#Visual configurator for CPQ

[prototechsolutionsblog]

From Inquiry to Invoice: How CPQ Configurators Accelerate the Furniture Sales Funnel

In today’s fast-paced, customer-centric marketplace, furniture businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver personalized products, accurate quotes, and streamlined transactions — all without compromising speed or accuracy. With complex product catalogs, customizable options, and variable pricing, the traditional furniture sales funnel can be slow, error-prone, and frustrating for both buyers and sellers. Enter CPQ configurators, the digital accelerators that are transforming the furniture industry from the first inquiry to the final invoice.

What is a CPQ Configurator?

CPQ stands for Configure, Price, Quote, a category of software tools designed to streamline the sales process for complex and customizable products. A CPQ configurator allows sales teams, and in many cases, customers themselves, to configure a product, calculate an accurate price based on selected options, and generate a formal quote instantly.

In the furniture industry, where every detail matters, from fabric and finish to size and add-ons, CPQ tools eliminate guesswork, reduce back-and-forth, and enable a seamless sales experience.

How CPQ Configurators Streamline the Furniture Sales Funnel

Let’s look at how a CPQ configurator streamlines and accelerates each phase of the sales funnel:

1. Inquiry & Product Discovery

Modern CPQ tools often come integrated with 3D visual configurators that allow buyers to explore products interactively. Instead of flipping through physical catalogs or static PDFs, customers can visualize a chair in walnut finish with a leather seat or a modular sofa in various layouts — all in real time.

This interactive experience increases engagement, shortens the discovery phase, and gives customers confidence in their choices.

2. Product Configuration with Accuracy

Furniture CPQs are built with business logic and product rules that ensure every configuration is manufacturable. If a particular leg design isn’t compatible with a certain tabletop or material, the system prevents the user from selecting it.

This rule-based intelligence reduces costly errors, speeds up approvals, and ensures consistency across the sales team. It also frees up sales reps to focus on closing rather than correcting.

3. Real-Time Pricing

Pricing in the furniture industry can be highly variable, influenced by raw material costs, regional taxes, volume discounts, and more. A CPQ system can automatically calculate the correct price based on the customer’s selections in real time.

Dynamic pricing not only ensures quote accuracy but also helps sales reps respond to pricing inquiries faster and more confidently.

4. Instant Quoting

With CPQ software, quotes are generated instantly, often complete with product visuals, specifications, and terms. This drastically reduces turnaround time from days to minutes.

A faster quote means a faster decision, especially important in B2B scenarios where budget approval windows are narrow and time-to-purchase is short.

5. Order Processing and Invoicing

Once a quote is accepted, CPQ tools can integrate directly with ERP and CRM systems to automatically generate orders and invoices. No need to re-enter data, no risk of clerical errors, and no delay in kicking off production or delivery schedules.

End-to-end integration ensures that from the moment a customer makes a selection to the final payment, every step is tracked, documented, and executed efficiently.

CPQ in Action: Real-World Example

Consider a commercial furniture manufacturer that deals with hundreds of SKUs and highly customized products for office and hospitality spaces. Before CPQ, their sales reps spent hours on manual configuration, pricing approvals, and quote documentation.

After implementing a CPQ solution with 3D configuration and ERP integration, they reduced their quote-to-order time by over 70%, increased average order value by 18%, and saw a 50% drop in errors related to product configuration. Most importantly, their customers reported a more streamlined and enjoyable buying experience.

From inquiry to invoice, CPQ configurators empower furniture companies to meet modern expectations and stay ahead in a digital-first marketplace.

If you’re looking to optimize your furniture sales funnel with a CPQ solution, now’s the time. Streamline your quoting process, reduce costly mistakes, and close deals faster than ever.

Ready to explore what a CPQ configurator could do for your business? 

Let’s talk - https://prototechsolutions.com/3d-services/3d-product-configurator/

[pepminn]

Why Do Businesses Need CRM Software Today?

Customer Relationship Management software is now the most important resource for companies to streamline processes, enhance the experience of customers, and generate top-line growth in revenues in the fast-paced, competitive corporate world of the present era.

Customer Relationship Management CRM Software has emerged as a vital utility for enterprises to automate processes, improve customer interactions, and push growth.

What is CRM & Sales?

Customer Relationship Management CRM Software is an omnipresent element of the contemporary sales landscape, offering organizations a structured way of doing business and optimizing contact with customers and prospects. 

Essentially, CRM selling software is employed to collect customer data from various points of contact between business and customer, from firm website and telephone to live chat, direct mail, marketing communications, and social networking sites. By aggregating information, sales organizations can track customer interaction, process optimization, and improve customer relationships.

Efficient CRM Software Trusted by Experts Around the World

Zilliant

Zilliant provides AI-powered price optimization and revenue intelligence software, allowing businesses to achieve maximum profitability. It uses predictive analytics to offer real-time prices and sales suggestions. Ideal for B2B companies, it allows for improved decision-making with insight-based information.

Cacheflow

Cacheflow streamlines the sales cycle through quote automation, contracts, and payment processing for SaaS businesses. It streamlines the closure of deals with embedded approvals, payment records, and renewal. It can scale up to accommodate businesses as they grow while reducing friction closing.

