The way businesses handle contracts and sales documents is undergoing a fundamental shift. As AI and automation continue to reshape the landscape, companies that fail to adapt risk being left behind. We sat down with Mikita Mikado, founder of PandaDoc, to discuss the future of business documentation, the inefficiencies of traditional sales processes, and how AI is closing deals faster than ever before.
Here are the key insights from our discussion, shedding light on where the industry is headed and how businesses can stay ahead of the curve.
1️⃣ The End of Static Documents: Welcome to Dynamic Workflows
One of the most compelling takeaways from our conversation was the idea that traditional documents are becoming obsolete in their current form.
The Shift to Real-Time Business Processes
"The idea that contracts are just static documents is outdated. In the future, they will be as dynamic as any other business process," says Mikado.
Rather than static PDFs and Word files, business documentation is shifting towards API-driven workflows that integrate seamlessly with CRMs, financial tools, and compliance databases.
🔹 Contracts will continuously update in real time, adapting to supply chain changes, pricing fluctuations, and performance metrics.
🔹 Proposals will no longer be drafted manually but instead generated based on AI-driven insights from previous deals.
🔹 Documents will become intelligent, predictive tools that help businesses close deals faster and with fewer legal roadblocks.
💡 Why It Matters:
Businesses that still rely on static documentation will struggle to keep up.
AI-powered documents will cut down negotiation times and reduce errors.
Automated contract updates will ensure better compliance and fewer disputes.
2️⃣ The Death of Traditional Sales: AI is Changing the Game
Mikita highlighted how traditional sales processes are broken. Sales teams are stuck in manual, outdated workflows that cost them valuable time and efficiency.
Where Traditional Sales Teams Fall Behind
Today, most sales teams still operate like this:
1️⃣ Manually create a proposal
2️⃣ Go back and forth via email negotiations
3️⃣ Adjust terms based on gut instinct
4️⃣ Wait weeks or months for approval
This outdated approach slows down deal cycles and introduces unnecessary friction.
How AI Is Revolutionizing Sales
📌 With AI-driven automation, sales will move from manual guesswork to intelligent decision-making.
🔹 AI-powered tools will auto-generate hyper-personalized proposals for each prospect.
🔹 AI will analyze thousands of previous deals to suggest the most effective pricing and contract terms.
🔹 Negotiation back-and-forth will be drastically reduced, cutting weeks off the sales cycle.
"Sales teams waste too much time on repetitive tasks. AI isn’t here to replace them—it’s here to make them more effective and help them close deals faster," Mikita noted.
💡 Why It Matters:
✔ Shorter sales cycles mean more closed deals.
✔ Sales teams can focus on relationship-building rather than paperwork.
✔ Companies that fail to integrate AI into sales automation will lose ground to competitors.
3️⃣ AI-Powered Businesses vs. The Ones Left Behind
Mikita warns that businesses are reaching a critical divergence point: those who embrace AI-driven workflows will scale faster, while those who resist change will become obsolete.
📌 The AI Divide:
✅ Companies leveraging AI-powered document and sales automation will close deals faster and operate more efficiently.
❌ Companies that ignore AI will struggle to remain competitive.
Adoption Is No Longer Optional
"It’s no longer a question of if companies will adopt AI—it’s a question of when. Those who wait too long will find themselves outpaced by competitors who move faster," Mikita warned.
💡 Why It Matters:
AI is no longer just a tool—it’s a competitive advantage.
Organizations that delay automation will find themselves losing deals to faster, more agile competitors.
Sales and legal teams must rethink their approach to documentation and negotiation.
Final Thoughts
The conversation with Mikita made one thing clear: the way businesses handle contracts, sales, and negotiations is undergoing a radical transformation. Companies that embrace AI-driven documentation and automation will thrive, while those that resist innovation will be left behind.
So, the question remains: Is your business prepared for this shift, or are you still stuck in outdated processes?
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