AI Maturity Model
The Technology Advisor
Choose a Buyer type:
Assess Your Readiness for the Next Phase of Growth
The most successful advisors are evolving beyond single-solution sales and becoming strategic guides who help customers navigate technology transformation.
Our research identified three distinct advisor personas based on confidence, capabilities, and approach to ecosystem selling. Use this framework to identify where you are today and what steps you can take to accelerate your growth.
35%
of advisors
The Traditionalist
47%
of advisors
The Transitioner
18%
of advisors
The Pacesetter
35%
of advisors
The Traditionalist
At a Glance
- 81% sell traditional networking and 62% sell CX solutions
- Only 10% currently sell AI solutions
- 83% do not feel prepared to sell AI (59% not very prepared, 24% not at all prepared)
- 64% are not currently incorporating AI into customer solutions
- 45% say their advisory business is not focused on AI at all
Traditionalist characteristics
Traditionalists have built successful businesses around foundational technologies and trusted customer relationships.
Expertise is rooted in networking, communications, and CX solutions. While Traditionalists recognize the growing importance of AI, cloud, and cybersecurity, these areas are often viewed as adjacent to, not central to, their business.
Key challenges
Building confidence and internal expertise
Traditionalists understand the market is changing, but many do not feel equipped to lead AI conversations. In fact, 61% cite a lack of internal technical depth as the primary reason they do not feel prepared to sell AI. When AI projects struggle, they are also more likely to point to a lack of internal AI expertise as the root cause.
You are a Traditionalist
If you:
- Avoid AI conversations unless the customer brings it up.
- Focus primarily on one solution category.
- Are hesitant to discuss AI readiness, cloud strategy, and/or cybersecurity planning.
- Know AI is important but are unsure where to start.
Your Playbook
-
Build Foundational Knowledge
Focus on understanding AI readiness, common business use cases, and how AI connects to cloud, cybersecurity, and CX initiatives. -
Ask Outcome-Based Questions
It’s OK to start with foundational product discussions and then begin exploring broader business impact, operational challenges, and future technology priorities. -
Leverage Expert Resources
Bring Telarus Sales Engineers and solution specialists into conversations early. Use every opportunity as both a customer engagement and a learning experience. -
Expand One Customer Conversation
Identify one existing account and look for opportunities to connect networking, CX, cloud, security, or AI into a broader business discussion.
What Success Looks Like
Confidently introducing AI, cloud, and cybersecurity conversations into customer engagements, uncovering larger opportunities within existing accounts, and evolving from a product-focused seller into a broader technology advisor
Key Insight
50%
47%
of advisors
The Transitioner
At a Glance
- Actively sell CX (73%), cloud (60%), cybersecurity (59%), advanced networking (59%), and AI (44%)
- 71% feel only “somewhat prepared” to sell AI solutions
- 54% use AI in marketing and sales activities
- 51% use AI for internal operations
- 36% identify Telarus Sales Engineers and advanced solutions experts as having the greatest impact on their growth
Transitioner characteristics
Transitioners are actively adapting to the changing market. They have expanded beyond traditional networking and communications solutions, increasingly incorporating AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and CX into customer conversations.
They are finding success in certain areas. Sixty-five percent are already integrating AI into CX discussions, but they often struggle to expand those conversations into broader cloud, security, and infrastructure opportunities.
Key challenges
Closing expertise gaps for greater consistency
Transitioners can win ecosystem opportunities but often struggle to repeat that success across accounts. Technical objections, solution complexity, and uncertainty around positioning can limit confidence and deal size.
Fifty-eight percent cite the rapid pace of change, and 39% cite a lack of internal technical depth as reasons why they do not feel fully prepared to sell AI. When AI initiatives stall, 36% acknowledge that internal expertise gaps are often part of the problem.
You are a Transitioner
If you:
- Win some ecosystem opportunities, but not consistently.
- Revert to product features when conversations become more strategic.
- Hesitate to pursue larger opportunities because of technical complexity.
- Wait to bring in technical experts to validate solutions after they are identified.
Your Playbook
-
Lead With Discovery
Expand conversations beyond products and focus on business objectives, AI readiness, cloud strategy, security requirements, and long-term technology priorities. -
Bring Specialists in Earlier
Schedule co-discovery calls with Telarus Sales Engineers and solutions experts early to strengthen credibility, accelerate learning, and uncover larger opportunities. -
Develop a Repeatable Process
Rely on repeatable methodologies rather than specific product expertise. Create a standard discovery and qualification framework for AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and CX opportunities. -
Invest in Continuous Learning
Take advantage of certifications, vendor training, and Telarus Education offerings to build confidence and expand your portfolio. -
Look for Ecosystem Opportunities
Connect networking, cloud, AI, cybersecurity, and CX conversations into broader business initiatives. Larger opportunities rarely begin as ecosystem sales; they become ecosystem sales through effective discovery. -
Create a New Technology-Focused Campaign for Your Installed Base
Identify a time-sensitive imperative (e.g., 2026 CMMC compliance mandates) and create a short, focused list of customers to reach out to. Leverage Telarus advanced solutions experts for help defining targets and conversation starters.
What Success Looks Like
Key Insight
45%
18%
of advisors
The Pacesetter
At a Glance
- 76% sell cloud and cybersecurity solutions, and 73% already sell AI solutions
- All are prepared to sell AI, with 56% feeling very prepared and 44% somewhat prepared
- 85% use AI for operations and 84% use AI in sales and marketing
- 52% are actively running internal AI pilot programs
- 22% report that more than 75% of their projects are multi-solution, compared to just 10% of the overall advisor community
- 39% report delivering strong measurable ROI on customer AI initiatives
Pacesetter characteristics
Fluent in the ecosystem sale, Pacesetters rarely lead with products, focusing instead on business outcomes, technology strategy, and long-term customer success. They engage customers early; influence decision-making; and routinely integrate AI, cloud, cybersecurity, CX, and infrastructure into larger transformation initiatives. Pacesetters rely heavily on Telarus’s supplier breadth (45%) and quoting efficiency (37%) to manage increasingly complex engagements.
This strategic approach translates into business growth. Nearly half (44%) grew revenue by more than 20% over the past 12 months, while only 4% reported no meaningful growth.
Key challenges
Scaling success
Pacesetters are already winning complex opportunities. Their challenge is turning individual expertise into a repeatable, scalable business model. The biggest obstacles to selling AI solutions are external: rapid pace of change (72%), unclear vendor differentiation (47%), and governance and compliance complexity (42%).
You are a Pacesetter
If you:
- Are expanding your opportunities across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and CX.
- Are brought into customers’ strategic planning discussions early.
- Typically lead with business outcomes over specific technologies.
- Feel your growth is limited more by bandwidth and lack of time than by opportunity.
Your Playbook
-
Sell Transformation, Not Technology
Lead with business outcomes, modernization initiatives, governance, and long-term strategic priorities rather than individual products or vendors. -
Build Repeatable Methodologies
Document your discovery process, assessment frameworks, and engagement models so they can be consistently delivered across customers and team members. -
Package Your Expertise
Create structured offerings that are highly valued and highly differentiated, such as AI readiness assessments, technology roadmap workshops, renewal strategy reviews, or security modernization assessments. -
Scale Through the Ecosystem
Leverage Telarus engineering, marketing, and supplier resources to extend your reach and support larger opportunities.