The quote-to-revenue process encompasses almost the entire customer lifecycle — from configuration and quoting to billing and renewal. And, with the growing complexity of B2B sales environments, businesses need a comprehensive CPQ, CLM, and billing platform like DealHub to manage it.

But, it’s not just about investing in the right software. It’s about knowing what to do with it.

That’s exactly what compelled Moshe Korach, Head of Customer Service and Education @ DealHub, to create the program in the first place.

It all began three years ago when I developed an ILT course for DealHub employees. Recognizing the need to standardize best practices, align team knowledge, and enhance the customer onboarding process, I saw a potential for a broader impact on product adoption, customer satisfaction, and brand awareness.

Moshe Korach,,

Head of Customer Service and Education,

Who DealHub Academy is for

The Academy is designed for DealHub customers — you’ll log in with your work email. Depending on how you use DealHub and your role in the company, there are a number of different modules and learning paths.

There are three main personas the program caters to:

Admins

Partners

Business Owners

DealHub Admins

DealHub Admins frequently hold multiple roles within their organizations. Our admin learning paths and resources are made to fit those nuances.

As an admin, DealHub Academy will show you how to:

• Design the optimal DealHub environment for your business
• Maintain the environment with confidence and efficiency
• Effectively use DealHub terminology and interact with the system
• Manage users, teams, and permissions at scale
• Troubleshoot common issues to ensure smooth operations

Once you’ve completed the training, you can take an exam to prove your DealHub mastery. Upon passing, you’ll earn your Essential Admin Certificate, which you can use to promote your expertise, enhance internal credibility, and advance your career.

Coming soon: DealHub Advanced Admin Certification

DealHub Partners

The learning path for DealHub Partners is designed to teach you how to leverage DealHub’s Revenue Hub to drive value for your clients.

It includes:

• Self-learning modules for essential functions like approval workflows and sales playbooks
• Instructor-led training for advanced topics such as integrations and customization
• Enhanced, hands-on labs to familiarize partners with the system’s nuances and practice real-life client scenarios

Whether you’re a reseller, implementation specialist, RevOps partner, or technology partner, our course material will train you to be highly independent and resourceful when supporting your clients.

*** To gain access to your partner training and certification exam, reach out to the PPM! ***

Business owners

For business owners using DealHub, we’ve created a short video series giving you a concise intro to DealHub’s features, benefits, and best practices.

The series covers:

• The sales and revenue platform: CPQ, CLM, and DealRoom
• How DealHub streamlines the quote-to-revenue process
• Key features and benefits of each product module

If someone’s new here and needs a general product overview, they need look no further.

The team behind DealHub Academy

Developing and launching an internal LMS requires a comprehensive team of internal and external professionals with complementary skills. Transforming DealHub’s product training was no different.

Moshe Korach, Head of Customer Service and Education, used his strategic vision and 20+ years’ experience leading professional services teams and developing formal and custom training materials to spearhead the project.

Vika Kaganovskaya, Customer Education Specialist, managed the entire project, from planning the learning experience to overseeing end-to-end content production.

Ran Goldstein, Head of Customer Success, leveraged his personal experience with DealHub’s customer base to align the content with DealHub’s strategic goals, CS metrics, and user needs.

Tal Marciano, Visual Designer, designed the entire Academy from scratch — content, courses, illustrations, and LMS user experience.

Noa Bohadana, Customer Success Manager, spent hours every week passing off system and customer insights, and verified all content was accurate and relevant.

Roy Konfino, Head of Solution Architecture, developed DealHub Academy’s syllabus, use cases, and certification exams.

Dor Bar Aliya, Solution Architect, created the hands-on exercises and proofread content for errors in the product’s capabilities.

The DealHub Academy development process

While it was Vika Kaganovskaya who lead the initiative, a program like this wouldn’t be possible without our internal experts. According to Kaganovskaya, it’s them whose personal experiences with our product and customers gave them firsthand knowledge to create the most relevant and impactful materials.

I’m most proud of our dedicated team, particularly our Advisory Board of professionals, who are committed to ensuring the quality and relevance of our content. Their expertise and willingness to continuously learn and share their knowledge have been invaluable. Being a Subject Matter Expert is demanding, and our team has excelled in bringing real-world insights and examples to our courses.

Vika Kaganovskaya,,

Customer Education Specialist,

Our team’s process was to first identify what knowledge and skills were most critical for our customers. Next, we identified how we could best teach that information using role-based training tracks with interactive content.

Here’s an overview of our six-step process:

1. Conducting a needs analysis

We began by gathering feedback from our customers and internal teams to understand what content would be most valuable. Our education consultant conducted interviews with the CS team to learn about current knowledge gaps, and which types of training could result in the highest return on their investment.

2. Designing the learning experience

Once we knew where to start, we could begin mapping out the specifics of how we would deliver our content.

The certification syllabus is the first key element. This is what defines the knowledge and skills we expect our admins to demonstrate before getting certified.

From there, we determined where we would use video, interactive exercises, and hands-on labs most effectively. We also decided on the most appropriate learning path for each of our key roles (admins, advanced admins, and partners).

While creating a content map and use cases for each learning path, we ensured everything supported various learning styles — visual, auditory, textual, and kinesthetic.

3. Designing the visuals and creating the media

Our education specialists and visual designer worked closely to create an engaging and visually appealing experience. The learning materials included high-quality graphics, video content, and interactive elements to keep learners engaged. We also incorporated gamification elements, like quizzes and rewards, to test knowledge and make the learning experience more enjoyable.

4. Selecting the LMS

We host our Academy on a learning management system (LMS), which acts as a central hub for all our courses and content. We chose an LMS that supported easy content management, tracking, and reporting, and was user-friendly for both learners and administrators.

5. Three-level launch process

Before launching our program to the public, we first tested the program internally. This allowed us to make necessary adjustments and test the program before a public release.

Then, we onboarded a select group of customers to gather feedback from our end-users. Their feedback at the start and end of the learning path helped us evaluate whether or not the program made a tangible difference in their knowledge and skills.

Following the internal launch and pilot program, we could make the finishing touches that brought us to the finished product — a comprehensive program with a variety of interactive courses and resources.

How we structured the content and course material

Our curriculum’s structure reflects David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. It caters to different learning styles through a combination of self-learning modules, instructor-led sessions, and hands-on labs.

It offers:

• Practical engagement through realistic exercises in a DealHub sandbox environment
• Interactive elements like simulations, scenarios, and quizzes
• High-quality visuals and multimedia content, according to Richard Mayer’s Multimedia Learning Theory
• Feedback integration through self-assessment and learning experience surveys
• Gamification elements to make learning more enjoyable and rewarding

Each module moves into the next. Clearly defined learning paths ensure incremental knowledge building and maintain learner motivation.

User feedback and impact since the launch

DealHub user Miranda McGowan, Corporate Systems Administrator at Continuant enrolled in DealHub Academy to build up her skills within the platform during her onboarding process. In her words, the experience was “transformative”.

The structured curriculum and interactive learning modules not only deepened my understanding of the system but also provided practical strategies I could immediately apply to better equip my team.

Miranda McGowan, Corporate Systems Administrator @ Continuant,

,

Like many others, it gave her the ability to empower her sales team with practical training. This led to increased efficiency, better adoption, and higher ROI on their DealHub investment.

The Academy is also useful for functioning and experienced DealHub admins to enhance their system capabilities. Gopal Sohun, Senior SalesForce Developer at Property Finder, shares:

I recently completed the Essential Admin Learning Path course as part of the Academy, and I couldn’t be more satisfied. This course is a perfect blend of theory and practice, offering hands-on labs in a sandbox environment that solidified my understanding of DealHub.

I highly recommend this course to anyone starting their Admin journey or looking to refresh their basics. The certification at the end is a great bonus, adding value to my professional credentials.

Gopal Sohun, Senior SalesForce Developer @ Property Finder,

,

What the future holds for DealHub Academy

We’re currently developing an Advanced Learning Path, which DealHub admins can use to build on their foundational knowledge. This set of modules will help them solidify their expertise in more specialized areas.

Topics include:

Advanced Pricing and Discounting

Enhancing Guided Selling with Product Filtering

Working with Partners

Contract Revision Features of the DealRoom

Integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, and more)

And, as the product evolves, so will the Academy. Vika Kaganovskaya, our Customer Education Specialist says, “We work closely with the product team, aligning with the product roadmap and change logs.”

With new updates and product rollouts, the first thing we’ll do is update the course materials. Since we’re tightly aligned with the product’s lifecycle our training will always be accurate and relevant.

Get started with DealHub Academy here.

The post Streamline and scale quote-to-revenue with DealHub Academy appeared first on DealHub.

There’s a better way!

It’s time to ditch the quote chaos and amplify your sales performance with CPQ (Configure Price Quote) software.

Agile CPQ can be the game-changer your sales team craves. Imagine a world where quotes fly out the door, error-free, while your reps focus on closing deals and building relationships. Picture happy customers who get exactly what they need, fast.

That’s the power of CPQ! Read on to explore how CPQ can streamline your sales process, boost accuracy, and ultimately amplify your team’s results.

5 benefits of Agile CPQ for your sales team

1. Turbocharge quote creation

Agile CPQ software attracts attention for its ability to accelerate the quote creation process, transforming what was a tedious, time-intensive task into a swift operation. Traditionally, sales reps would spend hours, if not days, assembling quotes, which delayed interactions with potential customers and bogged down the sales cycle. The automation that CPQ provides completely changes the playing field.

With CPQ, quote generation and product configuration are automated, drastically reducing the time required to generate a quote—from days to minutes. This acceleration allows sales reps to respond to customer inquiries with lightning speed and freeing them from the clutches of spreadsheets. As a result, reps can manage more customer interactions within the same timeframe, boosting productivity and potentially increasing sales opportunities and revenue.

Take, for example, a tech company that implemented CPQ. Before CPQ, it typically took days to generate a quote due to manual data entry and slow approval processes. After shifting to CPQ, the time required dropped to just 8 minutes. The reduction in the sales team’s workload increased productivity and allowed for more engagement with prospects, leading to a significant increase in sales volumes.

2. Goodbye pricing errors

In sales, pricing accuracy is not just a detail—it’s the backbone of trust between a company and its customers. Pricing mishaps can jeopardize deals and tarnish a company’s reputation. Agile CPQ software tackles this dangerous issue head-on by automating compliance with pricing rules and configurations, ensuring every quote is up-to-date and precise.

