Beyond the hype: How sales leaders can build trust and value into AI transformation
By Deva Rangarajan
Visiting Professor of Sales Management
With promises that it can double lead generation and boost conversion rates, it’s no wonder that 92% of companies are planning to invest more in AI. But in reality, only 1% of sales organisations believe AI has helped them achieve true operational maturity.
So why are millions being spent on software that’s getting such uneven results? Two recent studies have revealed that it’s rarely the technology itself that’s the problem. It’s the friction that stems from human trust, organisational governance and the changing nature of sales.
Trust – the hidden bottleneck
There’s a common assumption that sales reps just need better software. However, research shows that adopting new technology depends on trust in four key areas – the technology itself, its outputs, the expected outcomes and how any system is deployed.
And trust is a double-edged sword. If sales professionals blindly trust AI recommendations, bad or incomplete data can automate errors. On the other hand, if they don’t trust the system at all, they second-guess every suggestion, creating cognitive overload and leading to system rejection.
Only 35% of professionals trust the accuracy of their organisation’s AI data. So rebuilding confidence in the technology’s outputs is critical for success.
It’s not just a tool upgrade, it’s a socio-technical shift
AI is fundamentally transforming roles across the entire sales funnel. In the pre-sales phase, for example, AI can accelerate lead qualification. But it can also increase the verification workload, as sales professionals need to double-check its outputs against their contextual customer knowledge.
Then, during sales interactions, real-time AI guidance can conflict with human decision-making – and make professionals feel monitored, rather than supported.
And as routine follow-ups are increasingly automated, the role of sales professionals is evolving. Rather than simply executing tasks, they need to operate more like “pilots” or “orchestrators” – navigating, evaluating and selectively applying AI insights while maintaining hands-on relationships with clients.
Investing in data literacy and hybrid evaluation
To succeed in an AI-enhanced world, sales organisations need to think bigger than basic software tutorials. To be able to critically evaluate AI suggestions, sales professionals need to be data literate. And they need to understand statistical logic, regression models and algorithmic boundaries.
Success criteria will also need to adapt. For example, if sales professionals are evaluated on traditional volume metrics, it could penalise people who invest time in complex, relationship-building activity that AI simply can’t do. Forward-thinking companies are therefore shifting towards hybrid performance systems, evaluating the impact of both AI tools and human relationship building.
So what does this mean for sales leaders?
To maximise value from AI, sales directors and managers should focus on three strategic actions:
- Define clear governance boundaries
Be explicit about when AI is used to advise and when it makes decisions. Give sales professionals permission to use their contextual knowledge and judgement to override AI recommendations. - Invest in sensemaking over software training
Train teams to interpret, validate and contextualise data outputs, rather than just navigate an interface. - Redesign KPIs for relational selling
Protect and reward the uniquely human elements of sales – including empathy, negotiation and building trust – while delegating routine admin tasks to AI.
Turn insights into practice at Vlerick
To navigate the intersection of technology, team trust and sales strategy, you need strategic leadership. Our Sales Management programme equips you with the frameworks, data-driven tools and leadership skills you need to master successful AI transformations – and build high-performing sales organisations.
Interested in the research behind this article? Check out:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) in sales organizations: the role of trust, by Rangarajan, Westphal, Habel, and Rutherford (2026)
- Understanding AI-enabled transformations in sales processes: A socio-technical perspective on the generative mechanisms underlying tensions, by Sathiskumar, Andersen, and Rangarajan (2026)