IDC FutureScape: Worldwide B2B Sales Leadership 2024 Predictions

IDC FutureScape Figure

• Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide B2B Sales Leadership 2024 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

• Summary of External Drivers

• Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

• Prediction 1: To Engage Clients More Precisely at the Right Buying Moment, by 2027, 65% of G2000 Firms Will Equip Sales Teams with Real-Time Insights from Service Interactions Improving Leads from the Field

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 2: By 2026, over 30% of Organizations That Leverage Sophisticated AI to Produce Their Products or Services Will Disclose the Sources of Data Used to Train the AI Models Utilized

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 3: By 2026, 30% of G2000 Firms Using GenAI in CPQ on B2B eCommerce Sites Will Significantly Reduce Dependence on Salespeople and Accelerate Sales Cycles, Thereby Improving Profitability by 45%

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 4: By 2026, 37% of the G500 B2B Sales Organizations Will Shift from Pipeline Management to Orchestrating Experience in a Team of Teams with Data and Creative Content to Deliver the Right Engagement

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 5: By 2028, 70% of B2B Buyers in the United States Will Use GenAI to Help Them Discover, Evaluate, and Select Products and Services

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 6: By 2025, Sales Teams That Adopt GenAI Will Decrease the Time They Spend on Nonrevenue-Generating Activities by 45%

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 7: By 2025, Automation Across Lead Assessment, Opportunity Routing, and Content Generation Will Reduce Meaningful Lead Engagement to <1 Day in 60% of B2B Organizations

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 8: By 2027, G2000 Organizations Will Lead in Implementing AI Universally Across Customer Data and All Customer Interactions to Act on Customer Signals in Real Time for 30% Improved Revenue Outcomes

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 9: By 2025, 80% of G500 B2B Multinationals Will Have Experimented with the Delivery of Live or AI-Guided Shopping Experiences as They Expand into B2B2C Business Models

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 10: By 2027, 60% of First-Touch Sales Activities Will Be Handled by AI, Significantly Reducing the Need for Entry-Level Sales Roles and Requiring More Consultative Skills from Senior Sales Staff

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

Advice for Technology Buyers

External Drivers: Detail

• AI Everywhere — Generative AI Takes the Spotlight

• The Drive to Automate — Maximizing Efficiency and New Opportunities

• The Digital Business Imperative — Competitiveness and Outcomes

• Dynamic Work and Skills Requirements — New Work Mode Era

• Shifting Tech Regulatory Landscape — Navigating Risk and Opportunity

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• Related Research