Epicor CPQ

Epicor CPQ supports product configuration and quoting with 3D visualization and workflow automation. It offers the ability for the manufacturers to deliver custom solutions at a quicker pace. The software comes with several ERP and CRM systems to function effectively.

Experlogix

Experlogix streamlines difficult product configurations through guided selling and automated quoting. It aids manufacturing, sales, and e-commerce organizations with accuracy and efficiency. The software is compatible with the leading CRM and ERP products to be used for streamlined workflows.

How to Select the Perfect CRM Software?

While choosing a CRM, take into consideration:

Ease of Use – The user interface is easy to use to enable rapid adoption and minimal training duration.

Customization Options – It is necessary to make the software adaptable according to your business requirements.

Integration Capabilities – Make sure that the CRM integrates with existing tools like email, social media, and accounting software.

Scalability – Choose a CRM that grows with your business and accommodates evolving needs.

Security and Compliance – Data security aspects and industry compliance are the most critical ways to protect customer data.

Final Thoughts

CRM software is now a necessity and no longer an expense for businesses willing to thrive in this age of competition. CRM solutions enhance customer interactions, make processes simple, and produce wise information that help businesses thrive successfully and forge lasting relationships.

With Zoftware, discovering the ideal CRM Software for your business has never been easier. Compare market leaders, learn about features, and find the ideal solution to optimize your customer management plan. Visit Zoftware today and drive your business forward!

[chloedecker0]

Optimizing Complex B2B Sales with Tacton CPQ

As an analyst at QKS Group, analysing the Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) market, I had a recent conversation with Per Rohdin, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Tacton, to understand how Tacton CPQ is addressing the challenges of complex B2B sales in manufacturing. With businesses increasingly moving towards configure-to-order (CTO) models, the ability to generate accurate quotes, ensure seamless product configurations, and integrate pricing strategies in real time has become crucial. Tacton CPQ is designed to simplify these processes by providing constraint-based configuration, automated pricing, and seamless integration across CRM and ERP systems, ultimately improving efficiency and customer experience.

One of the standout capabilities of Tacton CPQ is its constraint-based configurator, which ensures that every product configuration is both technically valid and commercially optimized. For manufacturers dealing with highly customizable machinery, industrial equipment, and capital goods, traditional sales processes often involve excessive back-and-forth between sales, engineering, and pricing teams. Tacton eliminates these inefficiencies by allowing sales representatives to input high-level customer requirements, while the system automatically determines viable product combinations that meet technical specifications, supply chain constraints, and pricing conditions. This shift from engineer-to-order (ETO) to configure-to-order (CTO) enables faster response times and ensures error-free sales processes.

To further enhance the buying experience, Tacton CPQ provides real-time 3D visualization and augmented reality (AR) integration. As sales representatives configure a product, a high-resolution 3D model updates dynamically to reflect the selected options. This feature helps customers visualize their customized machinery or industrial equipment before purchase, eliminating uncertainty. The AR functionality takes this a step further by allowing customers to place the configured product in their real-world environment through a smartphone or tablet. This capability is particularly beneficial for industries where space constraints, compliance requirements, or installation logistics play a crucial role in decision-making.

Become a Client - https://qksgroup.com/become-client 

Pricing complexity is another common challenge in B2B manufacturing, where businesses must deal with multi-tier pricing models, regional tax regulations, bulk discounts, and volatile raw material costs. Tacton CPQ simplifies this by automating pricing calculations in real time, ensuring that every quote remains aligned with the company's profitability goals. The automated margin control feature allows businesses to set pricing thresholds, ensuring that discounts remain within predefined limits. If a sales representative overrides pricing guideline, the system automatically triggers an approval workflow, ensuring adherence to business rules and profitability benchmarks.

Another essential feature of Tacton CPQ is its automated proposal generation, which allows sales teams to create customer-ready quotes, including detailed product specifications, pricing breakdowns, and CAD drawings. By integrating directly with CAD software, the platform ensures that sales teams can generate technical drawings and blueprints without relying on engineers, significantly reducing turnaround time. This is particularly valuable in industries where precise dimensions, compliance documentation, and product renderings are essential for securing approvals from procurement teams and regulatory bodies.

To ensure seamless enterprise-wide adoption, Tacton CPQ offers deep integration capabilities with CRM and ERP systems. Businesses using Salesforce can access Tacton CPQ’s full functionality within their existing CRM interface, eliminating the need for platform switching and ensuring that sales teams have a unified view of customer accounts, pricing structures, and order histories. Similarly, ERP integrations with platforms like SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics ensure that approved quotes transition smoothly into production workflows, reducing manual data entry errors and ensuring that supply chain teams receive precise order details.

Beyond supporting direct sales teams, Tacton CPQ also enables self-service configuration through eCommerce and digital portals. Manufacturers can embed Tacton’s configurator into their online sales platforms, allowing customers to independently explore, customize, and price their desired solutions. Unlike static online catalog, this self-service functionality ensures that customers are always presented with valid configurations and accurate pricing tailored to their specific agreements. This not only speeds up the sales process but also reduces dependency on sales representatives for standard configurations, allowing them to focus on high-value consultative engagements.

