When businesses invest in both CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) systems and eCommerce platforms, it’s often with the hope of delivering a seamless omnichannel experience. But what happens when these systems don't talk to each other effectively?
The result is fragmented sales processes, inconsistent customer experiences, and missed opportunities. Data silos are the invisible barriers that prevent these systems from working in unison. As companies scale, these silos become a much bigger problem. They not only slow things down but also complicate the entire sales process by forcing teams to juggle multiple sets of rules and data sources.
But does it have to be this way?
No!
Avoiding data silos is essential if you want to create a unified sales experience that is scalable and efficient. Whether you’re dealing with complex product configurations or just trying to make sure your eCommerce and CPQ platforms play nice, the key lies in breaking down these barriers and integrating your data into a single source of truth. It’s not easy, but it’s essential if you’re serious about delivering a true omnichannel experience. Here’s why.
Companies often start with a strong eCommerce platform and a reliable CPQ system, both built to handle different aspects of the sales process. The eCommerce platform is designed for fast transactions, while the CPQ system is built to manage complex product configurations and quoting processes. At first glance, these two systems seem complementary. But in reality, they often run into trouble when trying to work together.
Why?
Because most CPQ systems are designed with complex configurations in mind, while eCommerce platforms prioritize speed and simplicity. These different priorities often lead to a situation where each system operates with its own set of rules, data sources, and workflows. The CPQ system might pull pricing and product configurations from one source, while the eCommerce platform relies on a completely different set of data. In practice, this means that customers interacting with the company through different channels — like a sales rep versus an online store — can get conflicting information about products, pricing, and availability.
This is where the problem lies: a true omnichannel experience means offering customers the same product options, prices, and promotions, regardless of how they choose to engage. However, if your CPQ and eCommerce platforms are pulling from different sets of data, you’ll never be able to offer a consistent customer experience.
Data silos don't just make things more difficult internally; they also have a direct impact on the customer experience. Imagine a customer visiting your eCommerce store, seeing a product, and then later reaching out to a sales representative to place an order. If your CPQ system and eCommerce platform are disconnected, the customer may get a different price or configuration option from the sales rep than they saw online. Not only does this create confusion, but it also erodes trust — the last thing you want in a sales process.
Moreover, as businesses grow and scale, the gaps between these two systems become more pronounced. Over time, it becomes harder to manage these discrepancies, leading to inefficiencies, missed sales opportunities, and increased manual work. Sales teams end up spending more time checking and re-checking product details, configurations, and prices instead of focusing on closing deals.
The good news is that this problem can be solved with the right integration strategy. First, companies need to focus on creating a unified data infrastructure, ensuring that both their CPQ and eCommerce platforms are pulling from the same source of truth. This means integrating product data, pricing rules, and configuration options across all sales channels, ensuring that the information a customer sees on the eCommerce platform is the same as what a sales rep would see using the CPQ system.
Advanced CPQ platforms like Tacton are designed to handle these kinds of challenges. With robust APIs and flexible integration options, Tacton allows businesses to feed consistent data into multiple sales channels, whether it’s eCommerce, sales reps, or partners. The result? A consistent, reliable experience for customers no matter how they choose to engage with your business.
For example, a well-integrated system can ensure that when a customer selects a product configuration online, the same options and pricing rules are applied when a sales rep later follows up to finalize the order. This eliminates the risk of conflicting information and ensures that both systems work together seamlessly, delivering a unified experience.
In today’s competitive landscape, consistency across all customer touchpoints is critical. Whether a customer interacts with your eCommerce platform, a sales representative, or a partner channel, they should receive the same options, prices, and terms. If your CPQ and eCommerce platforms are not integrated properly, you risk creating friction that could ultimately drive customers away.
A unified system not only improves the customer experience but also increases internal efficiency. Sales teams can focus on what they do best — selling — without having to double-check every piece of data. Meanwhile, your eCommerce platform can handle simple transactions and configurations with ease, confident that it’s working off the same data as the CPQ system. This kind of consistency is what sets businesses apart in a crowded marketplace.
If your goal is to create a seamless omnichannel experience, breaking down data silos is non-negotiable.
By integrating your CPQ and eCommerce systems, you ensure that every part of your sales process — from product configuration to pricing and quoting — is consistent and reliable. This not only makes life easier for your sales teams but also delivers a better, more trustworthy experience for your customers.