James Blackman is Commercial Channel Sales EMEA of AMD, the world’s only company that designs x86/ARM microprocessors and graphics, which power millions of intelligent devices such as personal computers, tablets, game consoles and cloud servers that define the new era of Surround Computing.
“Every good vendor knows this: hard numbers – sales data, market research, consumer sentiment – are vital. But on their own, they frequently do not represent true understanding. A telling anecdote, a good yarn, or simply the insight of someone working at the coal face of the IT channel are often what provides a breakthrough in understanding. Selling is still an activity that relies on human interaction and empathy – it’s not just about the numbers. Looking at sales figures is one thing – and it gives you great hindsight. What it doesn’t always do is give you an inkling of what people are going to want in the future.
