The Iron Cage of CRM: Are AI Tools Like Salesforce Hindering More Than Helping?

Selling in the Age of AI: A Salesperson's 'Artificial' Friend or Foe?

Greg's Words

Today's CRMs are not designed to help the salesperson sell more, be more efficient, or engaging.  Anyone who tells otherwise is selling something.

CRMs are designed to CONSTRAIN the art of selling by managing behavior to KPIs and best practices.  Today, more than ever, KPI's and best practices are old-fashioned and based on spent business models.  Measuring your ways against the way others in your industry is stifling creativity in a time demanding more innovation and expansion than ever before in history.

"Salesforce said its AI Cloud suite will cost $360,000 a year with an annual contract. Its trust tool will be available to use this month, while other generative AI-embedded tools will be available this year or next year."

CRMs do not help, they hinder.

Executive Points:

1. Despite the promise of efficiency and customization, CRM tools like Salesforce could be constraining the selling process rather than enhancing it.
2. There is a growing concern that these tools serve management oversight more than they aid salespeople in selling more.
3. Data privacy concerns and the potential misuse of AI remain significant issues that businesses need to navigate.

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Can the Socratic Method Help You Sell?

“I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think.” — Socrates

The world is full of advice. Our little industry is chock full of articles, studies, trade shows, blogs, podcasts, and analyst reports — not to mention more marketing materials than you can shake a stick at.

In fact, there are so many marketing materials it is difficult for prospects to sift through. Combine this with the day-to-day business stresses, and it is almost impossible for you to distill data streams into relevant information. The same goes for your prospects. How can you learn to do so and help your prospects do the same?  It is a daunting task, but one that separates you from the rest of the selling pack.

So, this is my idea – I suggest you employ the Socratic Method as a foundational philosophy.

I know what you’re asking. “How the heck can the Socratic Method help me sell more copiers?” Good question.

The Socratic method is a way of thinking and using probing questions to stimulate thought, expose assumptions, and reveal deeper insights.

This is not just a tool for philosophers; it’s a practical and powerful approach that will significantly enhance your business acumen and selling process.

 Here’s how:

#ReturnToOffice Mandates - Last Generation

The Office or the Home Office: The Great Workplace Debate

Responding to a fine article written by PowerMPS.  The report is accurate and presented in a neutral manner allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions - as I have done in the following response.

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I have strong and supported feelings and thoughts about this subject. 

Disney is wrong.  The MIT study reflects a false reality.  Corporate culture is a strawman. There is no such thing as work/life balance, there is just Life.

I've been having more and more conversations about RTO mandates, quiet quitting, commercial real estate, local businesses, city tax base, 15-minute cities, crime, the homeless, crumbling corporate hierarchies, the illumination of corrupt management policies, fake 'the company is your family' dogma, golden handcuffs, dumb politicians and stupid people voting for them, increased productivity, happier employees, less pollution, cities surviving on remote workers living in skyscrapers and working globally; on and on.  

Throw AI in the mix and one can no longer think out of the box because there is NO BOX.

Bottom line - companies want employees back for control and self-preservation.  Period.  "Corporate Culture" was a Trojan Horse.  Taco Tuesdays were manipulative and insulting.  Although I'm all for Adult Happy Hour in the office, I'd rather drink with real friends instead of people I'm paid to keep company  - er...that doesn't sound right.

Generational -- I believe the day when generational lines melt away is very close, for now, those arguing for a return to the cubes are of the Last Generation - Tick Tock.  

Or should I say, "TikTok"?

Check out our interpretation of the PowerMPS work.

Executive Summary:

1. In-person office work promotes collaboration, and creativity, and strengthens company culture, with research suggesting that face-to-face communication is significantly more effective for team collaboration.
2. Remote work offers flexibility, resulting in increased productivity and improved work-life balance, with studies showing lower stress levels and higher job satisfaction among remote workers.
3. The shift to remote work can unlock a global talent pool, enhancing workforce diversity and providing equal opportunities for career advancement and compensation.

