CPQ for manufacturing

As a manufacturer, you know firsthand how complex and time-consuming the quoting process can be. Between configuring products and services, ensuring the correct price, and delivering a personalized quote to the customer, it can be a slow, manual, and error-prone process. That's where Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions come in.

CPQ solutions transform the quoting process into a fast, simple, and accurate experience for both salespeople and customers. By automating much of the process and eliminating the need for manual data entry and calculations, CPQ solutions can significantly reduce the time it takes to send a proposal. This means your sales team can focus on their prospects and customers instead of juggling spreadsheets and waiting on approvals.

But with so many CPQ solutions on the market, how do you choose the best one for your manufacturing business? In this post, we'll explore the benefits of CPQ for manufacturing and introduce you to Tacton CPQ, a solution specifically designed for the needs of manufacturers.

The Benefits of CPQ for Manufacturing

There are numerous benefits to implementing a CPQ solution for your manufacturing business. Here are just a few:

Increased efficiency: By automating much of the quoting process, a CPQ solution can significantly reduce the time it takes to send a proposal. This means your sales team can focus on their prospects and customers instead of juggling spreadsheets and waiting on approvals.

Greater accuracy: CPQ solutions eliminate the risk of errors that can occur with manual data entry and calculations. This ensures that each configured order is built and priced to spec, leading to greater accuracy and customer satisfaction.

Improved customer experience: A CPQ solution can deliver a personalized quote to the customer in a fraction of the time it takes a salesperson to manually send a proposal. This means a better overall experience for the customer and a greater likelihood of closing the sale.

Enhanced sales productivity: By streamlining the quoting process, a CPQ solution can help your sales team be more productive and efficient. This means they can focus on selling and less on administrative tasks, leading to greater revenue for your business.

Tacton CPQ: The Best Solution for Manufacturing

When it comes to choosing a CPQ solution for your manufacturing business, you want to work with a vendor that understands your specific needs and has a proven track record of success. That's where Tacton CPQ comes in.

Tacton is a CPQ solution specifically designed for manufacturing companies. They bring decades of experience working with manufacturers in various industries, including HVAC, high-tech hardware and software, automotive, aerospace, and more. This means they understand the unique challenges facing manufacturers and can deliver the guidance and support you need to succeed.

In addition to their industry expertise, Tacton offers a range of features designed specifically for manufacturers, including 3D visualization, intelligent guided selling, and real-time pricing and availability. These features help you sell faster and more efficiently while delivering a better overall experience to your users and customers.

Easy Integration with Existing Systems

When implementing a CPQ solution, you want to get up and running as quickly as possible so you can start seeing a return on investment (ROI). That's why it's important to choose a solution that can easily integrate with your existing tech stack.

Tacton's platform-agnostic architecture allows for easy integration with any existing system. They also offer pre-built integrations with many of the most common CRM systems, including Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and SAP C4C/CRM. This means you can feel confident knowing your CPQ solution will be integrated successfully and up and running quickly.

In addition to CRM and ERP integrations, Tacton CPQ can be connected to commerce systems. This means you can easily connect your CPQ solution to your eCommerce platform and provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

By selecting a platform-agnostic CPQ solution like Tacton, you're future-proofing your business. Chances are, your tech ecosystem will evolve over time. Whether you're adding new solutions organically or change is forced upon you through mergers or an acquisition, having a flexible CPQ solution ensures your investment is protected for years to come.

Top Features to Look for in a CPQ Solution

When manufacturing companies need to sell faster and more efficiently while delivering a better overall experience to users and customers, there are specific capabilities they need to look for in a CPQ vendor. Below are a few of the most important CPQ features and functions to consider during your search:

Intelligent guided selling: Intelligent guided selling uses artificial intelligence (AI) to guide customers through the purchasing process and recommend products and options based on their needs and preferences. This can help increase sales and improve the overall customer experience.

