
About this episode
Should we remove humans from sales?
Shakaib Arsalan, CTO of a software company in Pakistan, comes to Jeb Blount with a question straight from the boardroom: his CEO wants to go fully humanless in sales by replacing the sales team with AI agents. Jeb breaks down exactly why that strategy is likely to backfire, what AI can and cannot do in a sales process, and how to think about the right balance between automation and human connection.
What You'll Learn:
- Why fully automated outbound sales is ineffective and dangerous to your pipeline
- The difference between low-complexity and high-complexity sales and how each requires a different approach
- How AI slop is actively destroying email as a sales channel and what happens when buyers catch on
- How to use AI to enhance your salespeople rather than replace them
- How to handle cross-cultural selling challenges when your team is calling into the US from another region
- Why empathy, pacing, and authenticity matter when building trust across cultures
Jeb also gives Shakaib straight advice on the trust gap that salespeople in South Asia and the Middle East often face when selling to US buyers, including what actually moves the needle and what tends to make it worse.
Submit your question: salesgravy.com/ask
Purchase Jeb Blount's new book: 90 Days to Level Up Your Sales Skills
Download our FREE Prospecting Call Tracking Sheet
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Plaud AI and use my code JEB for a great deal: https://www.plaud.ai/jeb
* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code SALESGRAVY for 20% off your entire order: https://www.trudiagnostic.com
* Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply.
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Get every episode summarized
Each time Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

What to Say When a Prospect Says They're Already Taken Care Of (Ask Jeb)
Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

Fix Your Attitude to Fix Your Sales Rut (Money Monday)
Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

The Three-Post Formula for Standing Out on LinkedIn with Daniel Disney
Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

How to Run a Sales Blitz and Revive Cold Leads (Ask Jeb)
Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount