Sales teams have more tools than ever. Product training has expanded. CRM training has expanded. AI training is next. But the basics of selling still matter when a buyer pushes back, a customer relationship gets tense, or a major opportunity needs trust before it can move forward.
In this episode of the Leadership in Manufacturing Podcast, Sannah Vinding talks with Andy Coyle, Senior Director of Sales at ebm-papst Inc., about sales training, trust, AI, and what it means to be a high-touch leader in a high-tech world.
Andy shares why his team went back to the basics after COVID, including networking, prospecting, pre-call planning, sales calls, follow-up, and role play. He also talks about why vulnerability is a strength, how distribution and manufacturing move at different speeds, and why AI can support sales work without replacing human judgment.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why sales training still matters in electronics, manufacturing, and technical sales
- What gets lost when teams focus only on product, CRM, and tool training
- How vulnerability helps leaders and salespeople ask better questions
- Why distribution and manufacturing often work at different speeds
- What Andy's post-COVID sales boot camp taught his team
- How AI can help with research, comparison, and preparation
- Why the last mile of sales still depends on trust, judgment, and face-to-face conversation
About the guest:
Andy Coyle is Senior Director of Sales at ebm-papst Inc. He has spent more than thirty years in electronics, distribution, and manufacturing sales. His work focuses on sales leadership, channel development, customer and distributor relationships, and helping teams grow through people-first leadership.
Hosted by Sannah Vinding, engineer, go-to-market leader, and host of the Leadership in Manufacturing Podcast.
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