Artificial intelligence is changing the sales process. Enhanced customer data analytics, powered by artificial intelligence, have created new possibilities—and new requirements—for building customer relationships. Suppliers are expected to have a deeper understanding of each customer’s unique needs and to act as trusted advisers rather than as transactional figureheads.

At the same time, adoption of consumption-based pricing (CBP) models is increasing across many sectors, from by-usage-hour manufacturing equipment contracts to pay-as-you-drive car insurance. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) suppliers in particular can now see how much a customer is using their service nearly in real time and adjust the services accordingly. CBP is more transparent and focused on customers, which means vendors who master the model have a potential competitive advantage. (We previously explored changes this model requires in “Revamping sales processes for consumption pricing.”)

At first glance, the convergence of these two trends—AI-based automation and increased customer visibility into appropriately sized pricing—might suggest a diminished role for the traditional sales representative.

But in reality, the opposite is occurring. The sales team’s soft skills, including empathy, active listening, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building, are becoming more vital and productive than ever.

"AI is no longer an option in sales,” says Suzanne Krpata, senior vice president of SAP Customer Experience. “It's the linchpin that lets sellers move from pushing products to providing real solutions. And with that shift, soft skills become essential. Customers want a human guide through the solutions, someone who can explain, connect, and reassure."

The intersection of AI and CBP has transformed sales, raising customer expectations and reshaping processes. In this article we will explore how CBP drives this change and how AI supports, but doesn’t replace, the human touch.

The AI-assisted sales relationship

Imagine a salesperson preparing for a subscription-renewal meeting with a customer. In the past, they would research the account and their main point of contact. They would try to collect basic demographics and the services the customer is currently using and then calculate how to position their offerings to best meet the customer’s unique, current needs. It is a time-consuming and imprecise exercise.

Now picture that salesperson in a SaaS environment with massive amounts of connected customer data on product implementation. And thanks to AI, they can engage an expanded customer success team through data, including people from account management, product management, finance, and marketing, to customise a highly targeted retention project. In a consumption-based contract, the information about the customer's actual usage will play a key role in retention.

Rather than merely retaining the customer by emphasising the subscription’s current value, the representative can reconfigure the subscription in a way that best meets the customer’s current needs, potentially including a significant, highly relevant valuable upsell. The customer feels understood and knows that the proposal is based on actual usage. The sales representative achieves a significant victory, and the supplier grows more rapidly by better understanding its target market on a one-to-one basis.

CBP raises customers’ expectations ... again

This shift to focusing on customers has made CBP particularly attractive to corporate sales organisations, because it aligns pricing with actual usage, centring on how customers find value and satisfaction in their products. Consequently, CBP has become a strategic imperative for businesses seeking to stay competitive and responsive to changing market demands.

“The market is absolutely shifting towards consumption-based pricing,” says Krpata. “Customers expect real-time insight into their usage. This model creates a genuine joint investment in customer success. Sellers can use consumption data to act as trusted advisers, offering solutions that grow with the customer’s needs.”

The CBP model may align with customer expectations, but it also introduces new challenges. Businesses implementing this approach must revise their sales processes, which, as Ben Chambers explains in “Revamping sales processes,” often means navigating turbulent waters.

“It may be choppier waters than subscription-based models, but it's a better path to revenue growth, especially in competitive environments where core competitors are also offering usage-based pricing arrangements,” he says . Chambers, an independent sales compensation consultant specialising in CBP models, adds, “Companies are getting pushed into the pool. If they don’t start swimming, they won’t be able to win against the competitor that designs and delivers a lower-friction sales cycle requiring far less money upfront.”

An effective customer success team is crucial for maximising CBP benefits. and they must use AI-driven analytics to understand how the customer is using the product today.

“AI enhances CBP models by simplifying data collection and recommending content that supports customer-tailored solutions, making the partnership more collaborative and value-driven,” says Krpata.

Customers have got a taste of both pay-as-you-go services and personalised services, so these are becoming baseline expectations in B2B sales transactions. They want more confidence in what they’re purchasing, easier support calls, flexibility in their contracts, and a sales rep who doesn’t require a full regurgitation of the account history to get something accomplished. Today’s customers expect more personalisation, transparency, and efficiency. They want real-time insights and tailored experiences that clearly demonstrate the value of their purchases.

They don’t want to feel weighed down by disjointed customer insights, with gaps in knowledge between their sales reps, account managers, or customer service reps. And they don’t want to have to do any legwork when it comes to getting the right line-up of services for their needs. They expect the supplier to handle that—and reasonably so. With today’s AI and other digital tools, vendors can reach this level of customer experience.

Creating customer connections requires interpersonal skills

Despite all this, sales reps must still build genuine connections, understand needs, and negotiate complex deals. “Primarily, they should be using their skill sets to unlock demand and identify and win new business—things that require persuasion and selling skills,” says Chambers.

So, what counts as “genuine” in the context of a sales relationship?

• Personalised support: Tailored advice and services based on the customer’s challenges and goals
• Problem-solving: Real-time support and collaborative solutions beyond merely providing data
• Frank product strategy discussions: Product updates aligned with the customer’s long-term goals
• Earned trust: An established personal rapport and being seen as a trusted adviser

Today, AI can help build or support some of those soft skills. For example, sales representatives can use AI tools to improve:

• Empathy: Assessing customer sentiment and responding empathetically
• Active listening: Analysing customer conversations to highlight key points and concerns
• Problem-solving: Identifying customer pain points and offering tailored services
• Negotiation: Forming insights from data and analytics to better understand the best times and ways to approach negotiations
• Adaptability: Forming insights into changing market trends and customer behaviour to help adapt strategies more quickly

As AI technology advances, its capabilities in each of these areas improve. However, relationships still fundamentally require a human connection.

“A trusted adviser relationship is built 100% on soft skills,” says Krpata. “How do I connect with you? How do I truly understand and listen to what you require? And then, how do I propose solutions that meet those needs? AI can't do those things, but it can empower them.”

The integration of AI into sales strategies, especially with CBP, represents a shift towards customer-focused approaches. While AI streamlines processes and enhances predictive capabilities, soft skills remain essential for building genuine relationships.

Use AI as a strategic tool, invest in technology, restructure customer success teams, and empower staff with training. Success lies in using real-time data to support genuine, transparent customer relationships.