Podcast

Not Just Another Sales Robot – An Intro

In this episode of The Altify Podcast, we explore the transformative power of AI in sales with insights from Altify’s eBook, “Not Just Another Sales Robot.” As AI reshapes the sales landscape, the strength of human relationships remains crucial. We discuss how AI can enhance account planning by providing data-driven insights, freeing sellers to focus on building trust and empathy with clients. The episode highlights the importance of becoming a trusted advisor, leveraging AI to maximize high-value interactions, and ensuring successful AI adoption through effective change management. Join me as we uncover how AI and human intuition together create a powerful sales strategy in this rapidly evolving era.

Download the full eBook for more!

Not Just Another Sales Robot – episode transcript

Jeremy: Welcome to the Deep Dive, where we cut through the noise and get you straight to the most impactful insights. I’m Jeremy, your guide for today’s journey.

Sarah: And I’m Sarah, ready to help us connect the dots and provide that crucial context you need to truly grasp a topic. Today, we’re embarking on a, a special deep dive into Altify’s latest e-book, Not Just Another Sales Robot.

J: That’s right. This isn’t just about understanding the latest in AI. It’s really a strategic playbook for how you can leverage it, not just survive, but actually thrive in sales.

S: Exactly. Our mission here is to pull out the core wisdom for you. You know, how to embrace AI while really strengthening those timeless pillars of sales success. Especially those critical relationships and, um, smart account planning.

J: Yeah, we wanna show you how the account planning playbook is simply evolving. It’s definitely not disappearing.

J: Okay, let’s unpack this. We all know that change, well, change can be tough, right? A new job, implementing new software.

S: Oh, definitely.

J: But the arrival of AI represents what the e-book calls a sweeping change. It’s an unprecedented opportunity, something we haven’t really seen since maybe before the dot-com era.

How will AI change the landscape of modern enterprise selling?

S: It’s a huge moment. It’s genuinely reshaping how we think about sales, you know, from the ground up.

J: So what’s really striking here?

S: What’s fascinating, I think, is that even with this massive shift, the core principles of good account planning, they’re not just relevant, they’re actually becoming even more critical.

J: Hm, so AI doesn’t replace them?

J: Not at all. It elevates them. It makes the human elements, things like insight, trust, understanding even more valuable.

Becoming a trusted advisor in the era of AI

J: That makes sense. So in this, uh, fast changing world, the e-book really hammers home the importance of becoming a trusted advisor.

S: Yeah.

J: In an AI world with so much data flying around, how does that role actually evolve? Is it the same core principles or does AI demand a different kind of trust?

S: That’s a great question because it absolutely evolves. Being a trusted advisor fundamentally means deeply understanding your buyers’ unique problems.

Jeremy: Right.

S: And building that mutual trust to work with them, not just sell to them.

J: Okay.

S: Now, AI tools, they’re fantastic for digging up data, finding insights, pinpointing growth areas or potential issues.

J: All right.

S: But as the e-book really emphasizes, these tools aren’t enough in and of themselves to build an effective buyer-seller relationship. They just aren’t.

J: So the human is still key.

Sarah: Absolutely. The human seller is the interpreter, the one who shows empathy, the strategist. They connect those cold data points to real people, you know, people with real fears and hopes.

J: So AI helps you know more and know it faster, which then lets you be more for your client.

S: Precisely.

J: And the benefits of this kind of, let’s say, AI augmented account planning seem pretty clear in the e-book.

S: Correct.

J: First, it leads to deeper, more strategic relationships.

S: Yeah, that deep understanding unlocks new deals, novel solutions, things you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

J: Second, happier, more loyal customers. They become real advocates. And ultimately, this all drives accelerated revenue growth, really helps organizations hit those, uh, unparalleled growth rates by consistently delivering that exceptional value.

Account planning is a cultural shift

S: And if we zoom out a bit, connect this to the bigger picture, account planning isn’t just ticking boxes. It’s a real cultural shift.

J: Right.

S: It takes the right mindset, ongoing coaching, proactive change management, and yeah, the right strategic software too. It’s about winning more revenue through a really holistic strategic approach that weaves AI in naturally.

