To answer this question fully you need to consider something we have been discussing in our sales training courses since 2018, the implementation of SEP's (Sales Engagement Platforms), software tools that help sales teams automate and optimize their sales processes. They can include features from marketing automation platforms (MAPS) such as email tracking, calendar management, lead generation and qualification, building a bridge to customer relationship management (CRM) database systems. Some SEPs may also incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help sales teams predict customer behaviour and implement personalised outreach strategies by accessing all the available information held not only on the company's servers, but also by retrieving client data from the wider internet. Predictions are 95% of Salespeople Will be Replaced by AI by 2030, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, and Salesforce are currently investing Billions in SEP's incorporating AI. The future of direct sales in a B2B (business-to-business) environment is likely to involve a combination of traditional face-to-face sales techniques and modern, digital methods of communication and outreach.