Your CPQ solution should provide regular data reports that help you and your sales team understand how they’re performing. This type of information bolsters guided selling and makes your team world-class.
Look for a CPQ platform that’s easy to adopt for your sales reps. You don’t want a system that creates a clerical bottleneck or requires extensive training.
Price
CPQ software isn’t cheap, and you need to ensure it is sustainable for your business in the long run. It is crucial if you are going to implement it across multiple sales touchpoints and rely on it for future growth. It would be best if you also considered the cost of additional features and upgrades and the cost of training and implementation.
Look for a CPQ solution that is easy to use so that it can be adopted by your team quickly. Moreover, it should be able to integrate with other sales and marketing processes, such as CRM, to enable a unified approach to sales. This way, you can ensure that your CPQ platform provides your team with the proper rules, data, and guidance.
A CPQ system should be easily customizable and provide various sales models. For example, it should support direct and partner sales and self-service channels. It should also be able to manage product configuration requests, collect e-signatures, set up CAD automation, and deliver real-time pricing. It should also support cross-selling, which can increase the average ticket value. Additionally, it should be able to calculate discounts and margins for each configuration item. This way, you can maximize your revenue and minimize price erosion. It should also support different discounting methods, including volume-based and percentage-based discounts.
Implementation
CPQ software helps sales teams make product configuration and pricing decisions faster and more accurately. By automating the entire quoting process, the software eliminates human error and dramatically reduces proposal turnaround times. Moreover, it enables companies to increase sales productivity and revenue by delivering a personalized buying experience.
The software also provides a unified platform for all sales-related information, including products, prices, terms, and conditions. It can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. It also integrates with CRM and ERP systems like Salesforce, SAP, and Oracle. The best CPQ software vendors offer integration with e-signature and document management services. They will not charge hefty fees for these features, which is a plus. Besides, the best CPQ software will allow for flexible deployment options.
In addition to simplifying the quoting process, CPQ software can help sellers understand what features are most valuable to customers. It will help them craft compelling value propositions to attract customers and increase average order values. In addition, the software will ensure that the right product and service are offered to each customer, thereby eliminating costly mistakes and improving customer satisfaction.
Companies must make more intelligent product development and pricing choices in a highly competitive business landscape. The days of one-size-fits-all solutions are long gone, and B2B buyers demand personalized offerings that align with their unique needs. Fortunately, CPQ software makes it easier for sales teams to deliver a better buying experience while ensuring the company meets its profitability goals.
Functionality
When selecting CPQ software, you need to consider the functionality you require from the system. It can include a range of functions, including product selection, pricing and configuration, and generating quotes for your customers. A clear understanding of the functionality you need will save you time and money in the long run by eliminating solutions that do not meet your business requirements.
CPQ software offers many benefits for sales teams, from improving customer satisfaction to increasing sales and revenue. Providing a more seamless buying experience can help sales reps deliver accurate quotes in less time and make better decisions. It also helps sales managers track and analyze data to improve sales performance.
A CPQ solution is handy for organizations with extensive product portfolios or complex product offerings. It can help sales teams navigate the complex product selection process by ensuring that the correct product is recommended to each customer and helps ensure that all pricing information is updated in real-time. It makes comparing products easier and determining the best value for each customer.
In addition, a CPQ solution can be mobile-compatible, which is vital for modern business professionals who do not limit themselves to the confines of the office. They can access information and create quotes, contracts, and documents on mobile devices.
Support
With so many options on the market, finding a single solution that will help you streamline and simplify your sales process is challenging. CPQ software is a great way to help you organize your products and services and make it easier for customers to select the best options. It can also reduce the number of errors that occur during the configuration process, making your business more efficient and profitable.
Moreover, a good CPQ platform will allow you to create contracts and quotes quickly, which can be vital in the sales cycle. This way, your sales team can easily communicate with clients and other teams involved. Additionally, it would be best if you chose a solution that is easy to use and maintain so that it can grow with your business. Otherwise, you may replace your CPQ solution when it no longer suits your needs.
A CPQ solution that is not easy to use will result in your salespeople spending too much time on administrative tasks and needing more on preparing quotes for their customers. It will also slow them down by adding too much clerical work. The right CPQ software will make the quoting process fast and easy for your salespeople to implement, improving their performance and increasing customer loyalty.