Final answer:
It is true that salespeople should encourage direct communication among similar functional areas to improve collaboration and meet customer needs more accurately.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that salespeople should encourage direct communication among similar functional areas is generally considered true. This is because direct communication facilitates better coordination, understanding, and collaboration among teams. When salespeople, who often act as the link between the customer and the organization, encourage this type of communication, it ensures that customer needs are more accurately understood and met across different departments. For instance, direct communication between the sales team and the product development team can lead to improvements that better meet customer expectations.