“The biggest complaint we get from reps is the amount of admin time, that takes salespeople away from customers.”
I hear this a lot from sales leaders that want to lift the performance of their salespeople. Their reps are wading through complicated technology or constantly updating spreadsheets. I get asked, “how can we get reps more time with customers to build engagement and pipeline?” I have also experienced this admin overheard first hand, both as a salesperson and a sales leader.
Tech That Gives Your Team Their Time Back
The good news? The right sales technology can flip this equation, giving your team more time to focus on what actually matters – understanding your customers and closing deals.
Sales technology helps create a better overall experience: for your sellers, your customers, and the business. It reduces the mental load on your team, allowing them to listen more attentively to prospects and position your solutions more effectively.
Think about it – when your sales reps don't have to stress about tracking every conversation detail or remembering when they last spoke to a prospect, they can focus on building genuine relationships & pipeline. Technology handles the heavy lifting of record-keeping, giving your people the headspace to do what humans do best – connect.
Buying Tech Isn't Enough – Your Team Needs to Actually Use It!
Here's the cold, hard truth – investing in fancy sales tech doesn't automatically translate to better results. According to the latest industry research, the average adoption rate for sales tech is just 30%. That means 70% of your investment might be going to waste!
We see this in the Mood of the Sales Leader 2025 – whilst businesses are investing more in sales technology, only 33% rated their use of it as High or better.
Many sales leaders make the mistake of thinking that once they've bought the software, the job is done. But as recent data shows, nearly half of sales reps aren't using available technology tools to tackle challenges like prospecting.
"We've seen countless businesses across Australia and New Zealand buy impressive tech stacks that end up as expensive shelf-ware," says one sales operations consultant. "Your reps are likely drowning in tools – the average B2B sales team uses 10 different tools to close deals, and 66% of reps say it's too many."
Making Sure Your Team Actually Uses the Tech
Want to avoid the adoption trap? Here are some practical tips that are working for successful sales teams across ANZ:
Start with their pain points. Before buying any new tech, talk to your team about what's slowing them down. When technology directly addresses their daily frustrations, they're much more likely to embrace it.
Keep it simple. Your team doesn't need another complicated system to learn. Choose user-friendly tools that integrate with what they're already using.
Train, train, and train some more. One-off training sessions don't cut it. Schedule regular refreshers, create simple how-to guides, and make sure there's someone available to answer questions. Companies that invest in ongoing training see adoption rates nearly double.
Get your managers on board. When sales managers use and champion the technology, their teams follow suit. Give your managers the tools to coach their teams on using the technology effectively.
Celebrate the wins. When someone on your team gets great results using the new tech, make a big deal about it! Nothing drives adoption like seeing colleagues succeed.
What Should Be in Your Tech Toolkit?
If you're running a medium-sized business in Australia or New Zealand, here's what your sales tech stack should include:
A solid CRM system –92% of companies already use one, & 82% know a CRM is important. A good CRM tracks prospects through your sales funnel, improves communication, and gives you visibility into what's working.
Scheduling tools – These eliminate the back-and-forth email tennis when setting up meetings. Your team gets more time for what matters: pitching and closing.
Sales engagement platforms – These gems automate repetitive tasks, track customer interactions, and help prioritize leads. The result? Your team engages more effectively with prospects.
Notetakers – With remote work here to stay, these tools let your team connect better with their customers on Zoom or Teams, know that the AI will transcribed & summarise the call, and automate follow up actions.
The AI Advantage for ANZ Businesses
In our region, improving employee experience is the top driver for AI adoption in sales technology. When your sales team has the right tools, they work in less pressure and deliver better customer experiences.
Get AI working for you. This means centralising your customer engagement data where your AI can access it (preferably your CRM) and using AI for summaries, preparation and even customer service engagement.
Take the First Step
The tech landscape is changing rapidly, with companies like HubSpot & ClickUp unveiling new AI-assisted features every month. There's never been a better time to evaluate how technology can transform your sales outcomes.
Remember, this isn't about replacing your sales team – it's about empowering them. The right tech can reduce admin burden by 40% and significantly shorten your sales cycles from months to weeks.
Ready to give your sales team the tech advantage? Start by auditing what's slowing them down, then explore solutions that address those specific pain points. Your team (and your bottom line) will thank you!