Real-time pricing and availability: With real-time pricing and availability, customers can see up-to-date pricing and inventory information as they configure their product. This helps ensure they're getting the best price and reduces the risk of delays due to unavailable products.

Customized quotes and proposals: A CPQ solution should allow you to easily create customized quotes and proposals for your customers. This can include personalized pricing, discounts, and other special offers to help close the sale.

Integration with CRM and ERP systems: As mentioned earlier, it's important to choose a CPQ solution that can easily integrate with your existing CRM and ERP systems. This helps streamline your business processes and ensures all relevant data is accurately reflected in your quotes and proposals.

3D CAD visualization: A 3D CAD visualization tool allows your customers to see a realistic representation of the product they're considering. This can help them make more informed purchasing decisions and reduce the likelihood of returns due to incorrect expectations.

The Importance of a Great User Experience

In addition to the features and functions listed above, it's important to choose a CPQ solution that provides a great user experience for both salespeople and customers. This means the solution should be easy to use, intuitive, and efficient.

For salespeople, a great user experience means they can quickly, easily and independently create quotes and proposals for their customers. This can help them be more productive and efficient, leading to greater revenue for your business.

For customers, a great user experience means they can easily configure and purchase the product or service they need. This can help increase customer satisfaction and reduce the risk of abandoned cart or lost sales.

Tacton CPQ is designed to provide a great user experience for both salespeople and customers. This means your team will be more productive and your customers will be more satisfied, leading to increased efficiency and revenue for your business.

The Role of Domain Expertise in Choosing a CPQ Vendor

When choosing a CPQ solution for your manufacturing business, it's important to consider the vendor's level of domain expertise. Domain expertise refers to the vendor's knowledge and experience in your specific industry.

A vendor with domain expertise understands the unique challenges and requirements of your business, and can provide the guidance and support you need to succeed. This is particularly important for manufacturing companies, as the quoting process can be complex and requires a deep understanding of the products and services being offered.

Tacton has decades of experience working with manufacturers in various industries, including HVAC, high-tech hardware and software, automotive, aerospace, and more. This means they understand the challenges facing manufacturers and can deliver the guidance and support you need to succeed.

In contrast, a vendor without industry-specific expertise may not fully understand your business and may not be able to provide the level of support you need. It's important to choose a vendor that knows your business and has a solution that's been proven to work with companies with similar requirements.

Introducing cpq.se, Your Trusted Partner in CPQ

At cpq.se, we've been delivering Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions for over two decades. Our goal is to get you live with your solution within 5 months, so you can start seeing the benefits as soon as possible.

We specialize in helping North European manufacturers get the most out of their CPQ solutions. We understand the unique challenges and requirements of your business, and can provide the guidance and support you need to succeed.

Implementing a CPQ solution involves the whole company, and to fully unlock the benefits of CPQ, you need more than just great software. That's why we offer analysis workshops to help you prioritize and quickly get started. We'll guide you on where to begin, what to prioritize, and tell you what can wait for another day.

The Best CPQ Solution for Manufacturing

In conclusion, Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions can significantly improve the quoting process for manufacturing companies by streamlining the process and increasing efficiency. When choosing a CPQ solution, it's important to consider a vendor with industry-specific expertise and a proven track record of success.

Tacton CPQ is a solution specifically designed for manufacturing companies, and offers a range of features designed to help you sell faster and more efficiently while delivering a better overall experience to your users and customers. With easy integration, a great user experience, and domain expertise, Tacton is the best choice for manufacturing companies looking to improve their quoting process and drive efficiency, revenue, and margin.

If you are unsure of which CPQ vendor is the best fit for your business, consider working with a consultant such as cpq.se, who are world class experts in this field and can help you make an informed decision. By partnering with a trusted CPQ consultant, you can take your business to the next level. Check out our success stories here (Swift) and here (HMF).

Reach out by leaving a comment or why not book a meeting using the button above. We're here to help and we'll get you live with CPQ in months, not years. Or just book a meeting using the link below.