The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a gamechanger in many industries. Quite recently, we’ve seen the gradual rise of AI, as it’s slowly taking over processes, from customer service to back-office down to the workforce.
AI has already impacted sales and marketing as well. Speaking of sales, AI is making its move towards progress—what’s with some sales automation tools and innovative cold calling technologies coming out.
The question is: Will sales automation soon replace salespeople? Keep reading to learn more about how sales automation tools can impact your business.
The Impact of Sales Automation Tools
More companies are starting to invest in technology for sales. The idea that this technology will replace salespeople isn’t far-fetched to happen. Although the idea that automation will replace salespeople is still uncertain, two things are clear about AI:
- Business: Sales automation is essential for scalable growth in business. The advancement in technology will make a lot of processes more streamlined, more efficient, and more results-oriented.
- Salesperson: Sales automation is meant to assist salespersons, not replace them. As for now, these automation tools are designed to streamline salespersons’ activities, so they can do more with their time.
Status Quo of Sales Industry
Sales are paramount in any business. Many sales teams are facing some challenges, including a decline in sales due to disorganized and inaccurate sales activities.
For instance, some sales professionals still rely on pen and paper to track their work. Such an example makes sales departments underperforming due to the underutilization of technologies. It’s best to implement the use of technology to its full effect, so sales teams can fully take advantage of its many potentials.
The Rise of AI and Use of Cold-Calling
In line with the current status of the sales industry, we’ve also witnessed some companies starting to use AI and cold-calling technology.
Take scheduling appointments, for example. A scheduling tool can help your business automate the whole sales process, making calendars synced, scheduled, checked out, and tracked. Secondly, chatbots are also being utilized for basic sales information. Consider the release of the Google Duplex AI showing full conversations with humans.
Third, the use of AI technology for cold-calling is happening now. It can arrange follow-up appointments, schedule these in the calendar, and document the conversation. Finally, some AI tools can be used for key decisions around your sales process.
Balance Between Automation and Human Intervention
As advanced as automation tools have become, however, they aren’t always the right solution. This means that they can only do so much, as far as sales activities are concerned.
Work remains for people in sales who have to deal with specific complex problems and communicate the value offered by their solution. Ultimately, automation is best utilized when it allows salespeople to focus on their core function, instead of handling other tasks that take so much of their time.
Final Words
The use of AI for automation will continue to flourish among many businesses in the next few years. As businesses bank on its capability to improve workflow and processes, such as in sales, people still hope it won’t go to the extent of replacing their jobs. Striking a balance between automation and human intervention is the way to go for many companies.
If you’re looking for a sales automation tool to help you achieve conversions & sales, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.