Gartner Sales Survey Finds 74% of B2B Buyer Teams Demonstrate 'Unhealthy Conflict' During The Decision Process
IT
Published on 05/08/2025 at 09:39
Chief Sales Officers Must Foster Consensus To Close High-Quality Deals.
Seventy-four percent of B2B buyer teams demonstrate unhealthy conflict during the buying decision process, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.
Unhealthy conflict occurs when buying team members have conflicting objectives, disagree on the best course of action, or are overruled by external decision-makers.
A survey of 632 B2B buyers conducted in August through September 2024 found buying groups that reach consensus are 2.5 times more likely to report that their deal was high-quality.
'Buying groups are more diverse than ever, ranging from five to 16 people across as many as four functions. Each member may have differing priorities and opinions,' said Delainey Kirkwood, Principal, Research in the Gartner Sales Practice. 'Fostering buying group consensus and minimizing conflict must be a key priority for chief sales officers (CSOs).
'CSOs must properly equip their sellers to foster agreement and alignment among diverse buyer groups. By focusing on buying group relevance, sellers can aid members in understanding each other's viewpoints and validate the decision-making process. In doing so, sellers can secure a higher number of high-quality deals.'
Tailored Content Drives Consensus, Leading to Better Deal Outcomes
While many sales leaders believe the key to driving buying group consensus is tailored content, the survey found the level of relevance is crucial. Tailoring for buying group relevance positively impacts consensus by 20%, aiding members in understanding each other's perspectives and validating the decision-making process (see Figure 1).
However, content that focuses on individual-level relevance can create conflict within the buying group, resulting in a 59% negative impact on buying group consensus. Figure 1. Impact of Relevance on Buying Group Consensus [Image Alt Text for SEO]
Source: Gartner (April 2025)
'Messages that are tailored to the buying group or the organization can foster understanding and consensus among stakeholders,' said Kirkwood. 'However, content with individual-level relevance can lead to confirmation bias, reinforcing individual perspectives so that stakeholders are less likely to embrace a unified direction as a group.'
The survey revealed that when buyers experience buying group relevance, they are three times more likely to report a high-quality deal. This highlights the importance of prioritizing shared interests and goals over individual buyer priorities.
Gartner clients can read more in Navigating Personalization Challenges in Buying Groups. Additional information can be found in the associated eBook.
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Gartner for Sales Leaders provides heads of sales and their teams with the insights, advice and tools they need to address mission-critical priorities amid mounting pressures to drive growth through new and existing customers. With extensive qualitative and quantitative research, Gartner for Sales Leaders helps sales teams combat commoditization and price-based purchasing, develop critical manager and seller skills, elevate the value of sales interactions, unlock existing growth potential, and optimize sales force enablement. Follow news and update from the Gartner Sales practice on X and LinkedIn using #GartnerSales. Members of the media can find additional information and insights in the Gartner Sales Newsroom.
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Gartner
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