Large language models are changing the enterprise technology landscape and CIOs’ procurement priorities are evolving accordingly. The procurement process itself is changing, too, thanks to the large number of SaaS AI tools that promise to make sales reps more productive. To get a closer look at those parallel trends, we recently caught up with Astreya Chief Sales Officer Sonali Chatterji, who joined the 2,400-person IT services giant earlier this year after holding senior roles at Thoughtworks, Infosys and Genpact.

Large IT consultancies have a front row seat to new technologies because they’re the ones usually tasked with implementing them for the Fortune 500. San Francisco-headquartered Astreya counts multiple members of the Fortune 500 among its clients, along with several major Silicon Valley tech firms. During our interview, Chatterji shared her perspective on how generative AI is factoring into IT buying decisions at the world’s largest companies, as well as the growing role the technology is playing on the sell side of the equation.

One of the interview’s main highlights can be found in the final paragraph. Where does Chatterji see generative AI adoption today? “Within the realm of large enterprises, especially for our clients who are themselves luminaries in the field of innovation, incorporating generative AI solutions into their procurement strategy is rapidly becoming non-negotiable,” she told Boardroom Insight. Software vendors that plan to sell into the Fortune 500, take note.

Boardroom Insight: What are your responsibilities and priorities as Astreya’s Chief Sales Officer?

Sonali Chatterji: In line with Astreya’s ethos of ‘Working Innovation,’ my foremost responsibility is to drive robust growth by consistently offering inventive and bespoke IT solutions that not only meet but also anticipate our clients’ pioneering needs. My top priorities include nurturing a strong culture of customer-centricity, infused with a spirit of innovation within our sales team. This goes beyond just the numbers; it’s about ensuring that we’re not just selling services but forging meaningful and long-lasting partnerships that mutually fuel innovation and technological advancement. The way I see it, innovation isn’t a one-time effort; it’s a culture that has to be nurtured continuously, both internally and externally.

Boardroom Insight: What does bringing a new service offering or an enhanced version of an existing offering to market involve for an IT solutions provider’s sales organization?

Sonali Chatterji: Bringing a new or an enhanced service offering to market is a multifaceted endeavor. It involves a highly synergistic approach that seamlessly fuses innovative thinking with actionable market insights. In addition to internal alignment across various departments and comprehensive market research, we pay extra attention to incorporating our own advanced AI technologies into these offerings. This enables us not only to meet but also to set industry trends, embodying the ‘Working Innovation’ that our clients, some of the most forward-thinking organizations globally, have come to expect from us. I feel that innovation in our offerings is not just about keeping up with the market but leading it.

Boardroom Insight: How do you see the IT services sales process evolving going forward in light of all the new software tools that are available to reps, like AI-supported prospecting software and interactive demo applications?

Sonali Chatterji: The sales process in the IT sector is in the midst of a dramatic transformation, one that’s being notably accelerated by groundbreaking tools like AI-supported software and interactive demos. In this digital age, selling is no longer just about transactions but about fostering an environment of shared innovation and technological exploration. Astreya’s focus on developing in-house AI technologies plays a significant role in this metamorphosis, making the sales process not just more efficient but also an innovative incubator for tailored, client-specific solutions.

Adding to that, the sales process in the IT sector continues to be a B2B motion that is highly relationship-driven and people-centric. Successful sellers, or as I like to call them ‘relationship architects,’ focus on making their customers successful by accomplishing outcomes that matter to them. It is paramount that the focus remains on how we can make our customers super successful in their day to day. That’s the No 1 priority. In that quest, I have found AI tools to be extremely powerful in helping across the entire sales lifecycle—from prospecting, lead generation, and persona profiling to needs analysis, solution development, demos/presentations, intelligent forecasting, and sales operations. My sense is that these tools are not just utilities; they’re catalysts for transformative customer engagements.

Boardroom Insight: In the large enterprise world, do you expect generative AI to become a bigger part of IT service buyers’ procurement priorities?

Sonali Chatterji: Absolutely, generative AI is not just a fleeting trend; it’s a revolution that’s shaping the future of technology. Astreya, committed to ‘Working Innovation,’ is investing heavily in AI technologies to ensure that our services are at the forefront of this paradigm shift. Within the realm of large enterprises, especially for our clients who are themselves luminaries in the field of innovation, incorporating generative AI solutions into their procurement strategy is rapidly becoming non-negotiable. Astreya aims to be the go-to provider for these trailblazing solutions. As far as I’m concerned, generative AI isn’t the future; it’s the present, and Astreya is committed to leading the way.

text

text