Salesforce is a leader in the CRM arena, nicely handling the overall customer resource management needs of small businesses as well as enterprises alike. But when it comes to their CPQ solution, it’s a case of good, but can be better.
Sure, organizations save time (and money) compiling all their business needs under one space, from sales and marketing to service, community, as well as commerce. But, what else is out there for engineer-to-order manufacturers?
We’ll take you through the pros, the cons, and the average parts of using the CPQ in Salesforce so that you can determine if the platform is worthy of your investment and whether you should consider extending its functionality with a third-party integration like KBMax.
Essential Points
What is Salesforce CPQ?
Formerly known as Steelbrick, Salesforce CPQ is the native CPQ tool for Salesforce, housed in the Sales Cloud platform.
Like any other CPQ software, the CPQ in Salesforce is a tool helping users close more deals in less time, reducing sales cycles while increasing their core objective.
What’s different about this one, though, is that since it’s linked to Salesforce CRM, users can easily pull customer data, personalizing their customer experience in a better manner.
Plus, as everything is automated, your team can accurately build and quote customized, complex products without any manual data entry, simplifying the sales process and reducing errors.
(Check out the 8 things you need to know about CPQ software to learn even more.)
CPQ for Salesforce- Pros
Using CPQ in Salesforce comes with a lot of advantages like-
- Accurate and quick Quotes. Salesforce CPQ users report 10x faster quote generation, helping to a 95% reduction in approval time.
- Every report is in one place. Because Salesforce CPQ is native to the entire platform, it’s possible for you to manage invoices, orders, and reports all in a single place. The result? A 2x faster quote-to-cash process.
- Onboarding new reps with ease. “Guided selling” brings a 30% quicker ramp for new sales reps.
- Subscription-friendly. If you want to get repeat clients, Salesforce CPQ can easily handle their orders. The platform allows multi-dimensional quoting for subscription products, maximizing customer lifetime value.
- A strong reputation. Salesforce is a great company. Having been around for over two decades and named a #1 provider by International Data Corporation (IDC) for seven years in a row, it’s an obvious CRM choice. Customers can rely on this solution as it’s continuously extended and improved through updates and acquisitions.
CPQ for Salesforce- Cons
With advantages to using CPQ in Salesforce, there are disadvantages too, some of which are:
- Lacks a robust customer-facing component. Allowing customers to self-serve – especially on eCommerce sites – can make or break a deal. Salesforce CPQ is a tool designed for use by sales reps, not buyers. Configurators can’t be embedded into customer-facing websites easily.
- The system is slow. A common grievance from sales reps is that the Salesforce CPQ system is sluggish when loading pages.
- Integrations can be pretty complex. Likewise, stick around long enough, and you’ll hear how challenging it is to integrate CPQ in Salesforce with the software of other brands.
- No drag and drop ability on line items. Salesforce CPQ currently does not allow you to drag, drop, or rearrange line items on quotes. (Customers have been asking for this functionality for over two years.) If your quote is tens or even hundreds of lines long, it gets super-annoying.
CPQ for Salesforce- The Okays Then, there are features of the CPQ in Salesforce that aren’t wonderful but can be managed, depending on your industry. They include:
- Configurators are 2D (not 3D). 2D product configurators use flat renderings to display to users what the products will look like. Not every manufacturer needs a 3D product configurator. Still, if you are selling complex, configurable products, they have been proven to reduce lead times, improve design accuracy, enhance the purchase experience, and also onboard new reps quicker. (Plus, have you heard about how AR and VR are transforming buying experiences?)
- Can only handle simple product rules. Salesforce CPQ can’t handle the complex product rules needed to sell the most technical products.
- You’ll require training. Salesforce CPQ is powerful and complex. Due to its automation requirement to be customized, your team will need to be trained accordingly to get the most out of the CPQ software.
Get the Most Out of CPQ in Salesforce
So, there you have them: the pros, the cons, and the okays of CPQ for Salesforce.
They may balance each other out, don’t settle. Make up for the shortcomings just by integrating it with KBMax.
Here are a few advantages the integration of these two powerful platforms can provide:
- Easy embedding for B2B eCommerce. KBMax configurators can be used by end customers as easily as they can by sales reps. Embedding a configurator within your website is as easy as copying and pasting a few lines of code.
- Complete rules engine. KBMax Snap is a rules engine that helps you to set up and maintain product configurators. It uses advanced product logic to establish workflows and also automate engineering drawings (CAD and design automation,) allowing manufacturers to deliver a complete solution. Best of all, it’s simple to use – it’s no-code and designed for everyone, not just developers.
- Dynamic selling. KBMax’s visual product configurator software allows sales reps and end customers to view 3D, Augmented Reality (AR), or Virtual Reality (VR) representations of the end product, not just 2D. This can reduce lead times, improve design accuracy, and also supercharge the buying experience, wherever your customer is located.
- Seamless integrations. KBMax provides detailed integrations to every critical pillar of the Salesforce platform, enjoying the ability to serve every customer channel.
The Verdict
Salesforce CPQ is an excellent CPQ solution, especially for the ones already using Salesforce CRM. But manufacturers of complex, configurable products are often left looking for more.
From its lack of customer-facing configuration to its 2D visuals and simpler product and pricing rules, it’s for good reason that new users may be hesitant to commit to the software.
Luckily, it’s possible to make up for its flaws and optimize Salesforce CPQ by integrating it with KBMax.
