Sales departments are the backbone of any company, responsible for generating revenue, building the company’s image, and fostering trust among customers. In the fast-paced world of sales, adapting to changing consumer expectations is crucial but also one of the most challenging tasks. So, in today’s article we will try to find out the challenges of Indian sales teams:
Post-Pandemic Sales Culture Shift
After the pandemic, sales departments have evolved to meet the changing needs of consumers. With the rise of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), many sales teams have integrated these tools to improve efficiency, productivity, and speed. These technologies help reduce the burden of repetitive tasks, allowing sales teams to focus on more strategic activities.
For example, AI is now behind the personalized messages you receive from apps like Zomato and Swiggy. You might get a playful notification from Swiggy, like “happiness is just like turkish ice-cream, haath hi nahi aa rahi,” all thanks to AI.
AI Adoption and Security Concerns
According to Salesforce’s State of Sales report, 89% of Indian sales teams have fully integrated AI or are experimenting with it, while the remaining 11% are still evaluating the technology. AI has helped improve data quality and accuracy for many teams. However, the biggest challenge in implementing AI is consumer concerns about security.
Rising Customer Expectations
The report also highlights a significant shift in customer expectations, especially after the pandemic. In 2024, 65% of sales professionals in India identified changing customer expectations as a major challenge, compared to just 7% the previous year.
Sales teams worldwide are finding it increasingly difficult to connect with customers, spending only 27% of their workweek interacting with them. This limited interaction time, coupled with intense market competition, makes it hard for sales teams to meet their targets. In India, 57% of sales teams reported that competition has become more challenging since last year, and 67% of sales representatives believe they won’t meet their quota this year. Last year, 84% missed their targets.
Despite the widespread adoption of AI, Indian sales teams are struggling to meet the evolving expectations of consumers. Security concerns, rising customer demands, and intense competition in the marketplace are significant hurdles. While AI has brought improvements, it’s clear that sales teams need to continue adapting and finding new ways to connect with customers to achieve their goals.