This automated system substantially reduces human errors, bolstering the integrity of the quote process and solidifying customer trust. For example, consider a scenario where a sales team often encountered discrepancies in pricing due to outdated spreadsheets or miscommunication. Before implementing Agile CPQ, errors in manual entries led to frequent pricing inaccuracies that required time-consuming revisions and, in some cases, lost sales. After adopting Agile CPQ, the company noticed an immediate improvement: pricing errors dropped notably. This marked improvement was possible because CPQ automatically applies the latest pricing rules and promotions, eliminating the need for manual entry.

CPQ tools improve quote accuracy and build customer trust by providing a personalized experience. This helps sales teams confidently close deals and creates positive customer interactions. These tools turn pricing precision into a competitive edge.

3. Upselling and cross-selling made easy

CPQ software also enhances revenue through strategic upselling and cross-selling. These techniques are vital for maximizing deal value, but spotting the best opportunities often requires sophisticated tools. A recent survey by ZS involving over 190 commercial leaders explored their use of AI for sales enablement, specifically focusing on guided selling. The findings revealed that 72% of respondents intend to implement AI-guided selling solutions to enhance sales performance. The primary benefits identified include improved win rates and deal sizes, accelerated sales growth, and enhanced overall seller effectiveness.

CPQ utilizes guided selling features, which aid sales reps by recommending additional products or services that align well with what the customer is already considering. For instance, consider a software company where reps primarily sell core products. After implementing CPQ, the system suggested add-ons, like an advanced analytics module, based on customer input and purchase history. In a standout case, this suggestion led to a remarkable increase in deal size when the customer saw the added value of the recommended module.

This functionality leads to an increase in revenue and also transforms sales representatives into trusted advisors rather than mere order-takers. By offering relevant, value-adding products or services, reps enhance the buying experience and build deeper, more profitable customer relationships, fueling both immediate and sustained revenue growth.

4. Streamline approvals and shorten sales cycles

Lengthy approval processes for quotes are a major source of frustration in sales operations, often leading to lost opportunities as potential customers might turn to more responsive competitors. CPQ software addresses this bottleneck by automating and streamlining the approval workflow, significantly speeding up the process.

With CPQ, quotes are automatically checked against business rules and swiftly sent to relevant stakeholders for approval, reducing what could take days into mere minutes. This efficiency dramatically shortens the sales cycle and boosts customer satisfaction by ensuring timely responses.

Reducing cycle time increases the likelihood of closing deals and improves the buyer experience. Customers value the expedited process, enhancing their perception of the company as efficient and responsive—an essential trait for maintaining a competitive edge.

5. Data-driven insights for smarter selling

Data plays an indispensable role in achieving sales success. CPQ software empowers sales teams with critical insights and analytics that foster strategic selling. This access to real-time sales data allows reps to make informed decisions swiftly and adapt their approaches based on current market trends and customer behaviors.

CPQ’s analytics capabilities enhance the understanding of sales dynamics, enabling teams to optimize their processes. For example, by analyzing data on the most quoted products and their success rates, reps can identify offerings that are more likely to close and pinpoint products that might benefit from promotional strategies to enhance sales.

A tangible example of these benefits can be observed in a company that harnessed CPQ’s analytics to prioritize high-value deals and refine its sales strategy. The data indicated that certain product bundles consistently resulted in successful upsells. With this knowledge, the sales team strategically shifted their focus to these bundles early in the negotiation process, significantly increasing their revenue.

These insights are invaluable; they transform each sales interaction into a learning experience that continuously improves the team’s effectiveness. Harnessing real-time data doesn’t just elevate individual performance—it steers the course of sales operations, ensuring that teams are hardworking and smart-working.

Justifying Agile CPQ implementation

The return on investment (ROI) from implementing CPQ software is clear and substantial, impacting several key aspects of sales operations. First and foremost, sales efficiency sees a significant boost—teams have reported a considerable reduction in the time required to produce accurate and compelling quotes. This translates into more time focused on sales activities and less time wasted carrying out administrative tasks.

Additionally, Agile CPQ dramatically reduces errors in the sales process by automating pricing and configuration tasks. Companies implementing Agile CPQ software often see a significant decrease in errors, leading to reduced risk of revenue loss from incorrect proposals and improved customer trust through consistency and transparency in deal terms.

From a revenue perspective, Agile CPQ directly enhances the bottom line. Businesses often see an increase in deal size by 10-15%. Moreover, the software’s ability to shorten the sales cycle enables quicker deal closures, thus accelerating revenue generation and improving cash flow.

Wealth.com’s Transformative Journey with DealHub CPQ

Wealth.com, a leader in estate planning, faced growing pains with its manual, offline quoting process due to an increase in field representatives and a surge in contract volume. They partnered with LeanScale to identify and implement a suitable CPQ solution to address this issue. After some deliberations, DealHub CPQ was chosen for its superior integration capabilities and user-friendly interface, enabling seamless interaction with Wealth.com’s existing Salesforce CRM.

The implementation of DealHub CPQ was like hitting the turbo button for Wealth.com’s operations, achieving 100% adoption by the team and slashing quote turnaround times by 60%. The enhancement increased their sales process efficiency and improved their ability to manage growing demand, leading to better operations and quicker customer response times.

Tim White, Chief Growth Officer at Wealth.com says “DealHub has been one of our favorite technology implementations in the last few years at Wealth.com. It has enabled our sales team to get quotes out to valued future customers efficiently and intuitively. The DealRoom has been a complete level up for our proposals that are going out the door to match the high standards we have across our organization in providing the best digital estate planning services to the market.”