J: Sales has, well, sometimes lagged behind other departments in digital transformation, hasn’t it?

S: It has, yeah. Sometimes resistance, sometimes lack of a clear path. But the e-book suggests AI is really like sling-shotting sales forward. It says it’s accelerating sales several decades into the future.

S: And that’s because AI thrives on the kind of messy, unstructured data sellers deal with constantly calls, emails, video chats.

J: All that conversational stuff.

S: Exactly. It makes sales almost the perfect playground for AI to show what it can do.

J: And the huge advantage here?

S: The potential to just eliminate those hours of manually sifting through data that used to just crush sellers’ time, turn them into like data entry people. This gives an incredibly valuable time back to sellers. Time to do what they actually do best, sell, build real relationships, and become those indispensable trusted advisors, especially for strategic accounts.

Will AI replace sellers?

J: Okay, but there’s the flip side. A lot of sellers worry about being replaced by AI.

S: Of course.

J: There’s that Pew Research study found more than half of all workers fear being replaced by AI. How should we, you know, frame this fear, understand AI’s actual role?

S: It’s a totally natural fear. But, um, Steven Pinker, the cognitive scientist, he makes a great point. Viewing human intelligence as something to be like swapped out by AI, that’s just the wrong way to look at it.

J: So what is AI good at then, if not replacing us?

S: Well, this raises the important question, right? AI is a specific kind of intelligence hyper powerful at a particular kind of computation. It augments us. It enhances our abilities. It doesn’t replace our core intelligence. Think of it like a really powerful new tool in the toolbox.

J: Not a competitor.

S: Exactly, not a competitor.

J: And what AI is good at is frankly pretty amazing. It can analyze vast amounts of data quicker than we can. Just speeds we can’t even comprehend.

S: And things like large language models, trained on these massive datasets, they can generate text that sounds incredibly knowledgeable, like a knowledgeable professor, as the e-book puts it.

J: But there’s a catch?

S: Right. And here’s precisely where the human mind really takes over. AI falls short at seeing the big picture inherently. It just does.

J: How so?

S: Well, language models process statistical patterns in language they don’t know or understand the information they’re producing in the way a human does. They lack true comprehension. Humans, though, we get context. We understand motivations, intentions, and critically, we can think strategically creatively. We grasp the why behind the data, not just the what.

J: So if AI handles the what…… and maybe the how much– what are those uniquely human things that sellers bring to the table that AI just can’t?

Sellers can understand who the key players are within an account

S: Great question. Sellers are the ones who can really understand who the key players are within an account and what uniquely motivates them, the human stuff. The nuances. They can strategize, analyze those complex, often unspoken customer pain points and motivations. And crucially, they can find novel solutions to problems buyers didn’t even know they had.

J: Hitting the target no one else sees.

S: Precisely. Because they’re tuned into the human dimension, not just crunching beta points.

J: That’s a really powerful distinction. It makes the human element absolutely vital, doesn’t it? Especially in those complex high-stakes deals where relationships aren’t just nice to have, they’re often the deciding factor.

S: The ultimate deal-closer, often.

J: It’s a common mistake, the e-book points out, for sellers to get stuck just talking about the product, features, benefits, why it’s the best.

S: Yeah, the feature dump.

J: Right. But the e-book reminds us, it’s not really the product that seals the deal. The relationship is absolutely fundamental to success in sales.

S: It really is. And while AI is brilliant at data analysis, pattern recognition, automation, all that efficiency stuff-building relationships in sales, that’s fundamentally about trust, empathy, understanding, human connection.

AI doesn’t replace core human connection

J: So AI helps, but doesn’t replace that core connection.

S: Exactly. AI can augment it, give you insights to build better connections, but it cannot fully replicate them. Especially in complex sales, you need that unique human emotional intelligence.

J: Okay. Here’s where it gets really interesting for me. The e-book says, “As AI handles more transactional stuff, the routine tasks-” Yeah. “… sellers get freed up to focus intensely on high value interactions, which means they’ll actually need stronger interpersonal skills. Relationships become this, uh, beacon of authenticity, a cutting edge.”

