Not every sales interaction earns the same level of trust

And neither should the AI agent handling it.

We call it the Consent Gradient. It decides which of our products belongs where. After 18 months of deploying AI agents, we know where they work and where they aren't ready yet.

The Consent Gradient. A bar runs from permission present to no permission. Off the gradient, where the agent never speaks to the customer: research and tender responses. Stage 1, Inbound, consent given, ready now: customer service and digital humans. Stage 2, Existing customer, consent implied for service calls, in pilot: calling existing customers. Stage 3, Cold, no consent, not yet: outbound calling.The Consent Gradient. A bar runs from permission present to no permission. Off the gradient, where the agent never speaks to the customer: research and tender responses. Stage 1, Inbound, consent given, ready now: customer service and digital humans. Stage 2, Existing customer, consent implied for service calls, in pilot: calling existing customers. Stage 3, Cold, no consent, not yet: outbound calling.Tap to enlarge
The Sales Innovators deploy AI where consent exists, and keep humans where it must still be earned.
Off the gradientThe agent never speaks to the customer: research and tender responses.Intelligence · Accelerate
Stage 1: InboundConsent given: customer service and digital humans.Ready now
Stage 2: Existing customerConsent implied for service calls: calling existing customers.In pilot
Stage 3: ColdNo consent: outbound calling.Not yet: trust and law