Simplifying Sales Journeys

How sales journeys have changed since the pandemic

Sales journeys have shifted significantly since the pandemic, driven first by rapid digital transformation and more recently by the wide spread adoption of AI within business applications.

Today, B2B buyers are far more self-sufficient. With AI-powered tools and easily accessible digital resources, they can research, compare solutions and educate themselves long before engaging with a sales team. As a result, sales teams are now entering the process much later, often needing to focus more on adding value, validating decisions and addressing specific needs and removing risk from the buying decision rather than guiding the entire journey from the start.

This is reflected by a Gartner survey in 2025 which found that 75% of the buying journey is completed before a company is even aware of a buyer’s interest, with this proportion expected to grow rapidly due to the influence of AI answer engines.

The challenges salespeople are facing in the Channel

Channel salespeople have much less visibility into the early buying process, making it difficult to understand how buyers reach decisions, and facing greater variation in how informed they are before first contact.

The core challenge is alignment. As buyers now complete much of their journey independently, researching comparing and forming opinions before engaging with a salesperson, there can be a disconnect. Some buyers arrive highly informed and ready for detailed technical discussions, whereas others are still shaping their understanding. This variation is nothing new, but sales teams’ visibility of where buyers are in that process is much more hidden than before. In addition, journeys are rarely linear, with great variety in the number and nature of touchpoints along the way.

This means that it becomes harder to tailor conversations and position value effectively. As a result, sales teams must work harder to consider everything that happens before first contact, such as what the buyer has read, learned or assumed and adapt accordingly. This requires more preparation, better insight, tighter collaboration with marketing teams, and amore flexible sales approach.

There is also an ongoing shift in how relationships are built. While face-to-face interaction remains highly effective for rapport, a digital-first environment means sales people must rely more on virtual tools like video to create connections at scale, balancing reach with personalisation.

Finally, one of the most persistent challenges is simply knowing where to find customers. With buyers operating more independently, traditional prospecting is less effective. This is where AI is starting to play a role, helping to identify prospects and even acting as door openers for more standardised or commodity offerings.

How salespeople can adapt to this new digital-first sales environment

Salespeople need to shift both their mindset and their toolkit, focusing on alignment, data and smart use of AI.

The modern sales landscape is heavily influenced by digital activity that happens before any direct engagement, so working closely with marketing and support teams is critical. Strong alignment ensures sales people are aware of what content prospects have interacted with and can pick up the conversation in a relevant and informed way.

Salespeople can also make better use of data and CRM systems. While keeping CRM updated can feel like a chore, the latest tools like Tollring’s Analytics 365 integration with Red Cactus’ Bubble365 help by automatically pushing conversation summaries from across an organisation to CRM. This gives salespeople a clearer picture of the customer journey and a stronger starting point for engagement.

AI also plays a key role in improving efficiency. By automating routine tasks, such as capturing meeting notes and syncing them into CRM systems, salespeople can spend less time on admin and more time on meaningful interaction.

The new skills salespeople need to win deals,  increase sales and forge long-term relationships

Salespeople need to develop AI literacy as a core skill to remain effective in a digital-first, buyer-led environment.

With a wide range of AI tools now available, each with different strengths, sales people must be able to select and use the right tool for the right task. For example, one tool may be best suited for in-depth research on prospects or markets, while another may be more effective for crafting personalised, high-quality outreach to key accounts.

‍How channel companies can simplify the sales journeys with  technology

Channel companies simplify sales journeys by reducing friction for the buyer and increasing clarity for the seller.

The most effective approach is to focus on outcomes, not just activity. That means understanding what the customer is trying to achieve and aligning every interaction, across marketing, sales and support, to move them towards that goal. When this happens, journeys feel more coherent, relevant and easier to progress.

Technology plays an enabling role and the real value comes from using data and AI to create a clearer, shared view of the customer. When sales teams can see what has already happened, from digital engagement to previous conversations, they can engage with context, avoid repetition and move discussions forward more quickly.

Simplification also comes from supporting different buying behaviours. Some customers want a self-serve, low-touch experience, while others need more guidance. Channel companies that offer both, for example through digital marketplaces alongside consultative sales, can meet buyers where they are and reduce unnecessary friction.

Ultimately, simplifying the sales journey is about making it easier for customers to buy and easier for sales teams to add value. When both sides move with greater clarity and less effort, conversion improves and relationships strengthen over time.

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