S: Absolutely. In an increasingly AI-driven world, the value of genuine relationships actually escalates rather than diminishes. It goes up.

J: Why is that?

S: Think about it. Customers are getting bombarded by impersonal, automated interactions, algorithms trying to sell them things. So they genuinely crave real connection, real understanding.

J: Ah, so the human touch becomes scarce and therefore more valuable.

S: Exactly. Yeah. More valuable than ever. It’s a real differentiator.

J: Let’s look at relationship mapping. That’s a prime example of this human-AI interplay, right?

S: Yeah. Used to be kind of messy. Manual. Oh, totally. Sticky notes, spreadsheets- Yeah. … guesswork. Right. But AI dramatically transforms relationship mapping. It shifts it from that manual slog to being really data-driven, super efficient. It can synthesize huge amounts of data, visualize those complex influence networks, spot hidden patterns- who talks to whom, who really makes decisions. And it just accelerates identifying key stakeholders, and crucially, understanding their unique problems or motivations.

S: Imagine knowing who the real influencers are or who’s likely to champion your solution before you even make contact. That proactive insight changes the whole game.

J: So, in this AI era, maximizing every interaction with buyers becomes paramount. Every touchpoint counts.

S: Every single one. From a quick email to a big meeting, it’s an opportunity to build trust, demonstrate unique value, showcase that human expertise and empathy in a way AI just fundamentally cannot.

S: So while AI streamlines the process, gives us amazing insights, it just cannot replace the human element of building rapport and trust. That enduring value of human connection, it’s clearer than ever. It’s the bridge.

The importance of an AI council

J: Okay. We’ve established AI’s importance and how it elevates the human touch. Beyond just good account planning practices, how do you really stand out? How do you ensure success in this new landscape? The eBook points to two vital areas. Your people and your partners.

S: Right. And the winning play isn’t a massive data scientist hiring spree. That’s not the first move. As the e-book really strongly puts it, it’s about unlocking the latent potential of your current team. Find those people, those AI whisperers on your team. You know, the folks who just get it. They’re naturally good at crafting the right prompts, asking AI the right questions to get the best, most useful outputs.

J: Uh, prompt engineering skills.

S: Exactly. Invest in them, empower them, and they can really transform your sales engine from the inside out.

J: Leverage the talent you have. That’s smart. The e-book also suggests starting an AI security council. Why is that so important?

S: Because the Wild West days of AI experimentation are over, or they should be. Okay. This council brings some order to what could easily become a kind of digital free-for-all. It sets clear guidelines, vets the tools being used, prevents security nightmares.

J: Like what?

S: Like imagine an unvetted AI tool accidentally getting access to sensitive client data. Huge problem. The council helps prevent that before it happens.

J: Makes sense. What else does this formalized committee do?

S: Well, what’s fascinating is the range of benefits. It reduces risk around data security, obviously. It creates a clearer understanding across the organization of how AI is actually being used. Right. It helps establish a unified stance on how you talk about your AI capabilities and marketing. And it helps control the costs associated with just letting AI tools proliferate unchecked. It brings governance.

J: Governance for a powerful but potentially chaotic technology. And finally, circling back to a core theme, we need to invest heavily in an account planning practice.

S: Absolutely. This really needs to move beyond just traditional relationship management. It has to become a core strategic imperative.

J: Allowing for those proactive, data-driven strategies augmented by AI, giving that truly holistic forward-looking view of each client.

S: Exactly. AI empowers planners to get ahead of the curve, move beyond just reacting. It helps identify those intricate patterns in customer behavior, predict future needs, uncover hidden opportunities you’d otherwise miss..And that allows for truly personalized engagement, strengthening those long-term partnerships. It makes account planning much more strategic, much more predictive.

Why you need account planning software

So if human intuition is the compass and AI provides the map-… what kind of, uh, vehicle do we need? The e-book really focuses on account planning software here.

S: Yeah, the tech stack.

J: Out of all the options out there, what are the absolute must-haves beyond just, you know, a cool interface?

