If you’re in sales, you probably spend half your day doing things that aren't actually… selling. Updating the CRM, writing follow-up emails, trying to guess which deals in your pipeline are real and which are pure fantasy. It’s a grind. We’ve all been there, staring at a Salesforce dashboard on a Friday afternoon, feeling more like an administrator than a rainmaker.
For years, the solution has been more process, more training, more tools. But what if the solution wasn't adding more work, but adding more help? That's the promise of a new wave of AI sales tools, and I've been kicking the tires on one that's been making some noise: Oliv AI.
My first reaction? Probably the same as yours. Another AI platform? Great. But the more I looked, the more I realized Oliv is trying to do something a little different. It's not just about analyzing calls; it's about giving your team AI agents to do the grunt work. So, I jumped in. And I have some thoughts.
What Even is Oliv AI? Beyond the Buzzwords
Okay, so let's cut through the marketing fluff. Oliv AI isn't another CRM. Think of it more like a layer of intelligence that sits on top of your existing sales process. It connects to your calls, your emails, your calendar, and your CRM, and it… well, it learns. From every single interaction.
The core concept here is what they call “Deal Intelligence.” It sifts through over 100 data points to figure out what's really happening with a deal. Is the prospect engaged? What's the budget conversation really sounded like? Who are the key players you haven't spoken to yet? It’s like having a super-powered sales analyst listening to every conversation and reading every email, then giving you the cliff notes.
The best analogy I can come up with is this: Your CRM is a giant, complicated filing cabinet. Most sales tools are just different ways to organize the files. Oliv AI is like hiring a team of tiny, hyper-efficient robotic assistants who read all the files, organize them for you, and then tap you on the shoulder to say, “Hey, you should probably follow up on this one. And by the way, here’s a draft of the email.”
The AI Agents: Meet Your New Sales Team
This is where Oliv really stands out for me. It’s not just a dashboard of analytics. It's built around these specific AI “agents” that are designed to take action. It’s a subtle but important distinction.
The Deal Driver: Your Team's Automated Taskmaster
The Deal Driver is designed to combat sales inertia. It automates things like follow-ups, scheduling, and making sure next steps are actually completed. We've all had that deal that just stalls because someone dropped the ball on sending a simple summary email. This agent is built to prevent that. For the sales rep who has 15 tabs open and a memory like a sieve (no judgment, I've been that rep), this could be a lifesaver.
The Forecaster: Finally, a Crystal Ball That (Mostly) Works
Ah, forecasting. The monthly ritual where sales managers chase their reps for updates and get a mix of wild optimism and sheer panic. The Forecaster agent promises to bring some objectivity to the madness. It analyzes deal progress, engagement levels, and historical data to generate an unbiased weekly forecast. It won't be perfect—no forecast ever is—but it's based on data, not just a rep's gut feeling after a good call. This means managers can spend less time interrogating their team and more time strategizing.
The Coach: Personalized Performance Tips, Sans the Awkward Roleplay
This one is huge for managers. Providing effective coaching is tough and time-consuming. You can't listen to every single call. The Coach agent does it for you. It analyzes rep performance across all their meetings and provides data-backed suggestions for improvement. It might notice one rep consistently struggles when pricing comes up, or another is great at discovery but weak on closing. This allows for hyper-personalized coaching that can actually move the needle, rather than generic, one-size-fits-all advice.

Visit Oliv AI
So, How Does It Actually Feel to Use? My Honest Take
This all sounds great on a website, but what's it like in the trenches? In my experience, the time-saving is very real. The magic moment comes at the end of a long day of back-to-back calls when you see that your meeting notes are summarized, action items are logged in the CRM, and a follow-up email is already drafted. That's a feeling you can't put a price on. Well, you can, but we’ll get to that.
Now, let's address the concerns. A big one is integration. Does it actually play nice with your existing tech stack? For the most part, yes. It syncs with major CRMs pretty well. But like any new software, expect some setup and a learning curve. This isn't a magic wand you wave and all your problems disappear on day one.
Some people in the industry get nervous about potential AI blockers or the AI getting things wrong. And they're not wrong to be cautious. You still need a human in the loop. I view Oliv as an assistant, not a replacement. You have to review the AI's suggestions and drafts. It gets you 90% of the way there, but that last 10% of human touch, of personalization, is still on you. And frankly, it should be.
