct

D build

A behaviour

B habit

C practice

D routine

Guidelines for giving Presentations

A method

B law

C rule

D course

A focus

B define

C target

D direct

Most presentations today (0) ... B ... on the use of some sort of technology, such as a laptop

computer linked to a projector. While this technology can help to (19) ...... presentations better, it

also has a (20) ...... of getting in the way. As a general (21) ...... , it is better to (22) ...... on the content

of a presentation as a means of (23) ...... your audience’s attention, rather than relying on

sophisticated equipment.

A gaining

B acquiring

C collecting

D taking

A requests

B calls

C bids

D commands

Bear in mind that when an organisation invites (24) ...... for a contract, they may (25) ...... four or five

presentations from different companies on the same day. Each of these companies will probably be

using the same computer graphics (26) ...... and the same equipment. The chances are the

presentations will be similar too.

A appoint

B programme

C schedule

D catalogue

A parcels

B packets

C bundles

D packages

A formation

B design

C structure

D system

That’s why the content and (27) ...... of what you say are important. Think about what you want to

say and how to say it as clearly as possible. As a first step, you need to (28) ...... the main points you

want to get across. Audiences are easily bored and (29) ...... to remember only the most entertaining,

exciting or unusual ideas.

A catalogue

B label

C mark

D identify

A point

B tend

C lead

D move

Next create your materials, choosing the images for your presentation carefully. Remember you do

not want to stop your audience from listening to you, nor do you want to (30) ...... t hem.

A disorder

B mistake

C confuse

D complicate

Finally, make all the necessary (31) ...... for the equipment you need. If technology is to be an

important (32) ...... of your presentation, make sure you know how to use it (33) ...... and test it out

beforehand.

A appointments B procedures

C arrangements D organisations

A share

B role

C function

D element

A precisely

B suitably

C properly

D accurately

Turn Over

PA RT FIVE

Questions 34 – 45

• Read the article below about a training company.

• In most of the lines 34 – 45 there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or

does not fit in with the meaning of the text. Some lines, however, are correct.

• If a line is correct, write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet.

• If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your

Answer Sheet.

• The exercise begins with two examples, ( 0 ) and ( 00 ).

Examples

0 S O

00 C O R R E C T

Tr aining Provision

There is little doubt that training has become so an accepted part of business but it is

equally true that companies take a much less scientific approach than they should. A

recent study suggested us that, while UK organisations spend nearly £10bn a year on

training, 37% of them have never evaluated that expenditure in strict terms of business

impact. Yet if training activities that are run along the same lines as other business

operations, in ways that maximise with opportunities, it becomes easier for training

organisations to help companies meet strategic goals. One organisation showing an

awareness of what this principle is CT Solutions, a training business that has its own

premises in South London. The need for more training has combined it with cutbacks in

office accommodation to create plenty of business for those hiring out space, particularly

upper-end hotels. But while CT Solutions detected that many organisations were not

satisfied with hotels because they do not always provide a good service. CT Solutions is

totally dedicated to providing of space for business, mostly for training, but also for

conferences and AGMs. Clearly, since the business has been grown in size, it is an

approach that works.

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