My conversation with Tacton’s team provided a comprehensive understanding of how their CPQ solution streamlines sales operations, enhances customer engagement, and eliminates inefficiencies in complex B2B manufacturing sales. By integrating AI-driven configuration, dynamic pricing, automated approvals, and real-time visualization, Tacton CPQ empowers businesses to simplify sales, improve accuracy, and accelerate deal closures. The platform ensures that manufacturers can deliver tailored solutions to customers faster, all while maintaining profitability, compliance, and seamless integration with enterprise systems. For organizations looking to modernize their sales processes and improve operational efficiency, Tacton CPQ offers a robust, end-to-end solution that addresses the core challenges of complex manufacturing product sales.

[techyuki]

Salesforce CPQ Pricing Strategies for Smarter Sales

As organizations across industries seek tools that allow them to extract meaningful insights from vast amounts of information, Salesforce CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) has emerged as one of the go-to tools. Offering powerful analytics and reporting features that empower businesses with data-driven decisions making capabilities, Salesforce CPQ will soon become an essential skill set in order to remain competitive and relevant within their fields in 2025.

Let's investigate why Salesforce CPQ will remain an indispensable asset in 2025, its distinction from traditional business intelligence tools, and why its significance extends across professionals, students, and decision-makers alike.

The Complexity of Pricing in Today’s Sales Environment

Imagine trying to navigate an uncharted sea without any means of navigation; data in today's modern world is like that: unstructured and overwhelming. By 2025, organizations are expected to produce more data than ever before--IDC estimates global data creation will reach 163 Zettabytes by that year alone! Extracting meaningful insights from such vast amounts of information is no longer a luxury; rather it has become essential.

Salesforce CPQ is designed to offer businesses a structured solution for navigating this sea of data. By acting as a guide through the maze of data complexity and turning raw numbers into actionable insights, businesses can track key performance indicators, identify hidden trends, and make informed decisions that contribute to growth.

Empowering Decision-Makers

Decision makers in any organization face the challenging task of navigating through complex challenges and seizing opportunities, yet without access to relevant tools they may find their best decisions clouded by incomplete or inaccessible data - which is where Salesforce CPQ comes into its own.

Salesforce CPQ empowers decision-makers with intuitive dashboards and reports for data visualization. It transforms raw information into understandable insights that provide a clear view of business performance, from customer trends identification, sales performance analysis and forecasting future growth forecasting - giving decision-makers all of the tools needed for effective leadership.

Consider Salesforce CPQ the control tower of an organization, providing leaders with real-time access to critical data just like airline pilots use a control tower for safe flight navigation. In 2025's increasingly competitive and rapidly shifting business landscape, leaders will require fast and accurate interpretation of data in order to be competitive and stay relevant.

Bridge the Gap between Data and Action

Professionals often face difficulty translating data into actionable insights. Salesforce CPQ addresses this challenge by breaking complex information down into digestible chunks for ease of use - even those without technical backgrounds can utilize data effectively with this solution.

Salesforce CPQ's intuitive user-interface ensures seamless data interaction. Professionals can effortlessly build interactive reports, create custom dashboards, and perform advanced analytics - without needing extensive coding skills - making Salesforce CPQ an indispensable tool for marketing analysts, financial planners, operations managers, and those seeking online training with Salesforce CPQ. CPQ Training Online makes its accessibility a key advantage; users can learn and implement its capabilities easily to enhance decision making processes.

Imagine trying to bake a cake without instructions! Salesforce CPQ serves as the recipe book of data analysis--providing step-by-step guidance so users can generate accurate yet actionable insights. By 2025, businesses that aim to remain competitive must be able to turn data into clear strategies in order to stay ahead.

The Rise of Self-Service Analytics

Salesforce CPQ's signature feature is its emphasis on self-service analytics. In 2025, data democratization will continue its upward trajectory as more professionals, regardless of technical knowledge, seek ways to access, analyze and visualize data.

Salesforce CPQ empowers users to explore data independently, cultivating a culture of data-driven decision making. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, integration with other Salesforce tools like CRM and Analytics Cloud, as well as its extensive library of pre-built connectors makes this tool accessible for users of all skill levels.

Consider Salesforce CPQ like a self-service gas station: users don't require specialists or external resources to fuel up their vehicles. In 2025, professionals won't need IT teams to access and analyze data - instead they will have the tools at their fingertips that enable them to explore insights on their own.

Salesforce CPQ for Professionals and Students

Acquiring Salesforce CPQ skills can open up new career prospects for professionals already employed, especially as demand for data analysts, business intelligence specialists, and data-driven decision makers continues to rise. According to LinkedIn's list of sought-after skills by employers for roles requiring data analysis or business intelligence - Salesforce CPQ being one of them!

Students entering the workforce in 2025 will find Salesforce CPQ an indispensable skill, especially given today's data-driven world. Learning to interpret and visualize information is not simply advantageous but essential; therefore Salesforce CPQ gives students an edge that makes them highly marketable across fields such as finance, marketing, healthcare and technology.

Conclusion

Looking ahead to 2025, Salesforce CPQ promises to remain not just an invaluable tool but an indispensable skill set for professionals across industries. With data growing exponentially and demand increasing for actionable insights and self-service analytics gaining ground as work changes over time, Salesforce CPQ will play a central role in shaping the future of work.

