How AI Fits Into the Future of Inside Sales
Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2024 6:30 am
Sales has been slow to adopt artificial intelligence (AI). The argument, of course, is that sales is a people game. And that’s true, but with inside sales proving the efficiency and effectiveness of virtual sales and automation, maybe it’s time to dig a little deeper into AI.
After all, some maintain that you can either adopt, adapt and thrive or fall by the wayside.
As to the state of AI in inside sales:
In 2019, Gartner expected that 30% of B2B companies would integrate AI into at least one of their sales processes within a year.
A 2016 McKinsey piece for the Harvard Business Review reported that pioneers integrating AI into the sales process were already increasing their leads by more than 50%. Also, they are cutting asia mobile number list call time and costs by as much as 70% and 60%, respectively.
And if you’re wondering whether your customers will embrace AI, then consider what Salesforce’s State of Service Based on chatbot use, nearly two-thirds of consumers appear willing to accept AI as a way to improve customer engagement.
Chances are, if you use any automation or sophisticated sales tools, you’re already using AI within your inside sales operations. But let’s dig a little deeper to understand the role AI can (and will) play in inside sales so you can best prepare for the future.
Three Ways AI Helps Sales
The best way to understand where AI functionality is being applied and where it’s going in the future is to break it into general categories based on the benefits. And there are three distinct ways that AI can help inside sales:
Administrative and automation applications that help boost productivity.
Big data processing and pattern matching help managers understand the nature of markets and customers, including who buys and when.
Advanced analytics assist reps in being more proactive in their selling.
While AI uses logic and sophisticated algorithms to mimic human thinking, it’s simply technology that relies on machine learning and the ability to process large data sets quickly. It’s not a replacement for the human inside sales rep.
Properly used, however, it can turn your reps into super sellers, especially as the pattern matching and advanced analytics become more powerful and refined.
Let’s explore the ways AI can help in more detail.
Administrative and Automation Applications
One of the biggest problems with CRM and traditional sales tools is that they can take reps away from selling. Anywhere from 14.8% to 22% of their time goes to administrative tasks.
With AI-driven applications, reps can regain much of that time because:
Chatbots provide the first line of communication with prospective customers and only escalate queries to reps when a question is too complex and the prospect requests human intervention.
AI helps automate the chore of updating CRM. It can also send out routine follow-up emails, screen phone calls and alert reps to essential calls.
After all, some maintain that you can either adopt, adapt and thrive or fall by the wayside.
As to the state of AI in inside sales:
In 2019, Gartner expected that 30% of B2B companies would integrate AI into at least one of their sales processes within a year.
A 2016 McKinsey piece for the Harvard Business Review reported that pioneers integrating AI into the sales process were already increasing their leads by more than 50%. Also, they are cutting asia mobile number list call time and costs by as much as 70% and 60%, respectively.
And if you’re wondering whether your customers will embrace AI, then consider what Salesforce’s State of Service Based on chatbot use, nearly two-thirds of consumers appear willing to accept AI as a way to improve customer engagement.
Chances are, if you use any automation or sophisticated sales tools, you’re already using AI within your inside sales operations. But let’s dig a little deeper to understand the role AI can (and will) play in inside sales so you can best prepare for the future.
Three Ways AI Helps Sales
The best way to understand where AI functionality is being applied and where it’s going in the future is to break it into general categories based on the benefits. And there are three distinct ways that AI can help inside sales:
Administrative and automation applications that help boost productivity.
Big data processing and pattern matching help managers understand the nature of markets and customers, including who buys and when.
Advanced analytics assist reps in being more proactive in their selling.
While AI uses logic and sophisticated algorithms to mimic human thinking, it’s simply technology that relies on machine learning and the ability to process large data sets quickly. It’s not a replacement for the human inside sales rep.
Properly used, however, it can turn your reps into super sellers, especially as the pattern matching and advanced analytics become more powerful and refined.
Let’s explore the ways AI can help in more detail.
Administrative and Automation Applications
One of the biggest problems with CRM and traditional sales tools is that they can take reps away from selling. Anywhere from 14.8% to 22% of their time goes to administrative tasks.
With AI-driven applications, reps can regain much of that time because:
Chatbots provide the first line of communication with prospective customers and only escalate queries to reps when a question is too complex and the prospect requests human intervention.
AI helps automate the chore of updating CRM. It can also send out routine follow-up emails, screen phone calls and alert reps to essential calls.