Customers today (business or consumer) have higher expectations than ever that they will be heard, and their requirements will be met when it suits them.  This is a common marketing theme and subject of many articles (...). However, with the popularity of sales force automation tools, there is an paradoxical trend towards over-emphasising sales goals. Pressure to close sales and meet quotas may well be inadvertantly transmitted to customers - "queering the pitch" with stress that appears self-serving. Instead, sales professionals should put in place, and have faith in, processes that ensure they have their pipelines full of honest, open dialogue that aims to satsify customers when they are ready to buy. It is a collaboration that requires listening, guidance, and patience. Keith Rosen discusses this issue in more depth here.