Let's Talk Money: Oliv AI Pricing Breakdown
Alright, the million-dollar question. Or, in this case, the $19-to-$99 dollar question. Oliv AI has a tiered pricing structure, which I appreciate. You only pay for what you need. (Note: Pricing can change, so it's always smart to check their official site for teh latest numbers).
Plan | Price (per user/month) | Who It's For |
---|---|---|
Starter | $19 | Small teams or those just wanting to test the waters. You get the basics like meeting recordings and AI notes. |
Standard | $59 | This feels like the sweet spot for most growing teams. It adds the key meeting insights for sales and customer success. |
Supreme | $99 | For the power users and larger teams. This unlocks the full suite, including advanced deal insights and scorecards. |
Is it worth it? If a single rep saves even 3-4 hours a week on administrative tasks, the platform pays for itself several times over. The real value isn't just time saved, it's the deals you don't lose because of a missed follow-up and the insights you gain to close deals faster. That ROI is a little harder to measure, but it's massive.
Who is Oliv AI Actually For (And Who Should Pass)?
This tool isn't for everyone, and that's okay.
I'd say Oliv AI is a fantastic fit for:
- Mid-size to large sales teams drowning in process and admin work.
- Sales managers who feel more like spreadsheet jockeys than leaders and want to scale their coaching efforts.
- High-velocity sales environments where every minute counts and small process improvements have a huge impact.
On the other hand, you might want to hold off if:
- You're a solopreneur or have a very small team with a super simple sales process. The overhead might not be worth it yet.
- Your team is deeply resistant to new technology. If getting them to update the CRM is already a battle, introducing an AI layer could cause a mutiny. Culture is key.
- You don't have a solid CRM foundation. The classic saying applies: garbage in, garbage out. Oliv needs data to work its magic.
The Elephant in the Room: Data Privacy
You can't talk about a tool that listens to sales calls without talking about security. Oliv seems to get this. They're very upfront on their site about being compliant with GDPR, SOC 2, and CCPA. For any business, especially enterprise, this is non-negotiable. It’s good to see they're not hiding from it and are addressing it head-on.
At the end of the day, Oliv AI represents a fascinating shift in sales tech. We're moving from systems of record (CRMs) to systems of intelligence and action. It’s about augmenting your team's skills, freeing them from the mundane, and allowing them to focus on what they were hired to do: build relationships and close deals. It's not about replacing humans, but about making them better. Is your team ready to hand over the busywork to an AI?
Your Questions, Answered
Can I purchase only the all-of-intelligence layer and not any of the agents?
Yes, according to their site, you can purchase the core intelligence platform on its own without deploying the specific AI agents, giving you some flexibility in how you adopt the tool.
Is there a free trial for Oliv AI?
Yes, they offer a free trial so you can test it out. It's a good way to see if the workflow fits your team before committing. Keep in mind that free trials on platforms like this sometimes come with credit limits on things like transcription minutes.
Do I need to enter my credit card information to start a free trial?
Their FAQ indicates you do not need a credit card to start the free trial, which is always a plus. It removes a major friction point for just giving it a spin.
Is Oliv AI difficult to set up?
This is a "it depends" answer. The basic setup and integration with your calendar and video conferencing is straightforward. Fully integrating it into your CRM and customizing it for your specific sales process will take some effort, as with any powerful tool. It's not plug-and-play, but it's not rocket science either.
Can I trust the AI's suggestions completely?
I would advise against it. Trust, but verify. The AI is incredibly powerful for surfacing insights and handling 90% of a task, but the final approval, the nuance, and the personalization should always come from a human. Use it as a powerful assistant, not an infallible oracle.
How is this different from tools like Gong or Chorus?
While Gong and Chorus are titans in conversation intelligence (analyzing calls), Oliv's main differentiator seems to be its focus on actionable agents. It's less about just giving you analytics and more about using those analytics to automate the next steps in the sales process, like updating the CRM and driving follow-ups. It's a subtle but significant shift from analysis to automation.
Reference and Sources
- Oliv AI Official Website
- Oliv AI Pricing Page
- McKinsey & Company: Reimagining Sales for the Next Normal