How COVID Impacted The Role of The Sales Person

The role of the sales professional is evolving faster than ever. Sales reps are no longer just relationship builders—they’re now expected to manage multiple sales channels, many of which are increasingly digital. To stay ahead, they need smart tools that streamline operations, simplify workflows, and let them focus on selling, not on tedious admin tasks.

At Pantry, we help sales teams process incoming sales data from every channel—automating order management so they can focus on future-proofing their sales strategy and driving more revenue.

“You Should Be in Sales”

That’s what people often say to those who love to talk, connect instantly with others, and naturally draw people in. Traditionally, sales has been about forging relationships, closing deals, and mastering the art of persuasion—often in person.

Face-to-face meetings, casual small talk, and in-store visits were once the cornerstones of sales. But the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped the industry, pushing sales interactions toward digital-first channels. Today, sales professionals are achieving unprecedented efficiency: remote reps can reach four times as many accounts and generate up to 50% more revenue, thanks to digital tools.

According to McKinsey, B2B buyers have embraced digital transactions—even for high-value purchases. 71% of buyers are comfortable spending over $50,000 in a single online transaction, while 27% are willing to spend $500,000 or more.

The Changing Role of Sales Reps

By 2025, Gartner predicts that 80% of B2B sales interactions between sellers and buyers will occur on digital channels. Sales reps are already juggling multiple platforms, relying on as much as10 different touch points, including:

• Email
• Phone
• Supplier Website (Web Portal)
• Procurement Department
• Mobile App
• E-Procurement Portal
• Video Conference
• Web

Adding to this complexity, Gartner reports that buyers spend only 17% of their time meeting with sales reps during the purchasing process. This means sales reps are shifting from in-person relationship-building to maintaining an effective, omnichannel sales presence—which requires the right tech stack.

But here’s the challenge: while there are more sales tools than ever, nearly 50% of sellers feel overwhelmed by the number of technologies they’re expected to use, according to Harvard Business Review. When the tech stack becomes a burden, it impacts a rep’s ability to meet quotas and drive results.

That’s why modern sales tools need to do two things: seamlessly integrate into day-to-day workflows and extract the data that matters most.

Why Pantry AI?

Pantry is designed to meet the needs of today’s sales professionals. Think of it as a plug-in that’s always “on”—no extra logins, no added complexity. Whether it’s your web portal, email, or another channel, Pantry consolidates incoming orders into one easy-to-manage spreadsheet, eliminating the manual data entry that often slows sales teams down.

By automating order processing, Pantry helps you work smarter, not harder. It removes the grunt work so you can focus on what really matters: fueling each channel to generate more sales.

Pantry isn’t just a tool—it’s your partner in scaling operations. Set it up, let it run, and watch as your sales process becomes more efficient and your results soar.

By investing in the right tools, sales reps can future-proof their operations, personalize the buyer experience, and ultimately sell more.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Sales?

Book a demo today and see how Pantry AI can help you simplify your workflow, automate order processing, and scale your sales operations effortlessly.