These disruptions will drive significant go-to-market changes, as well as in the way businesses approach sales development and build customer relationships. Are you and your organization prepared for these disruptions?
B2B Sales Process Change Management
The first disruption identified by Gartner is the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in sales.
AI can analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately, allowing sales teams to identify key trends and insights that can inform their strategies.
Most important, AI can also be used to automate routine workflow tasks, freeing up time for salespeople to focus on more high-value activities.
Another disruption is the rise of customer experience (CX) as a key differentiator for businesses.
Companies that prioritize CX are more likely to retain and attract customers, as well as drive higher levels of loyalty and advocacy. As such, sales teams will need to focus on delivering personalized, experiences to customers in order to stay competitive.
The third disruption is the growing importance of digital channels in the sales process.
With more and more buyers turning to the internet for research and purchasing decisions, businesses must ensure that their online presence is engaging. This includes having a well-designed website, an active social media presence, and the ability to deliver omnichannel customer experiences.
The fourth disruption is the increasing use of virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) in sales.
AR and VR allow sales teams to demonstrate products and services in a more immersive and interactive way, helping to build stronger relationships with customers. They can also be used to provide training and support to sales teams, improving their knowledge and skills.
The fifth disruption is the growing trend toward subscription-based models, including Software as a Service (SaaS).
With the rise of subscription services in sectors such as media, software, and retail, businesses are increasingly turning to this model to generate recurring revenue streams. Sales teams must be skilled in selling subscription services, as well as in managing and retaining these customers over the long term.
The sixth disruption is the increasing use of analytics and data-driven decision-making in sales.
With access to vast amounts of data, sales teams can better understand their customers, identify key trends and opportunities, and optimize their sales strategies. This requires salespeople to have strong analytical skills and be comfortable working with data.
Finally, Gartner identifies the increasing importance of sustainability and social responsibility as key disruptions.
Buyers are becoming more socially and environmentally conscious, and businesses that prioritize sustainability and social responsibility are more likely to win customer loyalty and trust. Sales teams must be able to communicate the sustainability and social impact of their products and services in order to appeal to this increasingly important buyer segment.
Overall, these seven technology disruptions are expected to significantly impact the sales process in the coming years. According to the Gartner assessment, leaders that are able to adapt and embrace these changes will be well-positioned to succeed in a rapidly evolving market.
Effective B2B Value-Selling Evolution
That said, I foresee a growing need for B2B sales leaders to embrace value-selling methodologies that enable sellers to achieve the most important aspect of selling complex high-impact SaaS services.
Technology-based solutions can augment human talent and thereby enable enterprise account executives to better fulfill the buyer's requirement for customized information and guidance that they need to create a compelling business case for their project. This is the role of Value Realization.
Today's large enterprise software solution selling scenarios require that sales teams are skilled and experienced in developing a compelling business case for all members of the typical buyer's committee -- including the Line of Business (LoB) leaders, legacy IT decision-makers, and key members of the C-suite.
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