Warning signs to watch out for
Changing tools or integrating a new component into an IS is no easy task.
First of all, there are the functional aspects (meeting business challenges and needs), the technical aspects (technology used, security, performance…) and also change management.
An IT project remains a human project
However, there are sometimes unmistakable signs that should alert you to the need to launch a project to overhaul your sales offer generation tool. Here are 5 of the main ones:
#1 : Difficulté à maintenir l'outil actuel et le faire évoluer
Whether it’s “in-house” or off-the-shelf software, it’s sometimes difficult for the Business Unit to make the software evolve (not to mention the difficulty/cost of recruiting a developer profile).
Adding new ranges, updating prices, opening a new sales channel… shouldn’t be a challenge for your company.
#2 : Des données éparpillées et non sécurisées
Prices in Excel, quotes in Word on a Drive or SharePoint… and now inflation is rampant, your prices are out of date, your sales reps are issuing quotes without validation… and you’re losing money.
Not to mention the risk of your data being distributed externally, and ending up with a competitor.
#3 : Trop de temps pour générer une offre commerciale
To generate your quotations, the sales person enters information on paper or, in the best case, directly on the computer. The price is calculated, but he needs validation, 3D drawings or technical plans… and then he calls on the design office, which in turn re-enters the data into its software, then returns the elements.
In the meantime, the customer has received your competitor’s offer and asks you to make changes, so the sales representative modifies the quotation and starts all over again…
#4 : KPI en berne : CA, marge, turnover de l'effectif commercial...
Your quotations are sent to the customer without being validated, either commercially (price/discount) or technically.
The result: order errors, lower margins, unhappy customers… and employees leaving.
Not to mention the new generation of “millennials”, who expect to work with modern means, on a par with the solutions they use in their daily lives on their smartphones or tablets… and who you’re failing to attract to your company (or sector in some cases).
#5 : Plusieurs configurateurs à maintenir pour les mêmes produits
You didn’t see the rise of the web coming when you set up your configurator. But don’t panic, you’ve opted for another tool specifically for the web. And then, as you’ve just opened a subsidiary abroad, made an acquisition or opened a network of distributors, you say to yourself that another solution will do just fine!
STOP! Behind them, your teams are suffocating. Your new product launches suffer, and your sales don’t take off…
The benefits of opting for a CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) solution
Implementing CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software in a company offers many significant advantages, including :
- Sales Process Optimization: CPQ automates tasks related to product configuration, pricing and quotation generation. This saves sales teams time, allowing them to concentrate more on the actual sale.
- Error reduction: By automating the product configuration and dynamic pricing processes (managerial validation workflows), the “CPQ” quotation tool minimizes the risk of human error. Generated quotations are more accurate, avoiding potential problems linked to incorrect configurations or pricing errors.
- Offer customization: CPQ makes it easy to tailor offers to the specific needs of each customer. This optimizes sales proposals and increases the chances of conversion. This is even truer with 3D, when it’s relevant to your business!
- Improved Customer Experience: Thanks to fast, accurate quote generation, customers (direct or indirect) benefit from a smooth, professional experience. This helps boost customer satisfaction and build lasting relationships. This is all the more true when quotes are provided by your resellers and/or end customers (e-commerce)!
- Increase sales efficiency: By centralizing product, pricing and quotation information, a CPQ platform simplifies sales processes. Sales teams have access to up-to-date data in real time, enabling them to make faster, more informed decisions. This is the case for price validity periods and promotions, which are automatically applied to boost sales!
Why use a specialist like ITCelerator?
With over 40 years’ cumulative experience, specializing in the configuration field since its creation in 2016 by CPQ expert Stéphane KORS, ITCelerator boasts solid experience and unrivalled know-how in its coverage: from consulting to integration, an accredited training center, backed by several renowned publisher partners, and even having its own team of 3D experts to exploit the full potential of your CAD assets.
ITCelerator is the ideal partner for your digital sales transformation!
Guaranteed ROI, satisfaction and growth!
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