Embrace AI’s Power While Preserving the Personal Touch in Sales
AI is transforming everything from matchmaking apps to lead generation, but is it truly helping build a loyal customer base?
Since the inception of AI, nearly all businesses are investing in this technology in small ways or are making larger investments. With leaders continuing to invest in AI, there are challenges that leaders are facing while implementing AI into sales. Since the access to this technology is easy, conscious consumers raise concerns about the originality of the product. For some, this pack of technology attracts positive returns, while for others, it is negatively affecting sales as a brand.
A new study at Washington State University (WSU) states the relationship between AI and consumer behavior. The study showed that companies that mention AI in their product descriptions see their sales drop. People believe that using AI in descriptions and sales (chatbots) can lower emotional touch and reduce purchase intention.
Let’s delve into insights about what professional sales experts say about using AI in their processes.
Sales Experts Opinions on AI
Sales experts share their insights on how AI is impacting the sales industry, highlighting both its potential benefits and the risks of over-reliance.
Grant Cardone
Cardone Training Technologies
Grant Cardone is the founder and CEO of Cardone Training Technologies. He believes that the personal touch that human salespeople provide cannot be replaced by AI. Cardone has warned that an over-reliance on technology may result in a lack of connection with potential clients, which is crucial for closing deals, even though AI can be useful for lead generation or automating repetitive tasks.
Jill Konrath
Jill Konrath Sales Strategies
Jill Konrath founded Jill Konrath Sales Strategies, a company that offers strategy development, sales training, and consulting services. Jill Konrath has discussed the potential risks of using AI to improve the efficiency of the sales process. While AI can be helpful in collecting data and segmenting leads, it cannot provide the same level of empathy or deeper insights that salespeople can during conversations. According to her, sales teams risk losing the capacity to have deep discussions with clients if they overly automate the process.
Brian Tracy – Sales Expert & Author
Brian Tracy International
Although technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), can improve data analysis and productivity, Tracy contends that knowing customer psychology and establishing trust are the cornerstones of effective selling. He has noted that salespeople must use their knowledge of human behavior to close high-value deals because AI may not be able to replicate human intuition or emotional intelligence.
How Is AI Affecting Sales?
Here are some insights into how AI might be hurting sales, as discussed by experts and industry leaders:
Loss of Human Connection
Even though AI is excellent at automating processes, it frequently lacks the human touch and empathy. AI-driven interactions can come across as robotic and impersonal. Fundamentally, sales is about establishing rapport and trust with clients. Customers who need human interaction may become resentful if AI takes over too much of the sales process, such as follow-up emails or customer service chats.
Over-Automation Affecting Sales Skills
Robert Bolder, Founder of Trackity said, when it comes to repetitive tasks like prospecting or lead scoring, salespeople run the risk of becoming unduly dependent on AI tools. This may lead to the loss of vital sales abilities, such as emotional intelligence and relationship-building, which are necessary for managing challenging sales circumstances. Salespeople may find it difficult to close deals in complex, high-stakes situations if they aren’t actively interacting with customers or assessing particular situations.
Bolder explained,
“AI algorithms depend on high-quality data, and this is essential to produce insightful results. However, AI systems can produce recommendations that are flawed if the data they are fed is erroneous, out-of-date, or incomplete. AI can also recommend products or services to a consumer that don’t align with their true requirements or preferences. This can irritate prospective customers and damage the business’s reputation, which will eventually hurt sales and conversions.”
Excessive Dependency on Predictive Analytics
James OWen, Cofounder of Click Intelligence said, AI systems employ predictive analytics to estimate the probability of a sale by analyzing past data. Although this can be helpful, if AI ignores variables that don’t neatly fit into patterns, it may result in lost opportunities. For example, a salesperson can pass up a lead because AI-generated data indicates a low conversion rate, but in reality, the customer can be highly motivated or require individualized attention, which AI ignores.
Job Displacement
David Magnani, Managing Director of M&A Executive Search said, concerns about AI replacing human salespeople are persistent, especially when it comes to routine customer communication, lead qualification, and prospecting. There may be less demand for entry-level sales roles as AI technologies advance, which could result in job losses or fewer opportunities for fresh sales talent. This can also lead to decreased morale and confidence among existing sales teams.
Reduced Flexibility and Creativity
AI systems are good at processing big data, but they usually lack flexibility, creativity, and intuition. To close deals, salespeople frequently need to think creatively, particularly in dynamic, complex industries. AI is currently unable to handle unique and high-touch sales that call for improvisation, creativity, and a thorough comprehension of human psychology.
Privacy Concerns
AI-powered sales tools use large volumes of data for data-driven results. Customers may become concerned about their privacy as a result, believing that their personal information is being misused or monitored.
Having this perception of people, sales organizations are at risk of losing customers and tarnishing their brand if they don’t handle data in an ethical and transparent manner. This has a direct effect on sales performance.
Read More: How AI Is Helping Small Businesses Get Off the Ground
Balancing AI and Human Insight for Sales Success
These challenges in AI-driven sales highlight the significance of striking a balance between automation, human interaction, and critical thinking, even though AI has the potential to simplify sales operations. Experts contend that rather than completely replacing human abilities, AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance them.
