When we talk to people about how our product helps managers make the most of the time they spend with their team, lots of them assume immediately that there’s some kind of AI element involved.
I can understand why, since in sales management we do use a lot of tech.
Even the smallest of startups use data tools for list building, CRM and so on. Then there are tools that you use for your day job (email, spreadsheets and that sort of thing), tools you use for deal/pipeline analysis, and tools you can use for coaching and performance improvement.
A lot of the fanciest ones are built around the next big AI/ML/Computer-can-do-your-job functionality and I’ve seen some pretty impressive results where software can bubble up potential issues from an overwhelming volume of data.
What could be more important, though, is recognising where you need a human to actually get the job done. Managing people is probably one of those times.
Your data can give you the indicator. But YOU need to do something to actually motivate and support your reps, give coaching on the right things, and put a strategy into play across the whole team.
If computer says no, should we say… it depends?