Account planning tools (APTs) help B2B sales organizations improve sales outcomes such as revenue growth and customer retention throughout the customer life cycle. APTs help sales organizations in two unique and complementary ways. First, they improve seller precision and effectiveness by synthesizing information to provide a consistent, enhanced analysis of large, complex, multifaceted accounts. Second, they improve seller scale and efficiency by aggregating data from multiple accounts, enabling sellers to identify and prioritize expansion, upsell and cross-sell opportunities as well as risks to customer retention.
Sales force automation (SFA) platforms are AI-enhanced tools that streamline sales tasks, helping teams manage buyer interactions across various channels. By using AI, these platforms optimize sales activities with advanced analytics and actionable insights, improving contact, pipeline and opportunity management. AI features like machine learning and natural language processing enable platforms to predict customer needs, personalize strategies and guide sellers through complex processes. AI-driven tools aid in forecasting and decision making, allowing teams to anticipate market trends and customer behaviors. SFA platforms enhance the user experience for sellers, ensuring scalability and facilitating seamless buyer-seller interactions and shared customer experiences, and providing leaders with visibility. SFA is a foundational sales platform implemented to automate and augment an organization’s core sales processes while utilizing AI and advanced analytics. It enhances the seller’s ability to engage with customers on all interaction touchpoints and devices. It not only optimizes sales-relevant tasks but also provides actionable next best actions for improved sales contact, pipeline and opportunity management.