People Still Buy from People – Even in the Age of AI.

We’ve all heard it before; I certainly have - “People buy from people.” And, honestly, I believe it still holds up, no matter how slick your CRM is or how smart your AI assistant gets.

In the Salesforce world, where automation and AI have become the default rather than the future (well... Maybe the future too), it’s easy to assume that human connection is becoming less relevant. But in practice? Relationships remain central to the buying process, especially in B2B environments.

Let me give you an example.

At a mid-sized services business using Salesforce Sales Cloud and Einstein, the sales team found that using AI-generated insights helped them prioritise leads more effectively. Great. But where the actual movement happened, the moment a deal shifted from "maybe" to "let’s talk contracts", was during a conversation sparked by a shared connection and a bit of industry empathy. It wasn’t AI that picked up on the hesitation in tone during a Teams call. It was a seasoned sales manager who paused and asked, “What’s giving you pause here?”

That’s the bit AI can’t do (yet, or maybe ever).

Where AI does shine:

AI, particularly in Salesforce’s ecosystem, is making the sales process cleaner, more efficient, and a lot less guesswork-driven. Tools like Einstein GPT and Sales Engagement help account executives (AE):

✔️ Draft personalised emails at scale.

✔️ Prioritise high-intent leads based on predictive scores.

✔️ Track buyer behaviour across channels.

✔️ Surface relevant product or service recommendations based on prior interactions.

All of this makes it easier for the human behind the screen to do what they do best: listen, relate, and respond with understanding.

As Salesforce puts it, “AI is a co-pilot, not the pilot” (Salesforce, 2023). That distinction matters. It means the AE doesn’t disappear; they get augmented.

People-first tech adoption:

Purchasing software, services, or solutions is not simply a matter of checking off a list. This is especially true in the mid-market, where buying decisions are often closely linked to trust. Customers want to understand what your product can do, but they also need to feel confident that you will be there to assist them if any issues arise. As a System Integrator (SI) Partner, how many clients have you taken on from a partner who was no longer available to provide support? I’ve seen many such situations over the years.

This is why AI will never replace the human dynamic in sales. It might help us get there faster, but it can’t do the actual talking, listening, or earning of trust.

How can this help others?

If you’re in sales, marketing, customer success, or honestly, anywhere in the Salesforce ecosystem, it’s worth remembering this: AI isn’t here to replace your role. It’s here to take the grunt work off your plate so you can focus on the conversations that really count.

And if you’re in leadership, maybe ask yourself: Are we equipping our people with the right tools and the space to stay human in the process?

What do you think?

How are you finding the balance between using AI tools and maintaining human touchpoints in your business? Has it helped? Or maybe you’re finding that some of the nuance is getting lost?

Would love to hear from others navigating the same space.

References:

Salesforce (2023) The Role of AI in CRM: Co-pilot, Not Pilot. Available at: https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/the-role-of-ai-in-crm/ [Accessed 18 June 2025].

Accenture (2022) AI in Sales: Augmenting, Not Replacing Human Interaction. Available at: https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/insights/artificial-intelligence/ai-sales-future [Accessed 18 June 2025].

Harvard Business Review (2021) Why People Still Matter in the Age of AI. Available at: https://hbr.org/2021/03/why-people-still-matter-in-the-age-of-ai [Accessed 18 June 2025].