New B2B sales automation tools are revolutionizing the way businesses are operating, enabling sales teams to work smarter, Save time and effort By leveraging AI. These days, companies are able to streamline workflows, enhance efficiency, and ultimately drive more revenue.
However, not every aspect of the sales process should be automated, some tasks still require a human touch to build trust and close deals effectively. In this post, we will discuss what you should automate and what to keep human in your B2B Sales processes, ensuring the perfect balance for sales success.
Benefits of Automating B2B Sales
Automating your B2B Sales processes enables you to increase the efficiency of your team’s effort. It enables you to…
- Save time on repetitive tasks
- Increase productivity
- Improve lead generation, management, and qualification
- Identify opportunities and problems you can solve for your prospects
- shorten your sales cycle by adding value for each engagement focusing on quality, not quantity
- Enhance customer experience
- Boost conversion rates
According to a study by McKinsey, automation can increase sales productivity by up to 30%. Additionally, HubSpot reports that businesses using automation for lead nurturing see a 451% increase in qualified leads.
With AI-powered tools, companies can automate workflows while still maintaining a personalized approach to customer interactions.
What to Automate in the B2B Sales Process
1. Lead Generation and Prospecting
Manually finding and qualifying leads is time-consuming. AI-powered sales tools can:
- Provide leads data and help you search faster using filters and AI Search.
- Use predictive analytics to identify high-intent prospects
- Automate cold outreach planning through email sequences
As mentioned in Gartner’s report, AI-driven prospecting tools can improve lead qualification accuracy by 50%.
2. Email Marketing and Follow-ups
Automated outreach planning and generating email sequences can nurture leads without requiring constant manual input. Tools like HubSpot or Mailchimp can:
- Personalize subject lines and content based on user’s info.
- Send follow-ups automatically after a set period
- Track open and response rates for optimization
According to Salesforce, 67% of marketing leaders rely on automation for email campaigns, significantly improving engagement rates.
3. CRM Data Entry and Management
Sales teams waste hours manually updating CRM systems. Automation can:
- Capture and input customer data
- Log interactions and track deal progress
- Provide real-time insights on pipeline health
Forrester reports that CRM automation can reduce data entry time by 60% while increasing data accuracy.
Traditional CRMs do not provide a comprehensive understanding of customers. Read more…
4. Appointment Scheduling
Manually setting up meetings creates unnecessary back-and-forth. Tools like Calendly and HubSpot Meetings:
- Allow prospects to self-schedule meetings
- Send automated reminders to reduce no-shows
- Sync with your calendar for real-time availability
A study by Harvard Business Review states that automated scheduling can reduce appointment booking time by 75%.
5. Lead Scoring and Qualification
AI-driven lead scoring and qualification features such as inside Axcieve’s platform ensure sales reps focus on high-potential leads by:
- Assigning scores based on prospect data and history
- Provide actionable insights and next-best actions
- Predicting purchase intent
- AI coaching feature such as in axcieve enable sales reps to be prepared for common objections.
As per a report by InsideSales, businesses using AI-powered lead scoring see a 20% increase in sales conversions.
What to Keep Human in the B2B Sales Process
1. Building Relationships and Trust
No automation tool can replace genuine human connections. Sales reps should:
- Engage in meaningful conversations to establish credibility and human connection.
- Build trust through authentic interactions, as humans whether they were customers or not prefer human to human relationships.
2. Complex Negotiations
While automation can assist with pricing models, human reps should handle:
- Price adjustments and custom deal structuring to fulfill unique client requirements.
- Negotiating terms and addressing objections, often require real time flexibility and persuasion.
- Closing deals with a personal touch, as major B2B deals frequently involve multiple decision-makers who need reassurance and confidence in their investment.
3. Personalized Sales Demos
Live product demonstrations should be handled by real people who can:
- Address specific pain points based on prospect feedback, making the demo relevant. However, sales reps can still use AI to analyze feedback and identify the next best actions and how to address these pain points effectively.
- Answer complex questions in real time, ensuring prospects receive clarity on how the product meets their needs.
- Adjust the presentation dynamically, as automated demos may not cater to unique concerns or objections raised during the session.
4. Customer Onboarding and Support
While chatbots can handle FAQs, high-value customers often require:
- Personalized onboarding calls to ensure smooth adoption of the product or service.
- Dedicated account managers who can offer strategic guidance and address evolving customer needs.
- Human led customer success strategies that drive retention and satisfaction, as personal support fosters long-term relationships and brand loyalty.
5. Handling Escalations and Objections
AI can detect sentiment, but human reps must:
- Resolve customer concerns empathetically, providing reassurance and tailored solutions.
- Maintain relationships with existing clients, ensuring continued satisfaction and upsell opportunities.
Best Practices for B2B Sales Automation Success
- Balance automation with personalization: Use AI to enhance, not replace, human interactions.
- Choose the right tools: Invest in AI Sales automation software for smarter analytics and actionable insights.
- Continuously optimize: Monitor automation of the process and tweak based on performance data.
- Train your sales team: Ensure reps know how to leverage automation effectively while maintaining a human touch.
Will AI Replace Sales Reps? Read our answer…
Conclusion
AI B2B Sales automation tools are really helpful when it comes to increasing sales efficiency and driving more results. but knowing what to automate and what to keep human is key to success.
Businesses can drive efficiency while maintaining strong customer relationships by automating repetitive, administrative tasks and freeing up sales reps for high-value interactions and communication with prospects.
Axcieve AI powered sales and lead Generation platform can help you get the most results from your sales process by providing all the AI Sales tools you need in one integrated platform. And the most important is that we have a free plan “Free Forever”.
Outreach.io pricing vs. Axcieve’s AI Sales Platform. Read more…