[kbmax-cpqsoftware]

KBMax: Integration of Kinetic With CPQ

KBMax visual setup software is the best answer for firms looking to streamline their sales process. Our application provides seamless integration of Kinetic with CPQ, making it easier than ever to configure, price, and quote items precisely and rapidly. Contact us today at kbmax.com to learn how we can help you take your business to the next level.

[epicorcpq]

Top Reasons to Invest in Epicor CRM CPQ

One of the first areas to check if you want to increase sales productivity is Epicor CRM CPQ. Many businesses are leveraging the potential of Epicor product configurator CPQ to design complex products and generate quotations with more precision. 

Price quotation has always been a labor-intensive, sluggish, and error-prone manual operation. And every successful salesperson is aware that speed is crucial for sales success. Enterprise software with CPQ gives that speed to the sales team by generating product quotes in no time. Epicor CRM CPQ has various benefits to implement, but here are some important reasons to incorporate Epicor product configurator CPQ software into your company:

Fulfill orders without any mistakes 

It takes a significant amount of sales team training to get new hires up to speed with available product and service configuration options, and there is still a lot of space for error.

Nobody has time for that, as a wise woman once stated. Your sales staff has access to a digital catalog using Visual configurator for CPQ software, which helps them navigate all possible product and service configuration choices while automatically removing goods incompatible with a chosen option. You receive prompt recommendations for the best possible solutions, bridging team members' knowledge gaps regarding potential solutions. Also, you may lessen the expense and work involved in maintaining the catalog.

Moreover, a well-designed Epicor CRM CPQ solution makes sure that your systems communicate with one another. Capturing orders before they can be processed stops erroneous orders from reaching the administration stage and causing delays. Win again for your credibility and client happiness.

Open up prospects for sales.

The relevant information is sent at the right moment with CPQ software, opening up huge potential for your sales staff. Create rules to display suggested purchases and related goods, which could increase your revenue. Moreover, graphic pricing histories are offered so you may determine how aggressively to promote a sale using information from previous transactions. To further motivate your staff, you may integrate your sales commission systems with Epicor CRM CPQ.

To secure profitability, increase margins. 

Many salespeople depend on their gut feeling to calculate the price that would close a deal. However, such speculation doesn't take long to reduce profit margins. All team members may work from the most recent list since the Visual configurator for CPQ software communicates the current pricing while managing the computations. This might be useful for complicated arrangements involving promotions, customer-specific pricing, and swings in different currencies.

Managers may quickly review base pricing and discount percentages if transaction clearance is required and take any necessary action to increase profitability.

Generate quotations that appear professional. 

Presentation is frequently used as the basis for sales choices. Yet, few salesmen have the time or graphic layout expertise to produce appropriately branded papers.

The visual configurator for CPQ offers a comprehensive composition tool to assist you in upholding brand compliance. You may add pricing summaries and quotation information as necessary, alter proposal templates so they are customized to the sales agreement, and include data updates as they happen. Team members may even have cover letters or remarks that refer to the unique client connection.

The result is a tailored, precise, and professional proposal.

Make quotations that appear professional. 

Decisions in sales are frequently made based on appearance. Yet few salesmen have the time or the aptitude for design layout needed to produce documents with the appropriate branding.

To maintain brand compliance, enterprise software with CPQ offers a thorough composition tool. You may add pricing summaries and quotation information as necessary, personalize proposal templates for the sales agreement, and integrate data updates as they come in. Team members can even include remarks or cover letters that refer to the special customer connection.

The outcome is a proposal that is precise, expert, and customized.

Businesses have experienced these and several other advantages of using an Epicor product configurator CPQ application throughout multiple installations spanning more than years. Contact KBMAX 3D CPQ team to begin achieving comparable outcomes for your business.

[cpqsoftware]

Leverage the Potential of Visual Configurator

Customers nowadays want highly personalized products, requiring the development of product designs that are both quick and exact. Visual product configuration lets companies promptly provide precise representations of each unique product. In addition, it improves the efficiency of sales and engineering teams by assuring interactive 2D and 3D designs of specified products with a visual configurator.

[productvisualizationsoftware]

Leverage the Potential of Visual Configurator

Most companies consider product design and production as two separate things. This leads the manufacturing team to begin production once the design team has completed the product’s final design. This causes the entire process to become disjointed and ultimately delays product delivery. 

Thanks to the Visual configurator for CPQ, organizations can now simultaneously work on product, design, and development. It helps teams to be in sync and get real-time information about the designs so that the development team can start work accordingly. 

The success of product development is primarily determined by how accurately the product is designed, and visual product configuration is more effective in product design.

The visual configurator for CPQ allows the design team to create the product’s design precisely. This enables the engineering team to make fast changes to any design flaws that are discovered. In other words, visual product configuration facilitates product design customization based on requirements drawn before or after creating the design. 

The integration of Visual Configurator for CPQ

Visual product configuration works brilliantly with CPQ to build product 3D models based on the configuration options and values. Product design is more accurate and error-free when CPQ solutions are coupled with visual product configuration. Visual configurator for CPQ aids in the consolidation of the design throughout the production process. The visual configurator automation system functions as a front-end engineer, providing a complete view between the development and sales teams. 

