The software industry is entering another period of transformation. According to Deloitte’s 2026 Software Industry Outlook, financial pressure, AI-first products, and new competitors are reshaping how software companies operate and compete.

But beneath these technology trends is a deeper shift that every go-to-market leader should understand: The market is moving toward an Outcome Economy.

According to recent benchmarks, quota attainment has settled into a lower “new normal,” well below the highs of 2021. Across roles, fewer than half of sellers are consistently hitting their targets. This is not a temporary dip. It is a structural shift.

And it raises an important question: Why are so many go-to-market teams still missing quota, despite more tools, more data, and now, more AI than ever before?

Despite years of emphasis on value selling, fewer than one in five sellers consistently apply it in customer conversations. Closing this adoption gap through structured training and practice may be one of the most effective ways for B2B organizations to drive revenue growth.

CFOs are no longer passive approvers at the end of the sales cycle. They are active architects of enterprise strategy, capital allocation, and value realization.