Our recent research among field sales professionals in the UK and South Africa highlighted five situations in which sales reps are tempted to spin the truth when visiting prospects.
We were glad to discover that a fair number of respondents see the value in being truthful while prospecting. On a more concerning note, however, we recognised that those who admitted to twisting the truth at times did so because they face unnecessary pressures. Too often they find themselves backed into a corner with little time, not enough information with which to provide quality advice and under pressure to hit targets.
‘Skynamo’s report shines an important spotlight on the real day-to-day challenges experienced by UK salespeople… they urgently need better access to accurate information about products, the ability to act on that data and simple, easy-to-use tools that are geared towards their needs.’
– Roger Bradburn, COO and Director, Institute of Sales Management (ISM)
Why Sales Professionals Struggle to Deliver Their Best
Why do so many sales professionals find themselves in compromised positions?
Our recent survey reveals that 47% of sales reps say a lack of accurate customer and product data prevents them from delivering a truly professional service. Another 38% admit that the very technology meant to make their jobs easier has become “more of a hindrance than a help.”
The root cause? Salespeople are still expected to manage vital field data using disconnected, outdated tools never designed for field sales. Many teams rely heavily on Excel spreadsheets (48%), email, and instant messaging (41%) to capture and share customer information.
It’s no wonder so many salespeople resist new tech — the systems they’re asked to use simply don’t work for them. Instead of empowering reps, these tools slow them down and create unnecessary frustration.
In short, using the wrong sales tools puts reps in difficult situations. It tempts them to “spin the truth” just to keep up. And it fuels an ongoing culture of tech resistance across sales teams.
Help Your Sales Team Become Trusted Consultants
When businesses choose technology built for field sales reps, everything changes. The right tools replace resistance with confidence and transform how teams use data in the field.
“Massive advances in technology provide us with everything needed to make it easier for salespeople to gather and access high-quality data — but this isn’t happening because reps and their managers have learned to associate tech with added difficulty. The truth is, the right technology makes all the difference,”
— Brian Howe, Alliances Director at Skynamo
Skynamo empowers sales professionals to become trusted advisors rather than data capturers — giving them access to real-time customer insights, simplifying reporting, and strengthening relationships built on transparency and trust.