With DealHub, Wealth.com transformed its operations, making its process smarter, faster, and way more streamlined. For them, it wasn’t just about keeping pace; it was about setting the pace, ensuring they stayed at the forefront of the estate planning industry.

Keep your competitive edge with DealHub CPQ

DealHub CPQ is an essential tool for sales teams looking to optimize performance and stay ahead in the competitive sales arena. It transforms the sales process into a strategic, high-performance engine that drives growth.

A key feature of DealHub CPQ is its seamless integration with existing CRM and ERP systems, ensuring smooth data flow throughout all sales stages. This integration eliminates data silos and increases visibility, empowering sales teams to make quick, informed decisions. DealHub CPQ also features a user-friendly interface that simplifies the configuration of complex products and pricing structures. This ease of use allows sales reps to quickly generate compelling quotes, accelerating the sales cycle and reducing the cognitive load on the team.

Another significant advantage is the software’s dynamic pricing functionality. It enables sales teams to adjust pricing and apply discounts in real-time, responding agilely to market conditions and customer needs. This flexibility helps secure deals with competitive pricing and maintain profitability by following pricing guidelines and approval workflows. The platform also includes robust analytics tools that offer deep insights into sales performance and customer trends, equipping sales leaders to refine strategies and better anticipate market shifts.

DealHub CPQ is more than just software – it’s a strategic partner that arms sales teams with the necessary tools to maintain a competitive edge. By streamlining the quote-to-cash process, enhancing data integration, and delivering powerful insights, DealHub CPQ significantly boosts your team’s effectiveness, ensuring you not only meet but exceed your sales targets.

The post 5 ways CPQ amplifies sales team results appeared first on DealHub.

Configure-Price-Quote (CPQ) software aims to simplify the quoting process. By automating the configuration and pricing of complex product offerings, CPQ not only cuts down the time it takes to generate proposals but also accelerates your entire sales cycle, enhancing team performance. With this technology, you can step into the future and unlock faster, more efficient sales.

Is your sales cycle stuck in slow motion?

Traditional quoting methods—relying on spreadsheets and manual calculations—can be cumbersome and error-prone. These approaches often lack the agility required to deal with complex product configurations and variable pricing strategies, which are commonplace in industries selling specialized products and services. The result? A sales cycle that moves at a glacial pace.

Each manual entry has the potential for error, and every mistake requires rework. This slows down the process and increases the likelihood of presenting inaccurate quotes to customers. Errors can diminish trust, leading customers to reconsider their buying decision or, worse, turn to competitors who can offer quicker and more reliable responses. Additionally, the time sales teams spend double-checking figures and rectifying issues could instead be used to engage with more prospects or deepen customer relationships.

Ultimately, these inefficiencies frustrate customers and directly impact your bottom line through lost deals and tarnished reputation. This is a critical area where CPQ tools can make a dramatic difference by eliminating much of the manual workload and reducing the scope for errors.

7 CPQ strategies to light a fire under your sales cycle

Agile CPQ solutions tackle these inefficiencies head-on and accelerate sales cycles in the following ways. 

1. Automate the mundane

One of the core strengths of CPQ software is its ability to automate mundane tasks, primarily the configuration of products and pricing. This automation shifts the focus of sales representatives from time-consuming administrative duties to what they do best—strategic selling.

The benefits are considerable. Automation drastically reduces the likelihood of human error, enhancing quotes’ accuracy. Additionally, it accelerates the entire process from configuration to quote, ensuring that proposals reach potential customers faster than ever before. For example, Contentsquare, a notable digital experience analytics company, needed a solution that could scale with its expansion while managing complex pricing structures effectively. DealHub CPQ automated their previously manual and error-prone processes, enabling faster, more accurate quote generation and reducing the time needed for approvals. This led to increased customer satisfaction and a more robust quote-to-revenue flow. The seamless integration with Salesforce further ensured that sales data remained transparent and accurate, enhancing both operational efficiency and data integrity. The result significantly boosted efficiency, demonstrating how effectively CPQ can transform the sales cycle by automating mundane but critical tasks.

2. Guided selling = happy customers

Guided selling is a feature within Agile CPQ software that transforms the sales experience for both representatives and customers. This strategy uses a dynamic, interactive approach to lead sales reps through the sales process, ensuring that they can offer customers the most suitable solutions based on their specific needs.

Agile CPQ enhances guided selling by incorporating interactive elements such as dynamic questionnaires. These tools adapt in real-time, modifying the available product offerings based on customer responses. For instance, if a customer prioritizes certain features over others, the CPQ solution will immediately adjust the configuration options presented to match these preferences. This ensures that customers feel understood and valued, as the recommendations are tailored precisely to their requirements.

Adding a layer of sophistication, machine learning (ML) can further refine the capabilities of guided selling. ML algorithms analyze data from past interactions and sales outcomes to predict what customers might prefer, even before the sales rep makes any suggestions. This predictive approach improves both the sales process and customer experience by proactively addressing customer needs and preferences. Guided selling helps sales go faster and keeps customers happy and loyal.

3. Quote like a pro (every time)

Agile CPQ solutions are not just about speed; they’re about delivering professionalism and precision in every quote. A standout feature of Agile CPQ systems is their use of pre-built and customizable templates that allow sales teams to maintain consistency while also incorporating unique branding and personalization. This combination is key to enhancing customer engagement and leaving a lasting impression.

