A new Salesforce report reveals that a staggering 89% of sales teams in India are currently utilising or experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI) tools. This rapid adoption underscores the growing reliance on technology to drive sales efficiency and personalisation in the country.
However, the report, titled “State of Sales,” also highlights challenges such as security concerns and data quality issues that hinder the full potential of AI in the Indian sales landscape.
Sales professionals across the globe are grappling with evolving customer expectations, and India is no exception. While 65% of Indian sales professionals find these changing demands more challenging than last year, they struggle to allocate sufficient time for customer interactions. The average Indian sales rep spends only 27% of their workweek engaging with customers.
Despite industry-wide challenges, employee retention in the sales sector appears to be improving globally. India, however, presents a different picture with a turnover rate of 34% in the past year.
Arun Kumar Parmeswaran, Managing Director – Sales, Salesforce India, emphasised the importance of balancing innovation with trust. “While AI adoption is promising, addressing security concerns and building customer trust are essential to unlock its full potential,” he said.
Salesforce surveyed 5,500 sales professionals across 27 countries, including 300 from India, to gather insights for the report.