


































Global Research in Higher Education 
ISSN 2576-196X (Print) ISSN 2576-1951 (Online) 

Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe 

54 
 

Original Paper 

Artificial Intelligence and the Sales Process: How to Help Sales 

Students Develop an Analytics Skill Set 

Michael Rodriguez
1
* & Stefanie L. Boyer

2
 

1
 Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, USA 

2
 Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, USA 

*
 Michael Rodriguez, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, USA 

 

Received: January 18, 2020      Accepted: February 4, 2020     Online Published: February 27, 2020 

doi:10.22158/grhe.v3n1p54             URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/grhe.v3n1p54 

 

Abstract 

The following learning protocol provides an opportunity for professors to help students apply artificial 

intelligence and analytics in a pipeline management exercise. The activity allows advanced sales 

students to build a predictive sales model in Salesforce.com’s Einstein Analytics Platform. The following 

innovation walks the educator through the process of accessing the platform, building a model and 

analyzing outcomes. The exercise provides the opportunity to improve outcomes and act on sales 

opportunities, simulating the work environment. The article provides teaching tips for success to help 

professors stay current in the digital age and prepare students for early career success. 

Keywords 

artificial intelligence, analytics, sales, sales process, teaching innovation 

 

1. Introduction 

The traditional selling landscape continues to evolve now with the integration of technology tools such as 

CRM, Analytics and Data Visualization. As analytics technology increasingly play a key role in today’s 

selling process, sales educators need to incorporate topics such as analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

into the curriculum. With so much information available on these complex subjects and so little time to 

absorb it all, how do sales educators help tomorrow’s sales leaders understand and connect with these 

ever-changing tools? 

At the National Conference of Sales Management (2019), a teaching innovation was introduced which 

focused on the fundamentals of AI by integrating Salesforce’s Trailhead in the sales classroom. The 

session provided an overview of AI and Salesforce Einstein Analytics. Given that students have a 

foundation of AI, this article provides a hands-on exercise to better understand how AI improves sales 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

55 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

professionals’ ability to manage opportunities and predict win rates for potential customers.   

The module consists of hands-on use of Salesforce.com Einstein Analytics Platform. The exercise can be 

conducted in one class period (recommended for Advanced Selling course). The module helps students 

understand the impact of analytics on the sales process and helps sales faculty implement a 

straightforward exercise to reinforce the importance of technology in today’s selling environment. 

The Need, Usefulness and Uniqueness of Sales Analytics 

Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are among the top trends in data and analytics that have 

significant disruptive potential over the next three to five years, according to Gartner, Inc (2019). The 

sales literature adds, “the influence of sales digitalization technologies, which include digitization and 

artificial intelligence, is likely to be more significant and more far reaching than previous sales 

technologies” (Singh et al., 2018, p. 2). Analytics provides future sales professionals the ability to work 

smarter and more efficiently by discovering sales insights and predicting outcomes with the use of AI. 

Use of analytics and AI can help sales professionals better understand opportunities, generate qualified 

leads, and more efficiently convert sales. Today’s students are no strangers to technology. The question 

is whether they are equipped to leverage these powerful tools in today’s complex selling environment. 

Teaching Objectives  

The following teaching innovation illustrates how to implement an online resource that helps students 

develop their analytics skill set at no cost to the user or university. The Teaching Objectives for this 

Advanced Selling Topic are: 

a) Build a machine learning/AI model in minutes 

b) Interpret AI modeling results 

c) Understand how AI impacts Sales 

This teaching innovation provides an easy, hands-on exercise for Advanced Selling Students to better 

understand analytics, AI, and its impact on the sales process. 

 

2. Method 

How to Use this exercise in an Advanced Selling Course 

Salesforce.com Analytics platform, Einstein, is a set of AI technologies that provides sales professionals 

the ability to analyze data inside Salesforce. Einstein is used to automate reports, pinpoint workflow 

needs, and help end users predict sales outcomes. The module not only provides hands on use to 

Salesforce but also enables students to build a machine-learning module and to understand how AI 

impacts the sales process.  

 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

56 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

 

Figure 1. Analytics and AI for the Sales Classroom Flowchart 

 

Instructions: How to implement the innovation  

Step 1: Learn Salesforce Fundamentals Through Trailhead. Trailhead is a learning management system 

that is free of charge. Students can earn badges, points and status by reading and scoring well on tests to 

go from Scout (novice) to Ranger status (expert).  

Salesforce is easy to use. Below are instructions to use AI Trailhead basic tools with assignments to get 

started:  

To use Salesforce trails:  

1. Go to https://trailhead.salesforce.com/home  

2. Create account  

3. Use links to go directly to trails OR search and create your own plan 

4. Ask students to screen shot progress (completed modules/LinkedIn badges) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

57 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

Table 1. Customized AI Tools on Trailhead 

Topic Module link Goal of module 

The Fourth 

Industrial 

Revolutions 

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/learn-

about-the-fourth-industrial-revolution?trail_id=learn-about-t

he-fourth-industrial-revolution  

Learn about industrial 

revolutions and the basics of the 

Fourth Industrial Revolution 

AI Basics https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/ai_bas

ics?trail_id=get_smart_einstein  

Learn what AI is and how it will 

transform CRM and the 

Customer Experience 

Salesforce 

Einstein 

Basics 

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/get_s

mart_einstein_feat?trail_id=get_smart_einstein  

Discover insights and predict 

outcomes with this powerful set 

of AI-enhanced features. 