Visual configurator for CPQ has several benefits that can encourage production productivity, control expenses, and resolve manufacturing issues. The combination of a visual configurator and a CPQ provides a collaborative approach to design through manufacture, which enhances communication and quality while saving time and money. Let us go through its advantages in depth.

Benefits of visual product configurator

There are various benefits of a visual configurator for CPQ; let’s discuss some of the main advantages. 

Improves process

Visual configurator for CPQ streamlines the collaboration process and makes inability engagement apparent in a fast and cost-effective manner. The essential component is that it has enhanced design through manufacturing process data, allowing for real-time changes.

Instead of allowing the design and production teams to operate concurrently, visual product configuration with CPQ capabilities delivers a single model to both. Working with diverse file types and large amounts of data might lead to confusion.

Breaks down the communication barriers

In coexistence with visual product configuration; this single-model approach reduces communication trenches between the design and production teams. Working with the same data points both teams in the same direction. With the standard configuration in hand, design and production engineers may focus on expenses and discard design throughout the development phase before the product is manufactured. Iterations, which used to slow down production and require time, may now be completed more rapidly as part of the development process and without repetitive data manipulations.

Saving the time of associated teams 

Because of the higher quality, the visual configurator saves time. Working with a single model and data format allows for real-time updates. Because CPQ will enable consumers to edit products in real-time, it makes it easier for the design team to adopt changes quickly. This eliminates the possibility of error, maintains high levels of accuracy, and reduces the hurdles associated with design faults. Another element that contributes to time savings is the elimination of unnecessary effort. Working with a single set of predefined rules is quick and uncomplicated, lowering the need to update product designs when modifications are made.

Key Takeaways

Product accuracy is crucial in providing a great customer experience and developing long-term customer connections. Working with a single, shared set of rules removes the possibility of human mistakes, which can negatively impact product quality. Visual configurator automation improves quality and reduces the risk of machining errors once production begins by addressing design changes in real time. Early detection of molding issues saves time and protects the organization from losing money due to incorrect product configuration drafting.  If you need more clarification about the Visual configurator for CPQ and want its proper implementation, contact KBMax -Best CPQ Software – Top Tools 2023. Their CPQ experts will assist you with the complete guide to Visual configurator integration.

[cpqsolution]

Using A Visual Configuration Tool To Design Complex Products

Designing complex products can benefit greatly from visual configuration, which enhances adaptability, flexibility, and design efficiency. Designers and engineers can provide a graphical interface for customers to customize a product by choosing different choices and features using visual configuration. 

Designers can design highly complex products suited to specific consumer demands and preferences using CPQ software for product configuration. Users will be able to develop a product that satisfies their particular needs, which can assist in boosting customer satisfaction.

What Is Visual Configuration

Using a graphical user interface to build a product or service, a process known as "visual configuration" allows users to choose and arrange product features, choices, and components graphically. Customers can design a unique product by choosing different options or characteristics from a preset list of possibilities, including colors, materials, sizes, forms, and functionality.

Visual CPQ tools are frequently used in manufacturing to create complicated goods with several variations or alternatives. Customers can now customize the product to meet their unique demands without advanced technical knowledge or design experience.

Visual CPQ tool is frequently employed in industries where clients desire individualized and customizable items, such as automobiles, furniture, home appliances, and electronics. It can also be used in software programs like website builders, which let users visually design and manage their websites by selecting various page layouts, fonts, graphics, and colors.

Benefits Of Visual CPQ Tool

Visual CPQ tools can offer several benefits to businesses, including:

The sales process can be automated using CPQ resources, making it more rapid and effective. Salespeople can rapidly and accurately provide quotations based on customer needs without laborious manual data input. This can lower mistakes, speed up sales, and boost client happiness.

Customers' purchasing experiences can be enhanced by using CPQ software, which enables consumers to view and personalize their items in real-time. Before deciding to buy, customers can experiment with various product settings and choices to see how the changes would appear. Increased engagement, contentment, and loyalty can result from this.

Rules-based setup is used by visual CPQ resources to guarantee the accuracy and completeness of quotations and orders. This can improve the accuracy of the sales process by lowering mistakes and preventing misunderstandings between sales representatives and clients.

By automating the design and quotation processes, CPQ software can assist organizations in bringing new goods to market more quickly. As a result, firms can adapt to customer wants and market trends more rapidly. This can shorten the time needed to develop new goods and get them to market.

By giving customers a more exciting and dynamic shopping experience, visual CPQ technologies can assist businesses in growing their sales. Products that satisfy customers' requirements and preferences are more likely to be bought. Sales representatives can find and recommend suitable product alternatives and configurations that consumers might not have considered using CPQ resources.

Functionalities Of Visual Configuration

Visual configuration tools can offer a range of functionalities depending on the specific product or service being configured. Some of the key functionalities of visual configuration tools include:

Visual CPQ software allows users to select and configure products visually, using 3D models or other graphical representations. 

Visual configuration tools use rules-based configuration to ensure that product configurations are valid and consistent. 

Visual configuration tools can calculate the price of a configured product in real-time based on the selected options and features. 

Visual configuration tools can validate product configurations against predefined rules and requirements, ensuring that the final product will meet the required standards and specifications. 

Visual configuration tools can integrate with other systems, such as CRM, ERP, and CAD, to streamline the design and production process. 

