KlaroCPQ sales configurator improves quoting process and boosts sales

Creating tenders in Excel or Word is time consuming. KlaroCPQ sales configurator’s value proposition is straightforward: the software digitizes sales processes and hence frees sales personnels time for the clients. 

Klaro Technology’s Mikko Peltola and Tuomas Koskiniemi discussed their development in an interview with The Technology Media.

Peltola has worked on Klaro’s development since 2004. He tells that the tool still has the same main purpose as fifteen years ago.

-When sales processes are run with KlaroCPQ, they become visible for the seller. It helps sales personnel to choose the product package which is best suited for the end customers needs.

Koskiniemi states that many companies are still using poorly integrated  tools which require a lot of manual work. This increases the risk of using outdated product information or incorrect prices in quotes. 

KlaroCPQ automates exactly the processes where mistakes usually happen.

“The tool includes all product information, so proposals are created faster and customers get them earlier.”

Koskiniemi says that KlaroCPQ works as an interface between business softwares and brings all the critical customer, product and price information under one system, where proposal documents are created through automatization. KlaroCPQ’s presentatives estimate that their platform makes tendering up to 80% more efficient.

-The tool includes all product information, so proposals are created faster and customers get them earlier. Different scenarios and alternative offers bring the opportunity to get a better gross margin, Koskiniemi says.

Sales personnel gets all the product information in an instant

Peltola and Koskiniemi say that KlaroCPQ is best suited for businesses involved in complex technical sales. At the moment, manufacturing and technical wholesaling industries are the two largest customer segments.

KlaroCPQ digitizes sales processes.

-After equipment needs are deduced from process data, sales configurator tells which products are best suitable for that specific need. For example which parts are made from the correct materials or what kind of pump should be included. KlaroCPQ conveys all the information that sales personnel have traditionally checked with a product engineer, Koskiniemi says. 

-When using KlaroCPQ, the sales personnel won’t waste time in wondering product codes or compatibilities or limitations, Peltola continues. 

“When using KlaroCPQ, the sales personnel won’t waste time in wondering product codes or compatibilities”

Koskiniemi tells that KlaroCPQ can guide sales personnel or retailers offer best-selling products or products with low reclamation percentage. 

They name only one limitation for the use.

– If there’s no similarity between the sales cases, the sales configurator isn’t very useful, Peltola tells.

Easy transformation from Excel to sales configurator

Today KlaroCPQ is experiencing a period of development and renewal. Company will soon launch a SaaS service available directly from their website. Although the existing enterprise solution has gained clientele from manufacturing industry, Peltola believes that companies from all industries could benefit from KlaroCPQ.

-Companies selling B2B-services, like maintenance services, are one of the new customer segments we have found. However, our product is perfect for any business whose interest is to enhance and mass customize the quoting process, he says.

Peltola has good news for the companies who still create quotes in Excel but are interested in taking advantage of mass customization.

“We want to streamline the sales process and help our customers to improve their ability to close more sales with higher margins and better customer experience.”

-Actually, Word and Excel are good starting points for transformation towards sales configurator. Implementation would be more difficult if the company doesn’t even use Excel, he tells.

Koskiniemi recalls that modern tools help companies to compete and make more profit.

-We want to streamline the sales process and help our customers to improve their ability to close more sales with higher margins and better customer experience.

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