Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to increase revenue from general trade sales channels by 15 to 20 percent for companies worldwide, as per a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). AI-powered firms are utilizing various sales strategies like AI-powered sales companion and 24/7 digital sales agent to enhance sales operations. By integrating structured data such as billing records with unstructured inputs like store images and sales conversations, AI can offer valuable insights for sales planning and decision-making.
AI’s analysis of location data, footfall patterns, and store profiles enables the identification of high-potential micro-markets, aiding in prioritizing outlets and customizing product mix for individual stores. Moreover, AI tools like smartphone-based sales assistants assist sales staff in planning daily routes and providing tailored recommendations for each store based on past interactions. The implementation of AI-led digital sales agents can engage retailers continuously, handling orders, resolving queries, and sending payment reminders, thereby allowing salespeople to focus on more strategic interactions.
The report emphasizes the importance of automating back-end operations through AI, streamlining tasks such as billing, scheme settlement, and financial reconciliation. This automation liberates organizational capacity for strategic initiatives, enabling companies to transition rapidly to AI-enabled sales models. Parul Bajaj, India Leader at BCG, highlighted that AI adoption can revolutionize sales operations, enhancing retail coverage, optimizing sales conversations, and driving higher-value product sales through personalized recommendations.
Companies at various stages of go-to-market maturity can benefit from AI adoption, with the technology offering opportunities to replace manual processes and basic digital tools with AI-driven decision support systems. The report underscores the urgency for businesses to embrace AI for sales transformation, emphasizing the immediate benefits of AI integration in sales strategies.
