The Case of the Algorithmic Assassin
A Sherlock Holmes Sales Mystery As told by Dr. John H. Watson
It was a damp Wednesday morning when Holmes flung aside The Times with a grunt.
"Observe, Watson," he said, tapping a headline:
AI Sales Tools Promise to Replace Reps by 2026
I peered over my tea. "Surely this is progress, Holmes. Machines analysing buyer intent, crafting the perfect pitch, running endless simulations…"
Holmes gave a thin smile. "And eliminating what, precisely Watson? Human judgment? Curiosity? The ability to ask the awkward question at just the right time?"
He stood abruptly. "No, Watson. Something doesn't add up. Sales teams are doing more. More outreach, more demos, more data entry, and yet they're selling less. AI has not solved the puzzle. It has merely disguised it."
"You suspect foul play?"
"I suspect laziness dressed as innovation. Come, Watson. We are to visit a firm that has just sacked its top-performing human team in favour of something called NeuroPitch 360™. I intend to discover whether this 'intelligent assistant' can answer the only question that really matters."
"And what question is that, Holmes?"
He turned at the door. "Where, exactly… is the value?"
The investigation continues. If you'd like Holmes and Watson to pay a visit to your sales strategy, get in touch.
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The Sherlock Holmes Series is drawn from real-world value selling challenges. The Value Challenge: Team Edition turns these insights into lasting behaviour change across your entire sales team.
