04Smarter Selling State of Sales 23 Intelligent Sales Takes Off While current adoption may still be low, Successful Teams Work to Master the New Intelligent Process the select forward-thinking teams that Top teams are adept at implementing a smarter, faster sales process. For example, high-performing have already integrated automation and sales teams are 2.8x more likely to be outstanding or very good at predictive intelligence. intelligence into their process are seeing drastic results. Mastery of these next- generation capabilities is setting the high Percentage of Sales Teams Who Are Outstanding High Performers vs. performers apart from the laggards. or Very Good in the Following Areas Underperformers Configure, price, quote (CPQ) processes; Configure, price, quote (CPQ) process (e.g., process automation; and predictive configure complicated product offerings, price 75% 2.3x intelligence give top teams the them in the correct way, and create fast /accurate 49% more likely to quotes based on that information) be outstanding advantage by creating a streamlined 33% or very good process with the added ability to be proactive in their workflows. As more teams become bullish on smarter tech, Predictive intelligence (e.g., using data to 70% 2.8x the sales industry will experience an recommend next steps, help make insightful 42% more likely to decisions, and alert sales to relevant insights) be outstanding entirely new way of selling — predictive. 25% or very good Process automation (e.g., technology used 70% 2.7x to automate sales-related tasks like data entry, 44% more likely to report generation, etc.) be outstanding 26% or very good High performers Moderate performers Underperformers Salesforce Research