Selling in a digital age

21st September 2017 |   Nick de Cent

Digital is set to disrupt every aspect of life including business. So what’s on the horizon for sales and what’s already here?

Selling  in a digital age

One day in the not too far distant future, a wave of technological innovation will transform society: for instance, brain-computer interfaces will replace keyboards; there will be intention-decoding algorithms; communications devices will be embedded in humans; and we will have lifelong avatar assistants – that’s according to the futurologists as Imperial College.1

Of course, digital disruption is no longer just on the horizon; it’s here today as leading organisations seek to remodel entire businesses – not simply processes (as with the data-processing advances of past decades) – and this will transform employment. It’s no secret that many roles will be replaced by technology: elements of any job are automatable whether you are a sewing machine operator or a chief executive.

Equally, new roles will be created in developing, implementing and using this new technology. David Autor, Professor Of Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology has this to say: “Often people only think of AI boosting growth by substituting humans, but actually huge value is going to come from the new goods, services and innovations AI will enable.” 2

Founder of the International Journal of Sales Transformation | + posts

Nick de Cent is the founder and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Sales Transformation. A business journalist for over 35 years, he has been covering sales since the mid-1980s and has been a strong advocate of enhancing its professional status. He has freelanced for the Financial Times and edited the Sales Performance supplement in The Times. He also writes and edits extensively on behalf of corporate clients, including a Big 3 management consultancy and a top four global executive search firm.
Contact: editor@journalofsalestransformation.com.