AI vs. humans: Who is the better salesperson?

1. Introduction

‍

2023: One topic dominates the media and business landscape: artificial intelligence. While the development of new technology is undoubtedly an overwhelming scientific achievement, not all people are enthusiastic about the rapid development.

‍

While one camp recognizes artificial intelligence as a huge opportunity, the other camp sees AI as a threat to jobs and people.

‍

Especially in the world of sales, AI is often perceived not as a friend but as an enemy. Many sales people are afraid of the development - the new technology is “a threat to human sales” or would “even make salespeople superfluous.”

‍

And yes, at first glance, the progress of the development of artificial intelligence in sales takes your breath away:

‍

- With the help of AI, companies can analyze the buying behavior of individual users and make predictions about future purchases.

- Chatbots accept customer inquiries and forward them to associated employees, resulting in a simpler and automated sales process.

- Artificial intelligence can analyze huge amounts of data in a matter of seconds, which would take a person several days.

‍

But to what extent does AI technology pose a threat to the sales landscape? How far can development progress and what are its limits?

‍

And the focus is on the most important question today: Will intelligent systems actually be able to replace flesh-and-blood sales employees for good?

‍

We discuss all this and much more in today's article about the strengths and weaknesses of systems and people in sales.

‍

2. Strengths and weaknesses of artificial intelligence and salespeople

‍

2.1. artificial intelligence

‍

In the introduction, we already talked about some potential use cases of AI in sales. AI is a fascinating field that is revolutionizing the way companies do business. This intelligent technology is based on algorithms and machine learning, which make it possible to recognize complex data patterns and draw insights from them. In the area of sales, AI shows its strengths in particular in analyzing large amounts of data and automating tasks.

‍

2.1.1 Strengths of artificial intelligence in sales

‍

efficiency

AI can perform repetitive tasks with high precision and speed, without fatigue or errors. AI can also analyze large amounts of data in real time and thus provide precise information quickly.

‍

No break

Because AI is based on “ones and zeros” and doesn't rely on sleep, it can work around the clock. It is therefore possible for her to accept customer inquiries, regardless of the time.

‍

Predicting customer behavior

AI can make predictions about the future buying behavior of customers based on historical data. Companies can adjust their sales strategies and reach out to potential customers in a targeted manner.

‍

2.1.2 Weaknesses

‍

Lack of emotional intelligence

AI systems can analyze data, but they lack human intuition and emotional intelligence. They cannot always interpret human emotions precisely, which can be decisive in certain sales situations.

‍

Prone to technical failure

Even though the technology is less susceptible to typical human error when analyzing data, for example, it is still dependent on human intervention for development and maintenance. AI systems can be affected by technical faults, software errors, or unexpected data changes.

‍

expenses

Implementing advanced AI systems can initially result in high costs, particularly for smaller companies. This could be a challenge, particularly for companies with limited resources.

‍

2.2 Sales representative

‍

In this section, we'll now look at the strengths and weaknesses of human salespeople and think about what their abilities and limitations look like compared to artificial intelligence.

‍

2.2.1 Strengths

‍

Emotional intelligence and empathy

Human salespeople can read emotions, listen between the lines, and respond to subtle non-verbal signals (which is very helpful during negotiations, for example). This emotional intelligence enables them to put themselves in the shoes of their customers and to better understand individual needs. Through empathy, they can establish a personal connection with their customers and thus create trust.

‍

Flexibility and adaptability

People are able to adapt quickly to different types of customers and situations. They can vary their sales strategies and conversation as needed. This flexibility enables them to adapt to different customers and offer effective solutions.

‍

Creativity and problem-solving skills

Salespeople can develop creative solutions to meet customer needs and overcome barriers in the sales process. They can find innovative approaches to persuade customers and create tailored offers that meet customer requirements.

‍

Finally, about the strengths of sales people, we would like to mention one important thing for the sake of completeness: To a certain extent, AI also has the mentioned strengths of people.

