For manufacturers of customised products and prototypes, and precision engineers, the quoting process can be lengthy and complicated if they rely on manual methods, such as spreadsheets. A potential customer will often seek quotations from different suppliers and make their decision based not solely on price, but on the supplier’s responsiveness too.
A sluggish quotation process may result in lost trade. If you’re seeking a streamlined solution for the quoting process, which offers a healthy Return on Investment, implementing Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software for manufacturing is a sensible decision.
What Is CPQ Software?
With CPQ software, manufacturing quotes are accurate and quick to create. CPQ tools work integrally with your CRM and ERP platforms to streamline the sales process, making it more responsive and less reliant on estimated figures.
Even where the quoting process involves many variables, such as production costs, customisation options, quantities, and loyalty discounts, CPQ software produces precise quotes quickly, so valuable time isn’t lost and your customers head to other suppliers. Using a rules-based approach, CPQ software delivers error-free automated pricing, building confidence among your customers that the quote they receive is reliable.
How Can CPQ Software Streamline Manufacturing Quotes?
1) Visual Tools That Simplify Quotations
With CPQ, both suppliers and customers benefit from smart, automated visual selling. This enables technical sales teams to configure, price, and quote complex products and customers to gain a better understanding of the options available.
2) Mass Customisation
The ability to customise products to their exact requirements is vital for many customers, who seek responsive service and quick quotations. Without a CPQ solution, creating quotations with multiple customisations is a long-drawn out process.
3) Unlimited Design Options
Manual quoting methods discourage manufacturers from offering many design options, as they realise that formulating a quotation will take time. With CPQ tools in place, customers can be offered the full range of customisations in the knowledge that the quotation process won’t be complicated.
4) Complete Visibility
With a CPQ platform, customers benefit from full access to the proposal and individual costings. As a supplier, you’ll be able to see when clients have received and viewed the quote and any relevant actions, so you can stay abreast of their decision-making and provide additional support if needed.
5) Accurate Pricing Across Different Sales Channels
Taking advantage of different sales channels is vital to profitability in competitive markets, so CPQ software simplifies the process of multi-channel listings without the need for manual intervention. Quotes are, consequently, consistent and accurate and, as a supplier, the speed and simplicity of quoting reduces time to payment.
Contact Quintadena For More Information
Quintadena are UK approved vendors and implementation partners for QuoteValet, the most robust way of providing quotes to your customers. With the entire process, from price request to acceptance, managed online, QuoteValet will simplify your quotation system for you and your customers. To find out more, please get in touch on 0121 669 1111 or send us a message.
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