Visual configuration tools can provide realistic visualizations and renderings of the configured product, enabling users to see how it will look. 

Summing Up

The visual configuration enables users to develop distinctive and customized goods that match their particular requirements, streamlining the product creation process, shortening lead times, and boosting customer satisfaction.

CPQ software can speed up a company's sales process, improve customer satisfaction, increase accuracy, shorten time-to-market, and boost revenue.

Users can configure and personalize items quickly using visual configuration tools, which can provide various features. By streamlining design and manufacturing procedures, firms can improve accuracy, decrease mistakes, and boost customer satisfaction. Contact KBMax for the successful implementation of CPQ software.

[crmitsolutions1]

Salesforce Quote To Cash

The Lead to Quote to Cash solution (CPQ) addresses both front and back-office stakeholders to enable increased revenues, extended profit margins, and regulatory compliance. The solution works across multiple industries for direct sales, resellers, distributors, and online sales. Quote to cash allows you to personalize presentations for each customer and meet their specific requirements.

 Implementing Configure-Price-Quote tools is more than just installing quote to cash. Your preferred Salesforce Partner - defines key areas to make sure Configure-Price-Quote tools are up and running right the first time. Leverage AI expertise and what-if discounting patterns along with data visualization to enable Smart Quotes.

 Quote-to-cash Benefits: Timely and Simple Increased Renewals Fewer Errors 360° View of Workflow Smoother Processes Improved Customer Satisfaction Better Metrics Improved Analytics

[salesforcecpq]

How to Turbocharge Salesforce CPQ

Salesforce CPQ is a big help in configuring, pricing, and quoting products and services. But what if you could make it even more powerful? That's where turbocharging comes in. Turbocharging Salesforce CPQ can help you close more deals faster. It allows you to configure products quickly, get real-time pricing, and generate accurate quotes. To find out more, please visit epicor.com

[darkswanevent]

Infor Configure Price Quote (CPQ) is a visual, rules-based configurator software that integrates with Infor CRM to accelerate product configuration, pricing, and quoting. Infor CPQ Training captures your engineering and pricing knowledge to enable your sales reps and/or dealers to quickly become product experts.

[epicorcpqsoftware]

CPQ in Salesforce- A Review

Configure, price, quote software (CPQ) assists manufacturers to reduce errors, boost productivity, and also streamline sales operations. It also enhances the customer experience (CX), which impacts their overall objective. Consider that 96% of customers will leave for poor customer experience, while it’s anywhere from 5 - 25 times more expensive to get new customers than retain the existing ones.

Hence, several CPQ solutions have come to the fore in recent years—including the CPQ in Salesforce. Let’s take a look at the CPQ in Salesforce in better detail, delving into its pros, and cons, as well as a few important considerations for companies looking to implement the Salesforce CPQ.

CPQ Software Solutions

CPQ software solutions provide various benefits to both manufacturers as well as their customers, with the market expected to be worth $3.9 billion by 2026.

But what are these benefits exactly?

Manufacturers can easily dictate how their products are configured, priced, and then sold. By leveraging an advanced rules engine, such as the Epicor CPQ Snap rules engine, they can then build an automatic configurator u[on their organization’s specific rules for manufacturing.

Customers can self-serve, taking the benefits of countless customization options without enlisting the help of a rep. Reps can bid farewell to dealing with dense spreadsheets and also battling through thousands of SKUs. Instead, they can then focus on sales, leaving automation to handle the customers’ requests.

CPQ software leverages 2D and 3D visual configurators to demonstrate to customers what the final product will look like—reducing the chances of returns. The price then updates in real-time while automation takes away errors throughout the complete buying journey.

Once they convert, the CPQ’s in-built configurators will pass on crucial data instantly from the shopping cart to the shop floor. All critical documents, including BOMs, cut sheets, inventory status, as well as assembly documentation, get automatically generated without any rep lifting a single finger.

Internally, this leads to a smoother and more seamless purchase process. As Jeff Smith, Engineering & Design CAD Specialist at Timberlane, Inc., comments, “We have a simple product with numerous and sometimes complex and unlimited option catalog. KBMax [Epicor CPQ] allows us to handle 95% of the custom requests without needing to use outside drawing programs to meet the customer’s needs.”

A Typical CPQ Implementation Process

Manufacturers are required to derive value from their CPQ solutions as soon as possible. Long implementation processes are not just a time-consuming distraction, but they can also damage the organization’s overall productivity.

Fortunately, the CPQ implementation process is simpler than you may think. Follow these five steps to get your CPQ software solutions up and running:

Create a genuine cross-functional team

Point your business drivers before designing a project brief

Create a rich business case to secure buy-in as soon as possible

Execute your CPQ project

Systematically tackle the company culture to tackle change resistance

By taking care of these five steps, you can make sure your CPQ implementation process is highly seamless and successful.

CPQ in Salesforce

Housed in the Sales Cloud platform, Salesforce in CPQ (previously Steelbrick) is a tool that assists manufacturers to close more deals in less time, satisfying more customers while also  reducing errors to a bare minimum. It’s a CPQ software designed for Salesforce users, meaning that organizations can easily pull in their CRM data to personalize the customer experience better.

The Pros of CPQ in Salesforce

It’s time to go into things a little deeper. Let’s analyze the benefits that Salesforce CPQ provides customers.

