Is AI a Bigger Threat To Sales Managers?

I've read a lot of articles suggesting that AI will take away a large chunk of sales roles by 2020. Technology is now rapidly changing the way people buy with the internet and artificial intelligence creating more online based transactions thus slowly removing the need for physical sales people.

Whilst we are already seeing AI transform the buyer journey I can't help but think....

Is AI a bigger threat to sales managers?

If you look at how AI is being used within the sales industry itself it appears to be taking on the tasks of a sales manager and in doing so, removing the need for them all together. Let's look at some of the ways AI is being used and could be used in a sales management function:

• Smart Forecasting - CRM's can now produce far more accurate forecasts based on data and not feeling. Using previous data and results the CRM can create a much greater picture on where you're likely to finish.
• Webinar Monitoring - Software can now record and watch your prospect/customer webinar conversations and provide feedback on them. It will tell you missed opportunities, whether you talked too much, asked enough questions, missed buying signals etc.
• Activity Monitoring - Your CRM is already managing your activity so how long before it manages you on it through reminders and messages?
• Email Monitoring - We already have tech that is creating email content for your sales emails but how long before software reads, reviews and provides feedback on them?
• Social Content Creation - With the rise of social within the sales process we now have software that creates social content for you to share with your prospect.
• Customer Research - We also have sites now that find content relevant to your prospect doing your research for you.
• Sales Training - You can already do plenty of sales training through E-Learning functions but how long before an AI bot is live teaching or webinar hosting?
• Motivation - One of the biggest challenges in sales is keeping the team motivated. You can follow plenty of social pages full of motivation but it can't be long before it's built into your CRM providing regular boosts that are programmed to come at times where they are needed (when bad call feedback is recorded, key time points etc).

Now I sit in 2 minds on whether I think AI will take away the role of a sales manager. On the one hand we have a lot of BAD sales managers out there who are having a severely negative impact on the sales industry as a whole. Building software and technology that creates data driven and accurate sales management is a great opportunity.

On the other hand there are a lot of functions that a sales manager has that can't be data driven or programmed. Coaching, personal 1-2-1's, leadership relationships can't be replaced by technology and will always be key to driving real performance. In the same way that people buy from people, leadership will always be based on a personal relationship.

It's all about enhancing the process...

In my opinion it's all about enhancing the process. Social media (social/digital selling) isn't replacing sales but enhancing it for sales people. AI won't replace good sales people but enhance their ability to sell effectively. The same applies for sales managers, AI won't replace good sales managers but it will massively enhance what they do. By taking over parts of the role that can be programmed and will be more accurate through data, sales managers can put more time into driving sales people and ultimately driving results.

I think we're beginning to see a very exciting transformation within the world of sales, one that will create a new breed of super sales people and super sales managers. Technology and Artificial Intelligence will give us super powers and allow those who embrace it the opportunity to do 100 time more than they ever currently could!

What do you think?

How do you think Artificial Intelligence will impact the sales industry? I'd love to know what you think so please write your thoughts in the comments box below!

I hope you found this blog helpful and informative! If you enjoyed this post please do click LIKE and click SHARE to share it with your network, thank you.

If you enjoyed this post please take time to read some of my other recent posts.

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About the author: Daniel Disney is the Founder and Owner of The Daily Sales. With 15+ years successful sales and sales management experience, Daniel writes regular blogs on Sales, Traditional Selling, Social Selling, Sales Management and Personal Branding. With an overall social audience of over 140,000 followers and content reaching 7,000,000+ every month Daniel is one of the leading influencers in the sales industry. Daniel is available for Keynote Speaking, Sales Training, Sales Coaching, Social Media Consulting and Influencer Advertising. Check out his profile for more information.

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