🧭 Episode Overview
In this episode of The Digital Diaries, Peter Woods sits down with Sean Collins. A rare operator who has lived on both sides of the technology buying journey. From 20+ years in IT leadership to commercial director and UK General Manager at Tech Enable, Sean brings a grounded, real-world perspective on how enterprise decisions actually get made.
Together, they unpack the evolution from technical delivery to commercial strategy, the psychology of trust in B2B sales, and why most AI initiatives fail long before the technology becomes the problem.
💡 Key Themes
1. The power of “both sides of the table” experience
Sean shares how moving from IT leadership into consultancy and commercial leadership gave him a rare ability to understand both operational pain and commercial pressure — especially when signing off major systems.
2. Trust is the real currency in enterprise salesTechnology matters, but decisions are ultimately made on trust. Sean explains why credibility, honesty, and sometimes even walking away from deals is what builds long-term relationships.
3. Why most AI projects fail (it’s not AI)A recurring theme: AI doesn’t fail — data does. Sean breaks down why poor CRM hygiene, broken processes, and inconsistent adoption undermine even the most advanced AI tools.
4. CRM, ERP, and the myth of “one system to rule them all”
From Salesforce to ERP systems like Microsoft Business Central, Sean explains why successful transformation depends on integration, not replacement.
5. The real starting point for AI adoptionInstead of chasing AI use cases, organisations should start by identifying operational friction:
- Where are teams overloaded?
- Where are processes breaking?
- What would genuinely save time?