S: That’s such a critical question because remember, software is a tool, it’s not a strategy in itself. As the e-book says, without the principles in place, even the best technology won’t spark meaningful change. So you need tools that actually empower your strategy, not just sit there.

J: So what are those features? What genuinely delivers that impact?

S: Okay. First, seamless integration is absolutely key. You should look for software that’s 100% native to Salesforce.

J: Why native?

S: It ensures real-time data access, gives you that single holistic view of accounts, and you leverage Salesforce’s robust security. You’re not juggling different systems, different logins, data getting out of sync.

J: Got it. What’s next?

S: Second, a built-in sales methodology is crucial. The software should either embed frameworks like account-based selling, ABS, directly, or at least be highly configurable for others you might use like MEDDIC.

J: Metrics, economic buyer, decision criteria.

S: Exactly. That ensures a consistent proven approach right across your team. Everyone’s speaking the same language, following the same process.

J: Well, okay. Native methodology. What else?

S: Third, and this is where AI really comes into play, it absolutely must harness the power of AI. You need cutting-edge tools that integrate AI-powered workflows, data signals, things that genuinely enhance productivity and future-proof your efforts.

J: Like intelligent insights.

S: Yeah. Think intelligent prompts saying, “Hey, you should engage this person,” or, “Here’s a key topic to discuss based on recent activity,” or, “Now’s a good time to reach out.” Really actionable stuff. And finally.

S: And finally, robust relationship mapping. More than just an org chart, it needs to provide a clear visual representation of key stakeholders, their connections, track the strength of those relationships over time, maybe even integrate social listening.

J: Giving you that dynamic view of who matters and why.

S: Exactly. A comprehensive living map of the influence and dynamics within an account. These are the kinds of features that truly elevate human selling.

J: So it’s really about cutting through the noise, isn’t it? Distinguishing true innovation from just surface level stuff.

S: Absolutely. Invest in tools that deliver real tangible value, not just flashy dashboards.

J: And always remember, as the e-book stresses, even the best account planning software is just a tool in the hands of your sellers.

S: Yep. Relationships backed by solid methodology and empowered by the right tech, that’s what leads to bigger, better deals.

The importance of change management

J: Okay. We’ve covered relationships, we’ve covered technology, but now for what the e-book calls the truly Herculean effort. Ah, yes. Change management. This is where it gets tough, right? Where the rubber meets the road. All these amazing tools and strategies mean nothing if your team doesn’t actually adopt them, use them effectively.

S: You nailed it. To boil it right down, change management matters because people are a business’ most valuable asset, period. Mm-hmm. It’s all about successfully guiding your organization, your people through these major transitions, especially something as potentially disruptive and impactful as AI. If sellers aren’t properly enabled and supported to use it, the investment is just wasted.

J: So what does it look like when organizations get this wrong? When they fail at managing AI adoption?

S: Oh, it’s not pretty. Organizations risk missing critical opportunities, falling way behind competitors, seeing costs balloon unexpectedly.

J: And for the individuals, the sellers themselves.

S: You see demotivation, real skills gaps opening up, increased stress, burnout. For teams, you get patchy, uneven AI adoption. Communication just breaks down.

J: And organizationally.

S: Missed sales targets, unhappy customers, even erosion of the company’s reputation. It creates what the e-book calls change fatigue. Ah. This is constant churn that drags down productivity.

J: That raises the really important question then: how do we implement lasting AI change effectively without triggering that fatigue?

S: It’s about smoothing out the turbulence, you know? Yeah. Acknowledging that people have entrenched belief systems established ways of doing things. You can’t just drop new tech on them. We need to create a path forward that brings everyone along, makes them feel part of it. The e-book lays out some key requirements for success.

J: Like what?

S: Like simplicity in the new processes. Don’t make it overly complex. Fostering real belief and trust from your sellers that this will actually help them.

J: Not just add work.

S: Exactly. Providing effective and recurring enablement, proper training, ongoing support, and ensuring the tools and methods meet the needs of the full team, not just a select few.

J: Okay. Those are the requirements. What about practical steps? How do you actually do that?