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Bourbon and Business II

In this fast-paced 90-minute show, we discuss product sourcing, inventory selection, bar and staff prep, day-to-day bar operations, events, music, enthusiast pours, bar picks, infinity bottles, and more.

If you've ever wondered how it's done (or want to open a whiskey bar yourself), this is the show for you. Tap now to listen!

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1. What makes a great bourbon bar? - it might not be what you think.
2. Is a bourbon club a good idea and why?
3. Group palate evolution.  

The first time the bourbon club met, there were about 12 members and all they wanted to taste was Bourbon; not whiskey, not rye, and nothing too hot.  Eighty-proof was just fine and anything near barrel-proof off-limits.

After 24 months, we were tasting rock-n-rye, Old Forrester 1920 and beyond - 100 proof was a base, and tequila was just around the corner.  Should your establishment have a bourbon club? The answer is in three words, "Repeatable monthly revenue."

Our bar menu reflected lessons learned in the club and our sales grew with the rising tide of bourbon experience. We discovered a demographic and defined demand.

What makes a great bourbon bar?  Local taste.

From 2013. DOTC Prime - TheDeathOfTheConsultants, Remastered

Wandering the Wild Terrain of MpS: An Adventure Beyond Consultancy

...and here's a tale as old as the copier itself, from the summer of '13...

Quick Summary

1. Embracing a role beyond the traditional consultancy, we engage in a shared journey in the Managed Print Services (MpS) industry, aiming for partnerships rather than vendor relationships.
2. Proposing a fresh consulting model, we invite a joint venture where risks and profits are shared, challenging the conventional wisdom of industry benchmarks and highlighting the importance of unique, self-created standards.
3. Recognizing the need for continued relevance, we embed into the business culture to maintain a fresh perspective, acknowledging that providing value to others from outside can be challenging, but ultimately rewarding.

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The PC Revolution: HP's Vision of AI-Enhanced Computing

AI in PCs: Say Hello to Your New Spreadsheet Conversationalist

I was part of the "PC Revolution" - and then moving businesses off 'big iron' to local area networks.  No cloud.  5.25"Floppy install disks. Green and amber monochrome displays.

In a decade, the AS-400s evaporated and millions of desktops took their place.

I missed the beginning of the analog to digital(copier) evolution; another decade-long transformation. 

This one is different.

AI will live in the cloud BUT we will all have the opportunity to have our own, personalized AI Agent - our machines will need the newest, AI-optimized chip architecture...and this means every, single computer, laptop, phone, and smart device will need the newest microchip.

Today's devices will be obsolete in the blink of an eye, not in a decade.

HP, Nvidia, Intel...all of them no this.

Get ready.

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Ripple Effects: U.S. Import Ban on Ninestar and Xinjiang Zhongtai Shakes Office Tech Industry

When the ink dries up: The U.S. puts a cap on printer imports from Ninestar

Quick Summary of the Current NineStar Situation.

Big Win for HP - I wonder if their lobbyists had a hand in this.  It is difficult to predict the direct impact this will inflict on our industry.  Okay, maybe not that difficult.  More toner manufacturing plants here in the US?  Higher prices? Sure.  

BUT WHAT ABOUT LEXMARK?

Lexmark may be in jeopardy, Xerox had some dealings with Ninestar, and let's not forget Static Control.  

China is on the wrong side of so many issues - social, political, and economic.  This is just one more thing. 

Check out our take.

Executive Summary:

1. The United States has prohibited imports from Ninestar Corporation and Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co Ltd, over human rights abuses allegations in China, disrupting the U.S. office technology industry.
2. These sanctions are part of the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA), prohibiting imports from companies identified on a UFLPA Entity List, impacting the global supply chain.
3. The DHS has examined over $1.3 billion worth of goods likely manufactured with forced labor, highlighting the scale of the issue and its potential repercussions on the global office tech market.

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