By Chris Jeng, Founder of European Gateway
But these days, in the fast‑moving B2B tech sales world, traditional forecasting derived from gut feel or relying on an out‑of‑date pipeline update simply isn’t good enough. Chris Jeng, a well-known sales strategist and thought leader at European Gateway, is bringing a sea change with AI call analysis, particularly in forecasting. Using advanced AI tools such as Gong and Clari, sales leaders can now transform their raw call data into concrete insights, leading to more accurate selling predictions and tangible revenue growth.
The Battle to Forecast in B2B Tech Sales
Sales forecasting is more than a numbers game—it’s part of your business strategy and planning. Subjective estimates have been used by many organisations, often ineffectively. “You will make errors, and those mistakes will cost you deals, if you are manually updating or going by memory,” Chris Jeng says. He suggests no use of actual sales conversations as the data you’re training from. This approach eliminates the guesswork from forecasting and turns it into a science as buyers begin to signal their intent.
AI Call Analysis: The Game-Changer
Sales calls are now recorded using Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, such as Gong, for large companies, and all relevant details are extracted. These types of tools identify important moments, such as buyer objections, name-dropping of decision-makers, and next steps that are frequently missed in traditional methods.
Real Buyer Signals:
Gong’s AI-based analysis of call transcriptions turns call transcripts into useful data. Suppose a representative fails to provide a budget or timeline detail during a call, for instance. In that case, the platform will flag those omissions, ensuring forecasts are grounded in the reality of the conversation.
Eliminating Subjectivity:
And with full-call transcripts and data-driven grading, leaders never have to wonder whether the intelligence they’re relying on is tainted with human fallibility. This visibility not only increases accuracy but also fosters accountability on the sales team.
From Insight to Accurate Forecasting with Clari
Gong is where we derive pure intelligence from calls, and Clari takes it one step further by surfacing this information within the sales forecast. Clari combines conversation data with pipeline activity to provide an end-to-end view of deal health.
Data-Backed Forecast Adjustments:
Clari enables sales leaders to have real-time deal flow. If crucial signals (such as next-step approvals or decision-maker verifications) are absent from those conversations, Clari surfaces that risk on the spot. Managers can re-ground their forecasts with greater certainty.
Empowering Sales Teams:
With gut instinct out of the equation, sales managers can more effectively coach their team members and every call can be leveraged to progress, measurably. This takes the guesswork out of the forecasting process and turns it into an organised strategic exercise.
The ROI of AI in Sales Forecasting
The combination of Gong and Clari has clear, tangible advantages:
Enhanced Forecasting Accuracy: Forecasts that are based on in-conversation data reduce the expensive margin of error.
It improved, more accountability: Armed with data and transparency, sales reps can improve their performance.
Advanced Pipeline Management: Sales leaders have full visibility into the deal process and can make proactive changes and enhance revenue predictability.
Chris Jeng at European Gateway says it best:
“When forecasting is rooted in real conversations, it’s not just about predicting outcomes — it’s about driving them.”
Final Thoughts
It is the mandate for sales teams seeking to thrive in the digital age to make the shift to AI-powered forecasting. B2B tech companies using tools like Gong and Clari can now achieve unprecedented levels of precision, velocity and proven accountability. Follow Chris Jeng’s example — and use these groundbreaking changes to revolutionise your forecasting process — so every sales call becomes a step forward to strategic growth.
Learn more at: https://www.egconsultgroup.com