Rapid & Error-Free Quoting

78% of customers make their purchase from the company that responds first. Salesforce CPQ offers 10x faster quote generation, resulting in a 95% reduction in approval time.

A One-Stop Reporting Shop

Users can achieve an almost 200% quicker quote-to-cash process by invoice management, orders, as well as reports within the Salesforce CPQ.

Guided-Selling

Salesforce CPQ’s guided selling capabilities get new hires up to 30% quicker speed.

Boost Subscriptions

The CPQ in Salesforce allows manufacturers to actively engage in multi-dimensional quoting for subscription products, maximizing their lifetime value by getting repeat orders.  

The Cons of CPQ in Salesforce

However, there are a few areas where the CPQ in Salesforce falls short:

It Isn’t Easy to Understand

Before they can get value from the CPQ in Salesforce, reps need to first undergo rigorous training. This time could be better spent on serving customers and closing deals. Sluggish System

Salesforce CPQ users frequently report the system as being too unresponsive and loaded with lags. CPQ solutions have the potential to speed up the sales process by 38%, so this sluggishness is particularly disappointing.

As the adage goes, ‘time kills all deals.’ The slower a CPQ system tends to be, the more likely it is that prospects will get frustrated during their purchase journey and also choose to go somewhere else.

Not Customer-Focused

The best, most customer-centric CPQ solutions provide ample consumer benefits. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to embed the Salesforce CPQ’s configurators into customer-facing websites.

Too Simplistic

Manufacturers offer multiple complex and technical products. They need a CPQ software that can keep up with one that will easily handle advanced product rules. Unfortunately, the CPQ in Salesforce is notoriously poor at handling complicated technical requests.

The Absence of a 3D Configurator

3D or VR/AR-based configurators set the best CPQ solutions apart. They allow customers to interact with products as if they were right there, ensuring that the customers buy the perfect product for their specific requirements. 3D configurators reduce lead times and improve design accuracy. But, Salesforce CPQ lacks 3D configurators, significantly hampering the customer experience. Doesn’t Integrate with Others

The best CPQ solutions seamlessly integrate with manufacturers’ tech stacks. However, Salesforce CPQ offers a limited number of integrations, meaning it can only provide its users with minimal productivity and better efficiency.

Users Cannot Drag And Drop Specific Line Items

For over two years, Salesforce CPQ users have demanded one thing: to be able to drag and drop specific line items. Yet, their requests are still to be taken care of. This issue overcomplicates the fulfillment of large orders that can run into the tens of thousands. It also shows a troubling and uncharacteristic lack of customer focus from Salesforce.

Solid, But Far From a Superstar

The CPQ in Salesforce handles the basics with a lot of ease, boosting the sales cycles, reducing manual effort, and also providing customers with a seamless, error-free buying experience. However, it’s far from the complete package. It struggles with more complex requests, lacks immersive visualizations, and integrates poorly with other systems.

If you’re looking to implement CPQ software, consider researching other, more well-rounded (and customer-friendly) solutions.

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The Lead to Quote to Cash solution( CPQ) addresses both front and back-office stakeholders to enable increased revenues, extended profit margins, and regulatory compliance. The solution works across multiple industries for direct sales, resellers, distributors, and online sales. Quote to cash allows you to personalize presentations for each customer and meet their specific requirements.

 Implementing Configure-Price-Quote tools is more than just installing quote to cash. Your preferred Salesforce Partner - defines key areas to make sure Configure-Price-Quote tools are up and running right the first time. Leverage AI expertise and what-if discounting patterns along with data visualization to enable Smart Quotes.

 Quote-to-cash Benefits: Timely and Simple Increased Renewals Fewer Errors 360° View of Workflow Smoother Processes Improved Customer Satisfaction Better Metrics Improved Analytics

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Mastering CPQ Implementation: 10 Steps to Success

Implementing a CPQ solution can revolutionize how manufacturing businesses manage their sales, engineering, and shop floor processes. With the potential for increased efficiency, accuracy, and productivity, it's crucial to get the implementation right from the outset.

But how do you ensure a successful CPQ implementation that delivers maximum ROI, adoption, and digital transformation for your business? This comprehensive guide will walk you through 10 vital steps to master your CPQ implementation journey.

By following our step-by-step approach, you'll be well on your way to reaping the full benefits of a CPQ solution tailored to the unique needs of your manufacturing organization.

How to Implement the Best CPQ Software

Step 1: Set Clear Goals and Measure Success

Before embarking on your CPQ implementation journey, it's crucial to outline specific goals and objectives. These objectives should be closely aligned with your organization's overall business goals and address the needs of sales, engineering, and shop floor departments.

Start by identifying the key challenges and pain points the CPQ software should address, such as accelerating sales cycle speed, reducing errors, or increasing eCommerce conversion rate.

Next, establish a set of KPIs that will help you track the progress and success of the implementation. These KPIs could include metrics like speed to quote, win rate, deal size, or the number of configurations rejected by engineering.

It's essential to involve stakeholders from all departments in defining the objectives and KPIs to ensure their buy-in and commitment throughout the implementation process.