The customization options within next-gen CPQ templates are extensive. Sales teams can adjust layouts, integrate logos, and use company-specific language, ensuring that every proposal aligns with the brand’s identity. This level of personalization makes customers feel they are receiving a proposal tailored just for them, which can significantly increase their engagement and overall satisfaction with the sales process.

Furthermore, these templates are created to prevent typical errors that may arise during manual quote generation. CPQ systems ensure that every quote is based on a reliable template, resulting in both visually appealing and accurate proposals. This reliability demonstrates a commitment to quality and attention to detail, establishing trust with clients and making the art of closing deals more efficient.

4. Pricing agility at your fingertips

Speed is the name of the game in sales, and Agile CPQ excels in this arena. It offers unparalleled agility that empowers sales teams to create competitive and winning quotes effortlessly. This capability is especially valuable in managing complex pricing rules and offering strategic discounts without jeopardizing profitability.

Agile CPQ solutions allow sales representatives to apply discounts and adjust pricing in real-time based on predefined rules that align with business strategies. This level of control ensures that sales teams can respond proactively during negotiations, providing them with a powerful tool to close deals more effectively. For instance, during promotional periods, CPQ software can automatically incorporate special pricing models and discount levels, which are otherwise too complex to handle manually.

Furthermore, CPQ technology is adept at adapting to rapid market changes. If a competitor adjusts their pricing or a new regulation affects pricing structures, Agile CPQ can immediately update the relevant data across all quotes. This ensures that all proposals remain competitive and compliant, reflecting the latest market conditions. This kind of responsiveness enhances the sales team’s agility and significantly impacts overall sales success, ensuring that opportunities are never missed.

5. Collaboration is key

Collaboration across departments is important for streamlining the sales process, and Agile CPQ helps facilitate this interdepartmental synergy. They focus on transparency and simplifying communication between sales, finance, and other teams.

Real-time updates ensure that all team members have the most up-to-date information, which is essential for quick decision-making and maintaining a smooth flow of accurate data across departments. This connectivity helps reduce bottlenecks in the approval process, as adjustments to quotes or pricing can be reviewed and approved quickly.

6. Data-driven decisions

Agile CPQ offers more than just streamlining quote creation. Its reporting and analytics features provide valuable insights for shaping future business strategies. By utilizing these tools, companies can also analyze sales trends and customer behaviors to optimize quoting strategies.

For instance, Agile CPQ tools enhance the forecasting of inventory and materials for companies that produce physical goods. With real-time data integration, companies can now monitor how many quotes are being sent out, which products are popular, and the timelines for potential deals closing. This visibility allows for precise inventory management, reducing excess stock and ensuring resources are available when needed, thus streamlining the supply chain from sale to installation.

Moreover, CPQ systems help accurately reconcile commissions, ensure that sales teams are rewarded efficiently and equitably, and foster motivation and accountability. This capability was notably beneficial for Lumina Solar, where the introduction of DealHub CPQ reduced the time spent on commission reconciliation by 94%, significantly lightening the workload for their finance team.

CPQ simplifies sales tasks and beyond, and provides strategic advantages through data-driven insights, helping businesses optimize operations and improve efficiency.

7. Kiss quote headaches goodbye

You might have realized this by now. The introduction of Agile CPQ into a business’s sales process is transformative, offering a streamlined approach that contrasts sharply with older, more cumbersome methods. The benefits of adopting this technology are vast—faster sales cycles, higher win rates, and significantly happier customers.

To clearly illustrate the impact of CPQ, consider a side-by-side comparison of the traditional sales quoting process and the streamlined process enabled by CPQ software.

Transitioning to an Agile CPQ solution streamlines the sales process by automating manual steps and reducing configuration errors. Pricing is calculated dynamically and accurately, based on pre-programmed guidelines and discounts, eliminating delays caused by manual calculations and approvals.

Furthermore, the entire proposal looks and feels professional, aligning with the company’s branding and delivering a consistent customer experience. This enhances customer trust in the company’s competence and thoroughness.

Adopting a CPQ solution allows businesses to meet and surpass market expectations, improving operational efficiency and customer relationships. With CPQ, companies can genuinely kiss quote headaches goodbye, welcoming a new era of sales proficiency.

Don’t let slow quoting hold you back!

To begin, evaluate your current sales process to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies that CPQ could resolve. Next, consider a pilot program with a CPQ provider to see firsthand how it can integrate with your existing CRM and streamline operations. Training your team on how to utilize CPQ effectively will also be instrumental in maximizing its benefits.

For sales and revenue operations professionals, implementing a system like DealHub CPQ can truly revolutionize your sales process. This comprehensive solution enhances the efficiency of generating quotes and ensures they are accurate and customized to customer requirements, utilizing up-to-date pricing and product details. It seamlessly integrates with current CRM systems, creating a unified platform that improves visibility and collaboration across departments.

Equip your sales team with the tools they need to excel, enhance your sales operations, and propel your business forward with newfound confidence and effectiveness. Streamline your quoting process today and watch your sales soar! 

The post 7 CPQ strategies to supercharge your sales cycle appeared first on DealHub.

Gone are the days of tedious, error-prone manual quote processes and limited customization capabilities that once stifled sales teams. CPQ technology ushers in an era marked by efficiency and customer-centric solutions. This shift towards enhanced customer engagement and satisfaction is a notable advancement in sales operations.

