CPQ – configuration, pricing, and quoting – can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially when:
The process can become even more complicated when SKUs are out of stock or when there are higher-margin alternatives in play.
Meanwhile, the distributor’s customer is waiting – sometimes impatiently – for that quote to come through. In a world where B2B buyers expect convenience on par with B2C, a long and laborious CPQ process can be frustrating enough to drive customers to a competitor that moves faster.
CPQ isn’t just a back-office tool. CPQ can drive a better, faster, and more trustworthy customer experience.
These are the ways an inefficient CPQ process hurts customer experience:
Frequent mistakes and delays may push the customer into your competitor’s arms. But when CPQ processes are efficient, customer experience improves. Distributors deliver faster, more accurate quotes; consistent and accurate pricing; smarter product recommendations, especially when a substitute is required; and a unified and consistent experience across all sales channels.
B2B buyers don’t always want to talk to someone when they need to place an order. And other buyers would still prefer to interact with a sales rep to talk through their needs and decide what to purchase.
With a CPQ tool like ours, distributors can improve the buying experience for both types of customers. The former can request a quote in whatever way suits them – text, email, PDF, etc. The latter can call their rep and get as much one-on-one time as they need because the rep doesn’t have to spend hours on manual tasks like hunting for prices.
A well-implemented CPQ solution designed for distribution automates configuration, enforces pricing rules, and accelerates the quote cycle.
Here’s an example:
Let’s say a plumbing supplies distributor has a customer who texts their sales rep, saying that they had a toilet job come up on short notice and need a quote right away. Our tool, which connects to the distributor’s ERP and CRM systems, can automatically take that text and use the phone number to pull up the customer’s information and order history.
The distributor can then quickly see what type of toilet the customer typically orders, as well as the usual configuration of other components – nuts, bolts, hoses, etc. If the toilet in question is out of stock, or if there’s an equivalent toilet that would be better for the distributor’s margins, the tool can pull the recommended alternative directly into the quote. Every price is automatically validated based on the segment rules and contracts in the system.
The tool can then text the completed quote right back to the customer for them to confirm. From there, the customer texts when and where they need the delivery, and the tool confirms the information and automatically sends the order out. The toilet and accompanying components arrive at the job site without the distributor’s sales team needing to lift a finger.
Meanwhile, the sales reps are working on closing much more complex sales with high-touch customers.
Our CPQ solution not only simplifies things for your sales team – it also makes the process frictionless for your customers. Reach out to our expert team today to learn how we can build a CPQ tool for your business.
