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AI exposure report

Will AI replace Retail Salespersons?

The core of your work stays human. For you, AI is mainly an amplifier.

Task exposure to today's AI

29/100

Low exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Retail Salespersons?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 29% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise. The parts that stay human include: Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.; Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.; Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable
Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.AI already used 60%
Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment. 40%
Inventory stock and requisition new stock. 30%
Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.AI already used 23%
Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs. 12%
Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales.AI already used 12%

+ 18 more tasks (41% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

  • Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
  • Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
  • Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales.

AI tools to try

CRM with AI (e.g. HubSpot, Salesforce Einstein, Pipedrive)ChatGPT / Claude for emails and researchCall recording and summary tools

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

AI for the pipeline

  • Prospect research and personalised emails with AI.
  • Call summaries and CRM updates.
  • Follow-up reminders and templates.

Project

Use AI to draft 20 personalised follow-up messages for past customers from your own notes, and track how many replies or return visits result over two weeks.

Phase 2

Better conversations

  • Prepare meetings with AI briefings.
  • Objection handling and proposal drafts.
  • Learn the product faster with AI.

Project

Build an AI-generated cheat sheet for your top 10 product lines plus answers to the 15 most common customer objections, then test your recall before and after.

Phase 3

Trusted advisor

  • Focus time on relationships and complex deals.
  • Use data to find the right customers.
  • Share what works with the team.

Project

Use AI to analyse your store's sales and inventory data to identify three high-value customer segments, pitch a display or outreach plan, and share the playbook with your team.
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