The Salesperson Mindset: Speed of Technology Adoption

For sales today, a mindset is at least as important as a skillset. In our ongoing series on this vital topic, we have already discussed the qualities of self-responsibility, individuality, security, freedom and Network Selling.

Another vital part of the salesperson mindset, especially in the digital age, is the speed of technology adoption.

Technology Adoption Through Time

Technology can be adopted at a snail’s pace, especially when it comes to having that technology actually speed up production. A very interesting article in ERE details the fact that, for roughly the first 20 years of the heavy investment in computers and software (1970s to early 1990s), production didn’t increase at all. In 1995 it took a jump, and through the year 2000 averaged a 2.6 percent increase. Between 2000 and 2003 it jumped again, averaging 3.6 percent. It has now settled down to a 2.4 percent per year growth.

Another very interesting article in Harvard Business Review shows how technology adoption is speeding up. In one drastic example cited in the article, it took It took 30 years for electricity and 25 years for the telephone to reach 10 percent adoption. It took an additional 39 years for telephones to reach 40 percent penetration, and another 15 years before they were in most every household. Smartphones, on the other hand, accomplished 40 percent penetration in just 10 years.

Technology has continued to advance at an exponential rate, though, and people still cannot keep up with it. Neither, it seems, can society. In an example, it is the evolution of smartphone that made possible ridesharing companies such as Uber. All over the world, there are cries (mostly from taxi companies) for such services to be regulated. But because of the rapid advance of technology, what will likely happen is that by the time any legislation is enacted to regulate rideshare services there will be driverless cars–which will mean that rideshare regulations will be obsolete by the time they arrive.

Technology Adoption by Sales

Salespeople generally tend to adopt the latest in technology, which is good; they need every advantage they can grab onto given today’s highly competitive sales climate.

In today’s digital age, technology adoption must be part of a salesperson’s mindset, of our social intelligence. As many have discovered, adopting a tool such as Pipeliner CRM will mean faster and better results when it comes to opportunities.