Artificial intelligence in business-to-business sales : the reformation of the selling processes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been described as the 4th industrial revolution. AI technology has brought changes in all aspects of business, and sales are no exception. AI technology is changing how customers are buying and how salespeople should sell. These significant changes have made its way to business-to-business selling, capture the attention of researchers' in the field of B2B sales and marketing to understand the aspects of changes in how these technologies are changing B2B sales. This study is part of a project called ROBIN, implemented by the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, to study the phenomenon of using digital tools, AI, and automation technologies in B2B sales in cooperation with Business Finland, Tampere University, and in close collaboration with company partners. This study aims to understand how the technological phenomenon of artificial intelligence reform business-to-business sales processes by investigating through systems and tools that have developed to automate selling processes and support the salespeople's duties. This study also aims to develop an evolved selling model for B2B sales context to demonstrate the influence of AI technology on the selling processes. Using the traditional 7th steps of selling as a control model. The study involved 3 companies in the field of developing and distributing AI technologies tools and systems, which are used in B2B selling context. The study also involved 5 salespeople working for different companies, in the field of B2B sales. All the study sample are based in Fin-land. The empirical data was collected via interviews with a person of contact of the sample companies participating in ROBINS project. A semi-structured interview approach was used to collect empirical data from the salespeople during June and August 2020. The study results showed that B2B sales processes under the influence of AI technology comprise of four steps: (1) prospecting and researching, (2) engaging and presenting, (3) negotiating and closing, (4) relationship enforcement. The selling processes were found to become short in steps, activities, and time. Results also showed that salespeople are not adapting to the quick changes in AI technology. Many salespeople still practice the traditional methods of selling in B2B sales activity. The study concluded that AI technology, through the various aspects of tools and forms, was reforming the B2B sales processes. The reformation of the AI technology on the B2B sales is a fact. The early sales steps showed more disruption of AI technology than the later ones