Step 2: Assemble Your Dream CPQ Software Implementation Team and Define Roles

A successful CPQ implementation requires a cross-functional team with representatives from key departments. Obviously, you’ll want to include sales, engineering, production, and IT, but consider other departments like customer support–these people deal with customers’ pain points day-in-day-out.

When assembling your dream team, ensure that each member clearly understands their role and responsibilities within the project. This clarity will help streamline communication and decision-making processes throughout the implementation. Establishing a governance structure that defines reporting lines, escalation paths, and decision-making authority within the team is also crucial.

Designate a project manager to oversee the implementation process, ensuring it’s going according to the plan. Additionally, depending on the size of your operation, you may need to create a steering committee comprised of senior leaders to provide strategic direction.

Step 3: Create a Realistic Timeline and Financial Plan

Developing a realistic, detailed project timeline and budget is essential for keeping your CPQ implementation on track. Consider the time required for each phase of the project and update the plan regularly to track progress and adjust as needed.

Factor in potential risks and contingencies that may impact the timeline, such as technical issues, data cleansing, and external challenges. When developing the financial plan, account for the costs associated with software licensing, implementation services, training, and ongoing maintenance.

Step 4: Find the Perfect CPQ Software for Your Business

Selecting the right CPQ software is a critical decision that will impact the success of your implementation. Look for a solution offering comprehensive features like visual product configuration, VR and AR capabilities, CAD automation, dynamic pricing, and a no-code rules engine. For many businesses, the ideal software will be cloud-based, easy to set up, and maintainable in-house, with the ability to integrate seamlessly with other systems like CRM and ERP using APIs.

To find the perfect fit, conduct a thorough market analysis, evaluating potential vendors based on criteria such as industry expertise, customer stories, training and support, product functionality, product roadmap, and price (obviously!) Speak to other non-competing businesses in your industry for recommendations and horror stories.

Engage with stakeholders from sales, engineering, and shop floor departments to ensure the chosen software meets their unique needs. Try getting representatives from each department in on demos to test the solution’s capabilities.

Step 5: Identify Opportunities for Improvement (Gap Analysis)

Conduct a gap analysis to identify areas where your current configuration, pricing, quoting, CAD, and BOM creation processes fall short and opportunities to improve with a CPQ solution.

Map out the existing processes and workflows across sales, engineering, and shop floor departments, identifying bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas where errors can occur.

By identifying the gaps and opportunities for improvement, you can prioritize the most impactful areas to address during the implementation and set the stage for a more efficient and streamlined operation.

Step 6: Smoothly Navigate Organizational Change

Implementing a CPQ solution will inevitably bring about organizational changes that impact your employees' daily workflows and routines. To ensure a smooth transition, develop a change management strategy that addresses potential resistance, fosters employee engagement, and supports adopting new processes and technologies.

This strategy should include clear communication about the benefits and goals of the CPQ implementation, regular updates on project progress, and opportunities for employees to provide feedback and ask questions. Focus, focus, and focus some more(!) on training and support throughout the implementation. This will help employees feel confident and prepared to embrace the new CPQ solution.

Step 7: Seamlessly Migrate Your Valuable Data

 Migrating product, pricing, 3D models, engineering, and other relevant data from existing systems to the CPQ software is critical in the implementation process. To ensure data integrity and consistency, developing a detailed data migration plan that outlines the source systems, target systems, data mapping, and data transformation requirements is essential.

An experienced CPQ vendor with years of migration experience can be invaluable during this process. Their expertise and support can help you navigate the complexities of data migration, ensuring a smooth and stress-free transition to your new CPQ solution.

Step 8: Customize the CPQ System for Your Unique Needs

Once you’ve selected your CPQ software, it's time to configure and customize it to meet your organization's specific requirements. Engage with stakeholders from sales, engineering, and shop floor departments to gather detailed requirements for product configurators, pricing rules, and approval workflows.

One feature to prioritize when selecting a CPQ solution is the inclusion of a no-code rules engine. This allows users with no technical experience to create product and pricing rules and design workflows that automate slow and error-prone processes. Empowering non-technical users to manage these rules and workflows in-house can save significant time and money.

Furthermore, a no-code rules engine enables your teams to react quickly to changes in the market or business environment, fostering a more agile and responsive organization. This adaptability is essential in the ever-evolving global manufacturing landscape, ensuring your business remains competitive and efficient.

Step 9: Integrate with Existing Systems for Synergy

To maximize the value of your CPQ software, integrate it with other back-office systems such as CRM, ERP, eCommerce, and CAD. Seamless integration will enable data and process synchronization across systems, providing a unified platform (single source of truth) for sales, engineering, and shop floor teams to work collaboratively and efficiently.

Develop an integration plan that outlines the data flows, system interfaces, and APIs needed to connect the CPQ software with your existing systems. Work with your IT team or the CPQ vendor to implement the integrations, ensuring data consistency and system compatibility.

Conclusion to our CPQ Implementation Guide

With fierce competition in the manufacturing industry, staying ahead of the game and standing out from the crowd is essential. Implementing a CPQ solution can help your business streamline processes, increase efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction.

By following these ten steps, you'll be well-equipped to achieve a frictionless CPQ implementation that drives maximum ROI, adoption, and digital transformation for your manufacturing business. Communicate openly and involve stakeholders from sales to engineering and the shop floor, and you’ll be set up for success.