S: It’s a good question. First, start slowly. Don’t try to boil the entire ocean at once. Pick one specific area to automate or augment with AI, prove the value, then build from there.

J: Makes sense. Pilot it. Exactly.

S: Second, ensure strong company oversight. You need buy-in right from the top, from executive leadership, and that AI governing body we mentioned, it should monitor usage, provide clear guardrails.

J: Keep things on track. Mm, right.

S: Third, engage sellers at every single step. Create a safe space for them to talk about how they feel about AI, understand how they might already be using it, maybe unofficially, get their input.

J: Make them partners in the change.

S: Precisely. And finally, provide tailored training and support, ongoing education, not just a one-off webinar. Maybe introduce incentives linked to adopting the new ways and really foster a team approach, celebrate the wins, learn from the setbacks together, move away from that lone wolf mentality.

J: We really do live in interesting times, don’t we? Yeah. This intersection of- Of course. … accelerating technology and, well, timeless human connection.

S: Absolutely. The opportunities are immense, but navigating it all requires more than just understanding the tech. It demands mastering that art of human connection.

J: Yeah. This deep dive has really highlighted AI’s incredible power to analyze, predict, automate done with breathtaking efficiency. It gives us, as the e-book says, a clear map and a fast vessel tasks to understand accounts in more detail than ever before, revealing patterns, opportunities we just couldn’t see before. But there’s a deeper truth that emerges.

S: Right. … as we wrap up this exploration. And it’s that the future really belongs to this seamless integration of both human and machine. It’s not one or the other, it’s the intelligent combination. That’s where the real success lies. AI provides the what and the when.

J: Right. The sophisticated instruments, the data points, the predictive models, all incredibly useful, but…It cannot chart the course. Meaning it can’t understand the unspoken anxieties of a key stakeholder. It doesn’t grasp the long-term strategic vision needed. It lacks the empathy to build genuine trust.

S: It can’t navigate the complex personalities and internal politics that often define a key relationship. That’s where the human comes in, for the why and the how.

J: Exactly.

S: Human intuition, human care, human strategy. And this really empowers the modern sales professional, doesn’t it? To transcend the transactional move beyond just talking features and price. And become truly indispensable strategic advisors, co-creating solutions with their clients, not just selling products to them. Think of the account plan then as this living testament. Yeah. Informed by AI’s analytical power, absolutely, but ultimately authored by human understanding and foresight. And client relationships become these carefully nurtured partnerships. Built on mutual respect, shared goals, the kind of thing an algorithm simply cannot replicate.

J: It doesn’t understand partnership.

S: So in this new era- Right. … that ability to connect, to understand, to strategize beyond just the numbers and to build those enduring partnerships-

J: Yeah. … it isn’t just important. It is the ultimate differentiator. It’s the anchor, the thing that secures lasting value in an increasingly automated world.

S: Ultimately, intelligence may be artificial, but the relationships and the success they foster remain profoundly human.

J: Wow. What an incredible journey through Altify as not just a- a- another sales robot e-book. Mm-hmm. We’ve really seen how AI is a total game changer, but, um, paradoxically, it puts an even greater premium on your unique human abilities. That’s the key takeaway, isn’t it?

S: Building trust, empathy, strategic relationships, those become even more valuable. If we connect this to the bigger picture for you, the listener, it’s really about harnessing AI as this incredibly powerful ally, allowing you to focus your energy on the high value relationship-centric parts of sales that, honestly, only you can deliver, making you that indispensable advisor to your customers.

J: So here’s maybe something for you to mull over. How are you currently leveraging AI to actually deepen your human connections, not just automate tasks away?

S: Good question.

J: What’s maybe one specific action you could take this week, based on these insights, to strengthen the key relationship in your sales pipeline, perhaps using AI to help you understand a stakeholder’s real motivators a bit better? Remember, Altify was founded on this core belief that strategic B2B selling puts the customer at the center. Offering that full service sales transformation powered by software. That’s the goal. To explore how Altify can help transform your revenue operations, definitely visit altify.com. Check it out. Thanks so much for diving deep with us today. We’ll catch you next time.