The Light At The End of The Tunnel
For 30 years, I sold telecommunications systems, navigating the rapid shift from analog to digital and then to ISDN. At the time, ISDN seemed like the final frontier—a dominant design that redefined how businesses communicated. But I saw what was coming. Traditional telecom manufacturers, the titans of the industry, were about to be blindsided by competitors they never saw as a threat. Cisco, a company known for networking, suddenly became a telecom powerhouse. Others followed, and before long, the old guard was either adapting or being left behind.
The light at the end of the tunnel wasn’t a beacon of hope. It was an onrushing locomotive, barreling toward those of us who clung to the traditional model. Some saw it too late. Others refused to believe the change was real. They were crushed under the weight of the new reality.
But it wasn’t just the technology that changed—it was the way businesses managed their systems. What was once a matter of business services—PBXs, telecom contracts, and hardware maintenance—evolved into IT management. Companies no longer wanted to deal with separate telecom vendors; they wanted fully integrated, software-driven solutions. The CIO, not the telecom manager, became the key decision-maker. And those of us who didn’t adjust found ourselves talking to the wrong people, selling the wrong solutions, in a world that had already moved on.
Today, sales is at the same moment of reckoning. But this time, the threat is bigger, faster, and far more disruptive. AI is coming for sales. Speeding down the track. And if you think you have time to wait and see how things shake out, I have news for you—you don’t.
The Cost of Standing Still
In the telecom days, the ones who lost were those who dismissed the shift. They believed customers would always want the same familiar systems. They thought relationships alone would sustain them. They were wrong. Buyers wanted better technology, faster service, and lower costs. And they got it—from someone else.
Sales today is no different. AI-driven platforms are automating prospecting, follow-ups, content personalization, and even negotiations. Buyers are becoming more independent, relying less on human sales reps and more on AI-driven insights and self-service options. The sales reps who believe their experience, charm, or network will protect them are the ones standing on the tracks.
Just like businesses moved telecom under IT management, AI is shifting the control of sales from individual reps to automated, data-driven systems. Sales professionals who once managed their own pipelines and outreach will soon find AI systems doing it faster and more effectively. The companies that embrace AI-driven sales processes will dominate. The ones that don’t will become obsolete.
Get On Board or Get Run Over
There are two types of sales professionals right now: those who are learning AI and those who will be replaced by it. You don’t have to become a machine, but you do have to understand how to use AI-driven insights to stay ahead. You need to leverage AI for smarter outreach, better pipeline management, and more efficient deal closures.
This isn’t the future—it’s happening now. AI is the new dominant design in sales, just as ISDN was in telecom. The ones who move fast will thrive. The ones who hesitate will fade into irrelevance.
I saw the locomotive coming once before. This time, I’m not standing on the tracks. The question is: Are you?