The traditional approach of relying solely on human sellers is becoming less effective
Gartner, Inc. emphasizes that sales organizations need to view technology as a teammate rather than just another tool in order to unlock seller productivity and enable high-quality deals. During the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference, experts discussed how technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), can augment the unique value that human sellers provide to buyers in a disruptive environment.
The traditional approach of relying solely on human sellers is becoming less effective due to factors such as the tight labour market, overinvestment in the wrong technologies, and the persistent skills gap. Organizations can move beyond simple automation and assisted selling to augmented selling, where technology actively participates in the sales process. Over time, sellers can delegate tasks associated with lead generation or basic customer interactions to technology, allowing them to focus on higher-value activities.
Generative AI, in particular, can automatically generate and personalize sales content based on customer needs, relieving sellers from creating content from scratch. While some buyers express a preference for a rep-free experience, research shows that engaging with a human during the purchase process increases the likelihood of value affirmation—a feeling that the purchase is right for the buyer. Buyers who experience value affirmation are more likely to complete ambitious or premium purchases.
The best sellers have the ability to understand buyers’ unspoken beliefs, feelings, and intentions, which helps them predict and influence buyer behaviour. Technology can support sellers by freeing up their time, enabling them to better perceive and address these human aspects of the sales process. Progressive sales organizations are shifting from a technology versus human approach to a technology and human approach, recognizing that both entities can bring out the best in each other to drive high-quality deals.
In summary, by viewing technology as a teammate and leveraging AI and other technologies, sales organizations can enhance seller productivity, meet buyers’ digital expectations, and create high-quality deals by combining the strengths of technology and human sellers.