They have become so crucial lately that even Forbes highlights the tangible benefits of adopting CPQ-based selling strategies, noting that such investment can result in up to a 10% increase in company revenues. Additionally, CPQ systems are instrumental in boosting customer engagement, potentially doubling retention rates by up to 50%.

Today, we’re turning our attention to an often overlooked value of CPQ – enabling sales teams to build customer rapport to foster stronger relationships and close deals. 

A customer-first sales culture

In sales, prioritizing the customer is essential to building rapport and closing deals. CPQ systems offer the tools necessary for achieving customer-centricity. Here’s how:

Streamlined quoting

CPQ’s prowess lies in its capacity to automate the quote generation process, significantly reducing wait times and boosting responsiveness. For example, a sales representative using CPQ software can quickly create a personalized quote based on a customer’s specific requirements and can often accommodate last-minute changes to the request. This fast response meets customer expectations and exceeds them, cementing the sales representative’s reputation for efficiency and adaptability. CPQ solutions have demonstrated their ability to shorten sales cycles by about 28%, illustrating their efficiency in expediting the sales process​.

The speed at which CPQ systems enable sales teams to respond taps into the psychological aspects of customer relationships. More than mere transactions, these responses signify a deep respect and acknowledgment of the customer’s needs. This rapid engagement can significantly enhance the perceived value of the service, creating a sense of importance and urgency for the customer. In a rapidly moving market where customer attention is at a premium, delivering prompt and precise quotes is essential in establishing trust and loyalty. CPQ solutions, by consistently exceeding customer expectations for efficiency, lay a solid foundation for robust, long-term relationships.

Personalized offers

At its core, CPQ leverages guided selling to utilize customer data, recommending products and pricing that align perfectly with customer needs. This capability transforms sales reps into consultants who can provide tailored solutions, enhancing customer satisfaction. In practice, training sales reps to harness CPQ’s recommendations can deepen their understanding of customer requirements. Additionally, vendors’ knowledge centers can help educate sales teams, speeding up the onboarding process and enhancing their ability to provide personalized services.

The true power of CPQ systems is magnified when they’re integrated with other cutting-edge technologies like big data analytics. This synergy creates a robust technological ecosystem, allowing for more sophisticated analysis and decision-making. For instance, CPQ with integrated analytics enhances predictive analysis, leading to more nuanced customer insights and tailored offers. It also aids in understanding market trends and customer preferences, refining the sales strategy further. This integration transforms CPQ from a standalone tool to a comprehensive solution that understands and anticipates evolving customer needs and market dynamics.

Simplified configurations

Navigating the complexities of product configurations can be daunting for both sales professionals and customers. CPQ simplifies this process, guiding users through configurations and reducing the likelihood of errors. This streamlined approach enhances user experience and bolsters confidence in the purchasing process.

The integration of CPQ at Yotpo, a leader in eCommerce marketing solutions, illustrates this benefit vividly. By implementing DealHub CPQ, Yotpo streamlined its sales process, notably cutting down quote creation time to a remarkable 8 minutes. This efficiency was not just about speed; it greatly enhanced their overall customer experience, marking a substantial shift in their sales operations. With CPQ’s aid, Yotpo tackled the complexities of its vast product catalog, reducing errors and ensuring that each customer’s unique needs were precisely met, reflecting a significant leap in operational agility and customer satisfaction.

Jonathan Cohen, Salesforce & Delivery Team Leader at Yotpo had this to say, “Implementing DealHub has transformed our revenue management across the entire customer lifecycle by streamlining the quoting and proposal process, reducing manual errors, and accelerating deal cycles. The data from the platform also provides valuable insights, enhancing our ability to make data-driven decisions and optimize revenue strategies.”

Fostering trust and driving revenue

CPQ systems are indispensable in nurturing customer trust and, in turn, driving revenue growth. These systems achieve this through accurate pricing, faster approvals, and personalized customer experience.

Pricing accuracy

CPQ technology eliminates the need for manual calculations, ensuring pricing, discounting, and deal structuring are accurate and consistent. This accuracy is fundamental to building trust with customers, as it demonstrates reliability and professionalism. CPQ systems help sales teams avoid costly errors and misquotes, which can be detrimental in delicate negotiations. Moreover, the commitment to accuracy reflects a company’s dedication to transparency, fostering stronger, trust-based customer relationships.

Faster approvals

CPQ automates workflows and the approval process, significantly speeding up the sales cycle. Rapid approvals also mean faster service delivery, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty as customers appreciate the swift and reliable service.

Increased upselling and cross-selling

CPQ systems excel in identifying upselling and cross-selling opportunities, greatly enhancing order values. By analyzing customer preferences and previous purchase history, CPQ can recommend relevant, complementary products or services during the quoting process. This targeted approach not only meets but often anticipates customer needs, leading to larger deal sizes.

A practical example of this is seen in the case study of the HR platform Bob (HiBob), which implemented CPQ alongside DealHub’s Subscription Management tool. This integration significantly boosted their sales efficiency and effectiveness, evidenced by a remarkable 137% Net Dollar Retention rate. The CPQ system streamlined the process, reducing the time taken to generate renewal proposals from 30 minutes to just 2 minutes, enhancing customer satisfaction, and increasing revenue through effective upselling.