‍

AI models such as ChatGPT are already able to provide creative food for thought and to broaden their horizons. However, it should be mentioned that artificial intelligence is only ever based on past data and there are limits when it comes to creativity. People are able to function even without previous data. The creativity and adaptability of humans is therefore limitless and far superior to that of AI.

‍

2.2.2 Weaknesses

‍

Limited scalability

Human salespeople can only serve a limited number of customers at a time. Their capabilities aren't scalable, meaning they can be pushed to their limits in large companies with a wide range of customers.

‍

Susceptibility to errors and fatigue

In contrast to AI systems, humans are susceptible to errors, particularly when performing repetitive and monotonous tasks. They can also become exhausted, which can affect the quality of their interactions with customers.

‍

Limited data processing capabilities

Human salespeople can't analyze large amounts of data with the speed and efficiency of AI systems. This means that they may not be able to derive relevant information from complex data as quickly as AI systems.

‍

3. Does AI make salespeople redundant?

‍

Now that we've gone into detail about the strengths and weaknesses of AI and humans, it's time to draw conclusions and address the question of whether the strengths of artificial intelligence are sufficient to finally make salespeople superfluous.

‍

We have seen that intelligent systems are the unbeatable efficiency player, especially when it comes to data, and is clearly ahead of the pack. AI models also never get tired and can even work in the middle of the night while salespeople need their sleep to function.

‍

It could now be concluded that the question of the better sales representative would have finally been resolved. However, it is not that simple.

‍

Because the most important aspect is often neglected in this debate: Sales is an interpersonal profession.

‍

Data is undoubtedly an important point in the sales world, but it is not everything. It is primarily about customer loyalty.

‍

In order to be able to build long-term and profitable customer relationships, it is crucial that customers trust you. AI models may be highly intelligent and efficient, but they are unable to build a relationship with customers over the long term.

‍

To illustrate, here is a practical example: When you call a service as a customer, what are you more happy about when an employee answers or when you are greeted by a computer voice?

‍

-> People follow people.

‍

It is therefore of great relevance in this debate to look at sales holistically and not only to refer to the aspects of efficiency and data, but above all to highlight the interpersonal strengths of sales staff.

‍

4. Why a rethink must take place

‍

In view of the detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of both sales staff and artificial intelligence, it is clear that both sides have indispensable qualities. It is undeniable that AI systems are unbeatable when it comes to efficiency and data processing. However, it should not be overlooked that sales is not just a question of numbers and algorithms.

‍

A paradigm shift is urgently needed here. Salespeople shouldn't see AI as a threat to their existence, but rather as a transformative opportunity. By integrating AI, sales professionals can focus on their human strengths: interpersonal interaction, empathy, and the ability to build trust.

‍

AI can take on repetitive tasks, help salespeople do their daily work and spit out evaluations and analyses of customers and their potential, while the sales expert can fully concentrate on building long-term customer loyalty.

‍

In this way, working with AI results in less administrative effort and automatically more sales success.

‍

5. conclusion

‍

In today's world, where artificial intelligence is advancing relentlessly, it is crucial to look at the discussion about its impact on sales in a balanced light. The strengths of AI undoubtedly lie in its efficiency, the ability to quickly process data, and the ability to perform repetitive tasks around the clock. These qualities make it an unbeatable tool for companies that rely on data-driven decisions and automated processes.

‍

But sales isn't just a question of efficiency and numbers. It is an interpersonal profession that is built on relationships and trust. Human salespeople bring emotional intelligence, empathy, flexibility, and creativity to the relationship with their customers. These human qualities are irreplaceable and cannot be replicated by AI.

‍

The future of sales therefore lies not in pitting people against machines, but in cooperation between the two. Artificial intelligence can help salespeople focus on their strengths by relieving them of annoying administrative tasks and providing valuable data analysis. As a result, sales professionals can spend more time and energy building and maintaining personal relationships with customers, which ultimately leads to long-term and successful business relationships.

‍