State of Sales Introduction 5 Sales Teams Shift to Match the Connected Customer Mindset The road maps for the marketplace are Sales’ Influence on Business Strategy Execution Continues to Grow changing — customers are now in the driver’s seat of business success and Sales is becoming a more powerful, strategic voice within companies. Seventy-three percent of sales disruption. As seamless customer experience professionals say the attention paid to sales has increased over the past five years. becomes the North Star for companies across industries, the way businesses Percentage of Sales Teams Who Say the Role of Sales Has Increased operate is fundamentally changing. Significantly or Somewhat in the Following Ways Over the Past Five Years For sales, this means greater mindshare Attention paid to sales within and control over the business strategy companies 73% as an increased ownership of the customer experience is needed from every Influence of sales within part of the business. Sales departments companies 69% are now positioned to be the testing grounds for advanced technologies of the future, such as automation and Empowerment of sales within intelligence, to meet customers on their companies 65% turf. Leading sales teams empower reps with these cutting-edge capabilities to usher in the Age of the Customer. 89%of high-performing sales professionals say that empowerment of sales has increased over the past five years — 2.1x more so than underperformers. SalesforSalesforcce Re Researesearchch