How to Supercharge the CPQ in Salesforce to Maximize Profits With Less Headache |
Posted: June 14, 2021 |
Salesforce CPQ is a strong contender as a configure, price, quote solution. Users can house all marketing, sales, and commerce information in one environment, making it easy to sync data across Salesforce accounts. It also allows sales teams a more streamlined end-to-end process. Even so, the CPQ for Salesforce has significant weaknesses, which can be circumvented, primarily with an in-depth third-party integration. Here’s everything you need to know about why and how to supercharge the CPQ in Salesforce to maximize profits in less time and with less headache. What is Salesforce CPQ?Salesforce CPQ (formerly known as Steelbrick) is the native CPQ software for Salesforce. It's found within the Sales Cloud platform. Because it’s linked to Salesforce CRM, the CPQ tools for Salesforce can pull data from the inventory management system. Using this info, Salesforce CPQ generates preprogrammed configurations that are applied when sales members or users choose specific product options. In a nutshell, this is how CPQ tools work. They use your team’s input to build and quote customized, complex products, thus simplifying the sales and manufacturing process. Pros of CPQ for SalesforceThere are several advantages to using the CPQ tools for Salesforce. They include:
While Salesforce CPQ has many pros and a loyal clientele base, the platform does not come without its downfalls. Cons of CPQ for SalesforceThere are significant cons to using the CPQ tools for Salesforce. Some of the most concerning are:
After weighing the pros against the cons, you may have concluded that you need to supercharge the CPQ in Salesforce to grow your business faster. To that, we say: We’re already a step ahead of you. How You Can Supercharge the CPQ in SalesforceTo maximize rep and customer experiences, it’s essential to see what features and integrations you can use to improve the CPQ in Salesforce. Here are a few ways to do so: Learn How to Use Guided Selling FeaturesGuided Selling is a feature in the Salesforce CPQ that helps reps quickly put together accurate product configurations and price quotes. After basic customer data is entered into the system, the platform provides reps with a list of products that match the responses, guiding them to correctly assemble a package (hence the name). Simultaneously, the platform produces customized cross-selling and upselling offers for sales reps to offer to the customer. In short, guided selling helps streamline the sales process, even more, allowing your sales team to reduce the time needed to select the right end product. Keep Up With New FeaturesEach year, Salesforce CPQ launches new features to serve the platform’s customers better. Despite the pandemic, 2021 has been no different. Some new Salesforce CPQ Spring '21 release features include:
Ensure your version of Salesforce CPQ is compatible with these new features, and stay on top of them to shorten your sales cycle and improve conversion rates. Nevertheless, Salesforce CPQ’s features don’t address the platform’s fundamental issues, some of which have been discussed in the cons section above. This is why a strong partner company is needed to provide an in-depth integration to the Salesforce platform. Pair It with KBMaxSalesforce and KBMax is the most flexible, easy-to-use solution to configure, price, and quote complex, manufactured products. Where Salesforce CPQ falls short, KBMax is there to pick up the slack. The CPQ vendor boasts:
Final Words About the CPQ in SalesforceIf you fancy staying with Salesforce for the convenience of housing all your CRM software under one roof, go for it. Just make sure that you learn how to use the platform to its fullest potential - including the use of guided selling - and keep up with new features to boost your experience. However, it would be wise to consider integrating a more robust CPQ alternative for manufacturers of highly complex, customizable products. One that allows real-time configuration, has powerful rules engines, and automates CAD outputs, to name a few essentials.
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