DealHub CPQ and DealRoom: building lasting sales relationships

Lasting relationships are built on trust and understanding. DealHub CPQ and DealRoom excel in this area by seamlessly integrating with leading CRM platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics amongst others, ensuring all customer interactions are informed and personalized. This integration capability translates into sales interactions that build rapport. They also allow for quick and responsive quote generation, proactively anticipating customer needs and fostering a sense of reliability and efficiency. Accurate pricing is consistently achieved, and the collaborative nature of the digital sales room DealRoom invites customers into an interactive engagement, deepening their connection to the sales process.

Imagine a scenario where a sales team, using DealRoom, collaborates in real time with a client on a complex solution. The interactive space allows the client to provide immediate feedback, shaping the proposal as it’s being created. This dynamic interaction streamlines the sales process and gives the client a sense of ownership and partnership. Such collaborative moments are crucial in strengthening client relationships and fostering trust. DealRoom’s real-time insights further enable sales teams to tailor their approach based on up-to-the-minute data, ensuring that proposals are accurate and highly relevant to the client’s current needs.

Approval workflows in DealHub CPQ are designed to expedite decision-making without compromising accuracy. By automating and streamlining these workflows, sales teams can reduce the time spent on administrative tasks, focusing more on client interaction and relationship building. This efficiency means clients receive faster responses, significantly improving their experience and satisfaction. The speed and accuracy of these processes reflect a deep understanding of the nature of business, aligning with clients’ expectations for prompt and competent service.

As we look to the future, CPQ systems are poised to become even more integral in sales strategies. DealHub CPQ is the leading CPQ solution for enterprises and a catalyst for business growth and adaptability. It supports scalable sales processes, handling increasing transaction volumes without compromising client interaction quality. Businesses seeking to expand their reach and maintain superior customer service standards should consider how DealHub CPQ can help them meet their goals.

The post CPQ without the usual limitations – Building rapport that closes deals appeared first on DealHub.

But how can we dodge these obstacles unharmed?

Fear not, leaders, for Configure Price Quote (CPQ) technology is here to save the day. These systems are game-changers, revolutionizing operations with their tailored solutions designed to streamline processes. By automating and optimizing the quote creation process, CPQ addresses the core pain points of Sales and RevOps. It paves the way for more accurate, timely, and efficient quote management, enabling businesses to scale seamlessly while maintaining high standards of customer service and operational excellence.

The power of a scalable CPQ solution

CPQ offers valuable scalability benefits for industries facing rapid growth or complex product lines. Manufacturing companies with intricate configurations, SaaS businesses with evolving software offerings, and IT services with bundled packages all find value in CPQ’s scalable solutions for handling pricing structures and regulatory requirements efficiently.

Scalability in CPQ is the ability to efficiently manage increasing and complex quote volumes without hindering performance. A scalable CPQ solution, such as DealHub, is necessary for driving business growth and maintaining operational flexibility.

Guided selling within CPQ simplifies the sales process, steering sales teams through a streamlined, error-free quoting experience. This approach significantly reduces the likelihood of mistakes, thus enhancing both accuracy and speed.

As businesses evolve, continuous change management becomes crucial. CPQ platforms adeptly adapt to changing business needs, ensuring that sales strategies and tools are always aligned with current objectives. This adaptability is essential to balance rapid execution with sustainable growth.

Moreover, CPQ fosters multi-team collaboration, bridging gaps between departments. It serves as a collaborative platform, ensuring that all teams — from sales to finance — work in harmony, further solidifying its role as a scalable solution.

CPQ features that contribute to scalability

CPQ solutions offer a range of capabilities to support scalability for businesses as they grow. When evaluating scalable CPQ software, look for these features:

Product and pricing configuration engine

This feature offers customization and flexibility, enabling users to create complex product configurations and pricing structures. Businesses can easily adjust pricing based on market trends or specific customer requirements, enhancing responsiveness and competitiveness.

Automated workflows and approvals

Automated workflows streamline decision-making processes. For example, a sales representative can submit a quote for approval, and the system can automatically route it to the relevant manager, reducing the time spent on manual approvals.

Integration with CRM and ERP systems

Seamless integration with CRM and ERP systems ensures consistent and error-free data flow. This integration allows sales data to be accurately reflected across all platforms, from inventory management to customer relationship tracking.

Reporting and analytics dashboards

These dashboards offer strategic insights by analyzing sales and revenue data and enable businesses to identify trends, measure performance, and make data-driven decisions for future strategies.

No-code solution

A no-code CPQ solution empowers non-technical users to make changes or updates without needing specialized IT skills, enhancing agility and responsiveness to market changes.

Cloud-based infrastructure

Offering global accessibility and robustness, a cloud-based CPQ system ensures that teams can access necessary tools and data from anywhere, supporting a distributed workforce and global sales operations.

These features collectively enhance the scalability of CPQ solutions, enabling businesses to grow efficiently while maintaining high operational standards.

5 reasons to scale your business with CPQ

Implementing CPQ software propels business growth and scales revenue operations in several strategic ways:

1. Increased efficiency and accuracy in the quoting process

CPQ systems automate the quoting process, drastically reducing the time taken to generate quotes. For instance, a business dealing with customized products can use CPQ to automatically generate accurate quotes based on customer selections, eliminating manual calculation errors.

2. Quicker turnaround times for quotes

With CPQ, quote generation is expedited, allowing sales teams to respond to customer inquiries more swiftly. This rapid response capability is crucial in today’s fast-paced market, where prompt customer service can be a significant competitive advantage.

3. Increased productivity among sales teams

CPQ tools liberate sales teams from time-consuming administrative tasks, allowing them to focus more on selling and less on paperwork. This shift not only increases productivity but also boosts job satisfaction among sales personnel.

