The article “What Salespeople Get Wrong About Using GenAI” from Harvard Business Review discusses the misuse of AI by salespeople and possible remedies. Companies increasingly turn to AI, especially GenAI (General Artificial Intelligence), to scrutinize customer data and predict customer behavior. However, most salespeople are struggling with the technology, mainly due to a lack of understanding about how to utilize it properly.
The common mistakes made by salespeople include treating AI as a magic bullet for all sales problems and expecting it to act like a human being. By focusing exclusively on the technology aspect, salespeople often overlook crucial human elements like trust-building, listening, and empathy that can’t be replaced by AI. The article points out that salespeople should use AI to handle routine tasks, freeing them to connect on a deeper level with customers.
Technology experts suggest better collaboration between human and AI partners, wherein the salespeople don’t completely hand over their jobs to AI. Rather, they need to understand how the AI algorithm works and leverage that to act upon leads intelligently. It’s important for salespeople to learn when and where to use AI so that they can make the most out of this technology. The article emphasizes the importance of training salespeople to use AI tools in a way that complements their soft skills.
Managers, bosses, owners, team leaders, salespeople, technology researchers and professionals, academicians in sales, technology and management fields, and even students should read this article. It provides insights into how salespeople can capitalize on AI-based tools effectively while underlining the significance of the human element in sales. Learning how to strike a balance between technology and human intervention will not only enhance sales performance, but also lead to improved customer relations.
Read the whole story here: [https://hbr.org/2023/12/what-salespeople-get-wrong-about-using-genai](https://hbr.org/2023/12/what-salespeople-get-wrong-about-using-genai)
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