Credit: Skynamo
If you’re worried about robots taking your job, don’t be. Salespeople aren’t so easily replaced.
In the early 2000s, companies tried to send out mass emails as a way of selling products to customers. But that just annoyed people as their inboxes consistently filled up with things they just didn’t want to read.
In 2011, at a Sales 2.0 Conference, the keynote speaker proclaimed that 15 million sales jobs could be eliminated by the year 2020 due to technology and forums. Threats have continued years after that this was going to become a reality, but as of 2019, this trend has not come to fruition.
But, currently, reports are suggesting that there needs to be an increase in consultant-type salespeople more than ever. It is expected that there will be a 10% increase in consultant roles by 2020. Artificial intelligence just can’t match the emotional intelligence, ability to build a rapport, inspire trust, and creatively solve complex problems that humans can. These skills are what employers are looking for in potential employees, not in robots.
Even though AI may have indeed eliminated some sales jobs, many more sales jobs have been created that were not around 10 years ago. AI is helping to look at data to target people who are more likely to buy as well as provide insight to those buyers. It is then the salesperson’s job to take it from there.
Salespeople today need to recognize the benefits that artificial intelligence can offer to them, but also realize that they can’t take their jobs. They can only help salespeople become better at their jobs. A good salesperson should be able to leverage this technology to help them lock down a sale.
This is a perfect example of how human beings and artificial intelligence can help each other to deliver the best products to their customers.
