AI tools to drive 15 to 20 per cent growth in trade sales: report

Artificial Intelligence can help companies increase revenue from general trade sales channels by up to 20 per cent, according to a BCG report, by improving sales planning, execution and customer engagement through AI-powered tools and automation

New Delhi: Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help companies globally increase revenue from general trade sales channels by 15 to 20 per cent, a new report has said.

The report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said AI-powered firms use cases in sales planning, execution, and operations including AI-powered sales companion and 24/7 digital sales agent to boost sales.

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AI can integrate structured data such as billing records and loyalty data with unstructured inputs including store images, handwritten notes and sales conversations, the report said.

Analysis of these inputs can help organisations generate insights and recommendations to support sales planning, store-level execution and operational decision-making.

AI analyses location data, footfall patterns, and store profiles to identify high-potential micro-markets, prioritise the right outlets, and tailor product mix and trade decisions for each individual store, the report said.

A smartphone-based AI-powered sales assistant can help sales staff plan their daily routes. It will pull up summaries of past retailer conversations, and recommend what to pitch at each store.

An AI-led 24/7 digital sales agent can engage retailers around the clock — capturing orders through voice calls in local languages, resolving queries, and sending payment reminders, which helps salespeople to focus on higher-value interactions, the firm said.

It urged automated back-end operations, with AI taking over billing, scheme settlement, financial reconciliation, and query resolution. This move frees up capacity across the organisation for more strategic work.

“AI allows companies to leapfrog stages of go-to-market maturity altogether. A business still relying on manual route plans and one-size-fits-all pitches can move directly to an AI-enabled model. For companies looking to transform their sales operations, the window to act is now,” said Parul Bajaj, India Leader – Marketing, Sales and Pricing Practice, BCG.

AI adoption can improve retail coverage, strengthen store-level conversion through more targeted sales conversations and help in higher-value product sales through personalised recommendations.

Organisations at earlier stages of go-to-market maturity can also move directly to AI-enabled operating models by replacing manual processes and basic digital tools with AI-powered recommendations and decision support.