Choosing the right CPQ solution for your business can be challenging. You want to avoid buying a system of bells and whistles your team won’t use. Ensure that your CPQ software can integrate with your existing systems and tools. This includes CRMs and sales tools, as well as manufacturing systems.
Know Your Budget
When it comes to CPQ tools and vendors, there are hundreds of options. Many boast similar capabilities, making knowing the right choice for your enterprise difficult. This is why it’s so important to take your time and research the different options available to you.
The best way to determine if a CPQ solution is the right fit for your business is to understand your budget and requirements. It is possible to find a cost-effective solution, especially if you are willing to invest in training and support to help your teams learn how to use the software effectively.
A CPQ solution can help you save on recurring costs and reduce overall expenditures. For example, a CPQ system can help you generate more accurate quotes based on your actual product costs. This helps you prevent mistakes that can lead to a miscalculated price and ultimately lose sales and revenue.
Another consideration is the cost of maintaining and upgrading your CPQ software solution. Some solutions are offered as a cloud service, ideal for organizations that want to avoid the expense of purchasing and installing software in-house. If you choose a cloud-based solution, you must ensure that it is updated regularly and that your servers have strong security.
Understand Your Needs
The most crucial CPQ implementation guide is understanding your business’s needs. Your CPQ solution should accommodate your workflow and meet your organization’s unique sales process, data, and pricing structure. It should also be flexible enough to adapt as your business evolves.
A good CPQ solution will help your sales teams configure, price, and deliver branded quotes with a high level of accuracy. It will allow them to create and manage complex product offerings, control channel, customer, and service pricing, reduce the use of abusive discounts, and increase quoting speed. It should also allow you to generate 10,000-line quotes in seconds and offer a highly flexible, scalable pricing model.
Another thing to look for is a CPQ that integrates with your CRM and ERP systems. Investing in a CPQ that doesn’t work well with the rest of your software would be a waste of time or, worse, require installing a separate system.
Finally, your CPQ solution must provide you with regular reporting and analysis. This will allow you, and your team, to see what’s working and what isn’t. It will also allow you to identify potential problems before they become a bigger problem. This will give you a competitive advantage over other companies who may need to be more proactive about their CPQ software.
Ask for a Demo
When finding the best CPQ solution for your business, consider how this tool will fit into your overall strategy. For example, if you are looking for a CPQ solution to help you with sales forecasting and planning, you should look for a tool that can easily integrate with your CRM. This will save you time and effort by manually eliminating the need to enter data into multiple systems.
Another important consideration is how scalable the solution will be. For example, if you are a manufacturer who sells to a wide range of industries, you will want to choose a CPQ solution configured to meet each industry’s unique needs. This will enable your team to quickly prepare quotes for each type of customer and increase your quote-to-order conversion rates.
A great way to determine whether or not a CPQ solution will be successful for your business is to schedule a demo with the vendor. This will allow you to see how the solution works and ensure it is easy for your team. During the demo, ask the vendor any questions to understand better how the solution will work for your business.
Finally, ask your lead if other decision-makers will attend the demonstration. This will ensure the information is shared with all the relevant parties and reduce potential confusion or conflicting information.
Schedule a Meeting
Choosing the right CPQ solution for your business can be confusing. It’s important to ask questions and get a product demo before purchasing. This can help you find a solution that fits your needs and budget.
A CPQ solution is ideal for companies with complex products or services that cannot be managed efficiently by CRM or ERP systems. It can be used to automate the pricing, configuration, and approval processes for these types of products or services. This helps to streamline the sales process and shortens the time it takes to deliver a quote from a proposal to the customer.
Ensure it offers mobile compatibility to make the most of your CPQ solution. This allows your team to access the system from any device, even when away from the office. This will save your team time and effort, as they must finish a quote or send it to a client before returning to the office.
When scheduling a meeting, make sure to include all necessary attendees. This can be a list of executive leaders or associate team members who must participate in the discussion. This will help you to determine the best timeslot for everyone. Determining which attendees must prioritize their time above others is also helpful.
