IDC FutureScape: Worldwide B2B Sales Leadership 2025 Predictions
This IDC study provides the 2025 top 10 predictions for B2B sales leadership."The future of sales technology brings with it opportunities to blend human intuition with technological innovation," says Michelle Morgan, research manager, Sales Force Productivity and Performance at IDC. "Organizations that effectively harness these intelligence systems will turn real-time insights into immediate action and competitive advantage, transforming sales from a human-driven art into a data-empowered science."
IDC FutureScape Figure
Executive Summary
IDC FutureScape Predictions
Summary of External Drivers
Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers
Prediction 1: By 2027, 60% of All G500 Organizations Will Use AI to Significantly Enhance Lead Scoring and Pipeline Management by Analyzing Customer Data and Behavior Patterns with Greater Precision
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 2: By 2028, 30% of F500 Will Utilize AI to Create Personalized Sales Quotas That Are Precisely Aligned with Each Salesperson's Potential and Market Conditions
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 3: To Drive Increased Sales of Service Product Offerings, 65% of G500 Organizations Will Introduce Dashboards, Gamification, and New KPI Specific to Aftermarket Services by 2027
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 4: By the End of 2025, 75% of G1000 Companies Will Mandate Sales Teams Communicate with Customer Service and Aftermarket Service Leaders in Advance of Renewal Discussions to Align Value Proposition
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 5: By 2027, 63% of G2000 Companies Will Reduce CRM Spending, Opting for More Advanced Data Tools (CDPs and Data Lakes), Diverse Sources (Third-Party Signals and ID Resolution), and AI-Powered Interfaces
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 6: By 2029, AI-Driven Automation Will Empower 52% of G2000 Companies to Adopt Immersive Technologies to Reimagine Customer Engagement and Foster Deeper Connections
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 7: By 2027, Bidirectional GenAI Will Push 80% of F500 to Create Bifurcated Sales Journeys Based on Whether They Are Interacting with a Human or a Bot Deployed by a Buyer
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 8: By 2028, 50%+ of the CPQ Market Will Be Dominated by Much Larger RLM Offerings That Are Designed for Easier Integration, Data Management, and GenAI-Enabled Automations
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 9: By 2026, 50% of Enterprises Will Have Assimilated Data for Account-Level Transparency Enabling Contact Center and Sales to Remain Specialists in Their Function But Maintain a Life-Cycle Perspective
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 10: By 2028, 25% of Customer Service Agents Will Have Evolved into the Role of Concierge to Customers, Bridging the Gap Between Quota Earning Roles, Sales and Customer Success, and Pure Service
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Advice for Technology Buyers
External Drivers: Detail
AI-Driven Business Models — Moving from AI Experimentation to Monetization
The Drive to Automate — Toward a Data-Driven Future
AI-Driven Workplace Transformation — Building Tomorrow's Workforce Today
Responsible and Human-Centric Technology — Ethics in the Enterprise
Battling Against Technical Debt — Overcoming Hurdles to IT Modernization
Customer Experience Squared — Consumer and Citizen Expectations for Digital Services
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