Singapore sales professionals allocate only 29% of time to customer interaction

About 73% of sales teams have either fully implemented or are experimenting with AI.

Sales professionals in Singapore are only spending 29% of their workweek engaging directly with customers, according to Saleforce’s State of Sales report.

The report also said 66% of these sales professionals find adapting to changing customer expectations more challenging than a year ago, whilst only 9% believe it has become easier.

As sales teams globally increasingly turn to AI to boost productivity and personalisation, concerns about trust, data accuracy, and training remain prevalent. About 73% of sales teams have either fully implemented or are experimenting with AI, whilst 16% are evaluating the technology. 

Despite these advancements, the full potential of AI is hindered by issues such as poor data quality and integration challenges.

Sales professionals in Singapore specifically struggle with unreliable data, with only 17% trusting its accuracy. This problem affects key sales processes, including setting realistic targets (42%), forecasting (40%), and competitive intelligence (35%). 

Additionally, major obstacles in AI adoption include security concerns (38%), integration with existing systems (36%), and inadequate employee training (36%).

Global sales teams are also seeing improved employee retention, with turnover rates decreasing from 25% in 2022 to 18% over the past year. In Singapore, the turnover rate is slightly higher at 20%, but only 8% of sales professionals are actively seeking new employment.

Salesforce's "State of Sales" report surveyed 5,500 sales professionals across 27 countries, including 100 from Singapore.