Reading Time: 4 minutesFor decades, sales has been a profession defined by movement. Whether it was pounding the pavement, hopping on planes, or navigating office corridors to grab five minutes with a decision-maker, selling has always been an active, in-person pursuit. Then, in a matter of months, everything changed. The shift to remote work, accelerated by the pandemic, forced sellers to swap handshakes for Zoom calls, face-to-face persuasion for LinkedIn messages, and office banter for Slack threads.But has this new way of working helped sellers—or hindered them? The answer, as with most things in sales, depends on how you play the game.A Productivity Boost—But At What Cost?At first glance, remote working has made sellers more productive. A study by Owl Labs found that remote employees gained back 1.4 days of work per month due to fewer distractions and time saved commuting. That’s nearly three extra weeks of selling time per year. No surprise, then, that 77% of professionals surveyed by FlexJobs said they felt more productive working remotely.For many salespeople, this makes perfect sense. Without the daily interruptions of office life, they can focus on outreach, research, and follow-ups with fewer distractions. But there’s another side to this.Sales isn’t just about volume—it’s about connection. And while remote work has given sellers more time, it has also taken something away: the spontaneity of in-person interaction. The casual “grab a coffee” chats with prospects, the overheard tips from seasoned colleagues, the energy of a high-performing sales floor. These things don’t translate well to Slack messages and scheduled Zoom meetings.The New Sales BattlefieldSelling remotely requires a different skill set. Where once a rep could read a prospect’s body language across a boardroom table, they now have to decipher subtle cues over video (or worse, email). The old playbook of dropping by a client’s office to “check in” has been replaced by virtual rapport-building—a skill some master, while others struggle.And while digital tools have improved efficiency, they’ve also increased competition. With LinkedIn InMail, automated outreach, and AI-powered prospecting, buyers are inundated with messages. The challenge for remote sellers isn’t just reaching prospects—it’s standing out.For top performers, this shift has been an opportunity. They’ve embraced video messaging, built stronger personal brands on LinkedIn, and refined their virtual presentation skills. But for those who relied on in-person charisma, the transition has been tougher.Career Growth in a Remote WorldOne of the unintended consequences of remote selling is its impact on career progression. According to a Buffer report, remote workers are less likely to be promoted than their office-based colleagues. The reason? Out of sight, out of mind.In an office, visibility matters. A manager can see who’s putting in the extra effort, who’s leading team discussions, who’s mentoring junior reps. Remotely, that visibility disappears. Many salespeople report feeling like they have to work harder to get noticed—whether for recognition, career growth, or securing bigger accounts.And then there’s the issue of training. New sales hires traditionally learn by osmosis—listening to calls, shadowing experienced reps, picking up techniques in the moment. Remote work has made this learning curve steeper, leaving many new sellers feeling adrift. Companies have tried to bridge the gap with virtual training sessions, but few have found a perfect replacement for in-person mentorship.A Financial Trade-OffOn the financial side, remote work has had mixed results. For companies, it’s been a cost-saver—fewer office expenses, less travel, and lower overheads. The International Workplace Group estimates that businesses save around $11,000 per remote employee per year.For sellers, the impact depends on their role. Those in high-velocity sales roles, where volume matters, have largely thrived—reaching more prospects with less downtime. But for enterprise sales reps, where relationships are king, remote work has made it harder to build trust and close complex deals.Interestingly, many employees are willing to take a pay cut for the flexibility remote work offers. A FlexJobs report found that 63% of professionals would accept lower salaries to keep working remotely, with 17% saying they’d take a 20% cut. That suggests that for many, the benefits of flexibility outweigh the financial trade-offs.Only 38% of B2B buyers prefer to conduct their meetings in person rather than virtuallyThe Future of Sales: Hybrid is Here to StaySo, where does that leave us? The future of sales is unlikely to be fully remote—or fully in-person. Instead, most companies are settling on a hybrid approach.A HubSpot survey found that sales professionals are split almost evenly—one-third prefer fully remote, another third want to go back to the office, and the rest favour a mix of both. The hybrid model allows for the best of both worlds: the efficiency and flexibility of remote work, combined with the relationship-building advantages of in-person interactions.For sellers, success in this new landscape will depend on adaptability. Those who can blend digital selling with occasional face-to-face interactions will have the edge. Sales leaders, meanwhile, will need to rethink how they mentor, train, and recognize talent in a world where physical presence is no longer a given.Has remote work helped sellers? For some, it has been a game-changer—eliminating commute times, boosting productivity, and offering a better work-life balance. For others, it has made things harder—less visibility, fewer organic learning opportunities, and increased competition in a crowded digital space.Ultimately, success in sales has always been about adaptability. Remote work didn’t change that—it just shifted the battlefield. The sellers who thrive will be the ones who master both worlds: digital-first, but never losing the human touch. Aaron Evans10 March 2025 Share :URL has been copied successfully!