Defining the Future of Selling: James Donaldson on Data, Discipline and the Rise of AI in Sales Tech
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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Why AI in sales tech isn’t a silver bullet
AI has flooded the sales tech landscape over the last few years. What began as simple email-writing assistance has now accelerated into research agents, enrichment tools, CRM-embedded recommendations and real-time orchestration across the sales cycle.
But as James Donaldson, Founder of Stakki shared on The Insiders, this shift has created a dangerous assumption: AI will fix the problem.
Except it won’t… unless the fundamentals are in place.
James emphasises that the smartest teams aren’t using AI to replace reps. They use AI in sales tech to streamline admin, speed up research, and give sellers more time to do the one thing that actually moves pipeline: talk to customers.
The real issue: tool overload and broken processes
Most sales organisations don’t have a technology problem. They have a tech sprawl problem.
Years of buying point solutions have created bloated stacks, inconsistent workflows and overcomplicated processes that slow reps down. As James puts it, companies often throw more tools at the team hoping productivity will rise but the opposite happens.
Tools only work when:
- The process is clear
- Reps know exactly how to use them
- They connect seamlessly with CRM data
- They genuinely remove admin, not add more of it
Instead, many teams end up with SDRs spending hours building sequences or updating systems.
AI in sales tech should make selling easier, not more chaotic.
Data quality: the new battleground for revenue teams
Every insight James shared pointed to one truth: If your data is broken, your tech can’t save you.
Most organisations already have more than enough data in their CRM – it’s just:
- outdated
- duplicated
- unstructured
- unenriched
- invisible to reps
Before implementing AI tools, leaders must focus on data discipline: cleaning, enriching and consolidating everything into a single view that reps can trust.
James shared examples where simply categorising existing CRM records revealed more than enough pipeline coverage – no additional data vendor required.
AI only works when the data underneath it is accurate. Which means: the future of revenue belongs to teams that treat data quality as a strategic advantage.
Putting humans back at the centre of selling
Despite the noise around automation, the conversation kept coming back to one thing:
Sales is still a human-to-human craft.
Tone of voice, curiosity, timing, empathy – these cannot be automated. AI can support the motion, but it can’t replace the skill of a well-trained sales professional.
AI in sales tech should amplify the rep by:
- surfacing the right accounts at the right time
- enriching insights before outreach
- reducing admin work
- enabling more consistent practice and coaching
The goal is not to eliminate sellers. It’s to free them to do meaningful work.
Predictions for 2026: consolidation, orchestration and cleaner pipelines
James outlined three major shifts leaders should be preparing for:
1. Consolidation of sales tech stacks
All-in-one platforms – especially those integrated directly into the CRM – will grow rapidly.
Teams want simplicity, not 15 subscriptions.
2. Revenue orchestration becomes the norm
AI won’t sit in separate platforms. It will live inside the CRM, unifying data and surfacing insights instantly.
3. The performance bar rises
With more admin automated, top performers will soar. Low and mid-performers will be exposed quickly unless coaching becomes sharper and more data-driven.
The winners? Teams that combine clean data, simple processes, consolidated tools, and human-first selling.
Final thoughts
AI isn’t transforming sales by replacing people… it’s transforming sales by reshaping how people work.
As James summarised throughout the conversation, success won’t come from buying more tools. It will come from:
- strengthening your fundamentals
- building a disciplined process
- focusing on the human skills that close deals
- using AI thoughtfully to support, not overshadow, your team
The companies who get this right will win in 2026 and beyond.
Hear the full conversation with James Donaldson for practical insights into AI in sales tech, data discipline and the future of selling.
