Sales intelligence stems as much from technological advancements (increasingly powerful CRMs, Big Data…) as from new customer demands. In both the B2B and B2C sectors, the role of sales professionals is evolving along with their tools and practices.
How will developments in sales intelligence transform the sales profession in the coming years?
What is Sales Intelligence?
Sales intelligence refers to the set of tools and techniques used to collect and process relevant data on your customers and prospects. These tools can include CRMs or marketing automation software, and primarily rely on data collected online.
Halfway between Big Data and sales process automation, sales intelligence is far from over. The most recent technological advancements, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, could well disrupt the traditional practices of sales organizations. But then, what will become of sales professionals (and their managers)?
A Sales Function on the Verge of Extinction?
In this constantly evolving technological context, the sales function may seem at risk. In the banking sector already, the first artificial intelligence robot, Watson, assists thousands of customer advisors, by relieving them of the simplest tasks. Are sales professionals therefore the next endangered species?
It seems unlikely that all sales organizations will be replaced by armies of intelligent robots. However, the introduction of these new tools within sales forces will contribute to the evolution of the sales function. Indeed, it will have to meet new criteria, among which mastery of sales intelligence tools and specialization will play an important role.
The Sales Professional 3.0 Profile
To adapt to new sales methods, and particularly to the principles of sales intelligence, sales professionals must expect to see their profession evolve significantly.
And it is primarily prospecting that will bear the hallmarks of this change. A major, and sometimes priority, activity for the Sales Professional 2.0, it is destined to be handled by increasingly powerful software—whether in the form of a CRM or integrating artificial intelligence.
Customer data processing and analysis will also be delegated to sales intelligence tools, thus allowing sales professionals to focus on their advisory role—or even expert role. Sales forces will therefore be called upon to handle complex sales processes, with new technologies taking over the simplest tasks. They will also need to demonstrate their mastery of technological tools, from the most advanced CRMs to the extended functionalities of social networks.
Methods such as social selling or lead scoring should finally become established in the long term, streamlining customer journeys while profoundly changing the sales profession.
Your role as a manager should lead you to constantly question the sales function, to understand its evolutions and the needs of your team members. Don’t hesitate to ask your sales team about its future, what they expect from it, and any concerns that arise.