Sales Cloud 

Einstein  

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/ai_sal

es?trail_id=get_smart_einstein  

Log your activities, target the 

right leads, and close more deals 

with AI for sales. 

 

Step 2: Sign up for a Developer Org. This will give you access to salesforce in a test environment. It is 

important to use this type of environment because it allows all of the functionality of salesforce within a 

playground where nothing will break while students test all of the functionality.  

Sign up here: https://developer.salesforce.com/promotions/orgs/analytics-de 

Step 3: Review PowerPoint instructions and import data file  

This practice data file has over 32,000 lines of data. Table 1 is a small snapshot of the data file. Full data 

file here: https://amrsalescoach.com/teaching-resources 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

58 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

Table 2. Snapshot of Practice Data File 

Decision 

Maker Role 
Product Region 

Close 

Date 
Month Competitor 

Contract 

Type 
Win 

CIO 

Services 

Adoption Argentina North 1/1/2018 January 

Codey 

Company Renewal Won 

VP of 

Operations 

CC 

Performance 

Management 

New 

Zealand/Australia 4/1/2018 April 

Astro 

Associates New Won 

CIO 

CC 

Performance 

Management Colombia Bogota 7/1/2018 July 

Astro 

Associates Renewal Lost 

CEO 

Services Design 

& Integration Argentina North 1/1/2018 January Einstein Labs Renewal Lost 

CEO 

Services Design 

& Integration Argentina North 4/1/2018 April Einstein Labs Renewal Lost 

Regional VP CPaaS US Southwest 7/1/2018 July Einstein Labs Renewal Lost 

Regional VP 

Multimedia 

Devices Canada West 10/1/2018 October Einstein Labs Renewal Lost 

Regional VP 

Multimedia 

Devices Canada West 1/1/2018 January Einstein Labs Renewal Lost 

Regional VP CC Mobile 

Argentina 

Buenos Aires 10/1/2018 October 

Astro 

Associates Renewal Lost 

CIO CC Mobile 

Argentina 

Buenos Aires 1/1/2018 January 

Astro 

Associates Renewal Lost 

Regional VP CPaaS US Southeast 4/1/2018 April Einstein Labs Renewal Won 

 

Step 4: Create Model—In this step, the student will determine the outcome to predict by choosing the 

variables in the “Story Goal” module. For instance the user can select the story goal and choose the 

variable (i.e., win rate). The user then selects the insights and predictions to complete the analysis.  

a) Create Story 

b) Determine what outcome to predict: Variable=Win/Won 

c) Choose Insights and Predictions and Automated 

d) Confirm and Build Story 

e) Discuss Mode: What Happened? 

f) Go Deeper: Why It Happened? 

g) How can I improve the outcomes? 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

59 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

3. Conclusion and Implications 

The modern-day selling organizations has adopted technologies such as CRM and analytics platforms 

and integrated these tools into their sales process. These powerful tools are improving sales productivity, 

increasing customer insights, and enhancing the experience for customers. With the evolution of today’s 

buyer and the impact of “Big Data”, tomorrow’s sales professionals, students must develop their 

analytical skill set. This activity complements the traditional selling process and enhances our students’ 

skills for todays’ Big Data marketplace.   

 

Resources for Instructors 

Help main link: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=bi.htm&type=0 

AI Trailhead for Students: 

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/users/mrodriguez10/trailmixes/smarter-sales-with-ai 

Academy videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxUOdPtY50AUSH4wp-RQyVg 

Learning map: http://www.einsteinanalyticslearningmap.com 

Success with EA: http://pages.mail.salesforce.com/getting-started/analytics-cloud/ 

 

References 

Boyer, S., & Michael, R. (2019). Mix it up: Teaching sales students about AI with the help of 

Salesforce.com. Jacksonville, FL March. 

Einstein. (2020). Einstein Analytics Learning Map. Retrieved January 17, 2020, from 

http://www.einsteinanalyticslearningmap.com 

Gartner. (2019). Gartner identifies top 10 data and analytics technology trends for 2019. News Room 

Press Release. Retrieved January 15, 2020, from 

https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019-02-18-gartner-identifies-top-10-data-a

nd-analytics-technolo 

Salesforce, T. (2020). Skill up for the future. Retrieved January 17, 2020, from 

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/home 

Singh, J., Flaherty, K., Sohi, R. S., Deeter-Schmelz, D., Habel, J., Le Meunier-FitzHugh, K., & 

Onyemah, V. (2019). Sales profession and professionals in the age of digitization and artificial 

intelligence technologies: Concepts, priorities, and questions. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales 

Management, 39(1), 2-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2018.1557525 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxUOdPtY50AUSH4wp-RQyVg
https://www.einsteinanalyticslearningmap.com/
http://pages.mail.salesforce.com/getting-started/analytics-cloud/