4. Reduction in errors and non-compliance risks

By automating the quoting process, CPQ minimizes the risk of errors and non-compliance with pricing and discount policies. For example, a company with complex discount structures can rely on CPQ to apply discounting rules accurately across all deals, ensuring consistency and compliance.

5. Enhanced visibility into sales data and performance metrics

CPQ solutions provide valuable insights into sales operations through data and performance analytics. These insights enable businesses to make informed strategic decisions, such as identifying best-selling products or optimizing sales strategies based on performance metrics.

The real benefits of CPQ scalability

CPQ scalability isn’t just a fancy idea for sales and revenue operations teams – it’s a reality that’s reshaping the way businesses operate. The following case studies of Wealth.com and Yotpo, two diverse businesses, provide concrete examples of how they leveraged DealHub CPQ to overcome distinct challenges, implement effective solutions, and achieve remarkable post-implementation results. These stories paint a clear picture of CPQ’s impact in driving operational efficiency and business growth:

Wealth.com, a financial services provider, faced a challenge in optimizing its quote and proposal processes. Their adoption of DealHub CPQ, supported by LeanScale, led to a drastic overhaul. Post-implementation, they achieved complete team adoption and reduced their quote turnaround time by 60%, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and customer response time.

Yotpo, specializing in e-commerce marketing, encountered issues with SKU complexity and low CPQ usage. Integrating DealHub CPQ transformed its operations. The solution cut down quote turnaround time to under 8 minutes, increased accuracy, and improved overall efficiency. This change notably brought about considerable cost savings and return on investment, boosting Yotpo’s sales execution capabilities.

Both case studies highlight how DealHub CPQ’s scalability directly contributes to improved operational efficiency, faster quote processing, and cost-effective business growth.

Scalability for your high-growth CPQ needs

Scalability in the tech stack for revenue operations is critical for growth, and CPQ plays a vital role in this endeavor. CPQ solutions like DealHub enhance scalability by offering faster setup, easier maintenance, and reducing the need for technical support, leading to quicker onboarding of sales representatives. CPQ keeps pace with business changes in real time, consolidates sales tools, and integrates seamlessly with CRM systems. CPQ integration not only improves daily operations by reducing errors and manual work but also provides deeper analytics for strategic decisions. In addition, features like digital sales rooms and continuous updates support scalable, efficient, and collaborative environments, which are indispensable for modern revenue operations.

DealHub CPQ is versatile, user-friendly, and packed with features to meet the needs of growing businesses. Features include:

Easy configuration and updates

Our solution excels in its user-friendly configuration and update process, allowing for swift adaptations to evolving sales strategies and market conditions with minimal IT involvement. Our no-code solution promotes operational agility and responsiveness.

Real-time business adaptation

Using advanced APIs, DealHub ensures that the CPQ system adapts in real-time to business changes, maintaining alignment with the latest business strategies and market dynamics and fostering a highly responsive business ecosystem.

Beyond basic CPQ functionalities

DealHub’s CPQ solution is designed to grow with your business, eliminating the need for additional add-on solutions as your company expands. This comprehensive approach ensures that all essential capabilities are integrated from the outset.

Advanced contract management

DealHub enhances its CPQ offerings with advanced contract management features, streamlining complex contractual processes and ensuring accuracy and compliance, which are crucial for diverse agreement terms.

Subscription management

Grow recurring revenue through our subscription management capabilities tailed to your pricing model. Boost renewals and reduce customer churn with automated subscriptions. Grow revenue with upsell and cross-sell recommendations.

Integrated e-signature

Integration of e-signature technology within DealHub streamlines the approval process, accelerates deal closures, and enhances the efficiency of transactions, supporting smoother and more reliable business operations.

Integrated document generation (DocGen)

The DocGen feature in DealHub automates and simplifies document creation, significantly reducing time and manual errors in document processing and enhancing overall document management efficiency.

Digital sales rooms

DealRoom, our digital sales room, provides an immersive and interactive customer engagement experience, strengthening customer relationships and differentiating the sales process.

Streamlined onboarding and feature introduction

DealHub’s CPQ platform streamlines the onboarding of new sales representatives and seamlessly introduces new features and pricing models, showcasing its scalability and adaptability in a dynamic world.

Unlike many CPQ solutions that offer a one-size-fits-all approach, DealHub distinguishes itself with its tailored scalability. It meets the growing demands of high-velocity sales environments and offers unparalleled customization and integration capabilities. This distinctive blend of flexibility and power sets DealHub apart as a leader in scalable CPQ solutions.

The post CPQ Without Limits – Not Just Easier, Scalable appeared first on DealHub.

In a recent webinar, Roy Gil, CSM & API SME, and Jonathan Angel, Senior CSM, shared the exciting news of how our APIs extend the value of DealHub CPQ. From External Query APIs to Partner and Pricing APIs, we have an API for you! Watch this non-technical demonstration of how DealHub is primed to make quoting easier for your team.

Webinar Highlights: DealHub API Use Cases

We’re bringing you the hottest new business use cases supported by our ever-expanding API framework. Read on for how DealHub’s API can help your sales team and partners create accurate quotes in a few clicks!

External Query API

Our External Query API is very powerful for quote generation. It’s how information is imported into the playbook while you’re editing a quote. It packs information from the playbook, sends it outside where calculations or validations are made, and sends the information back into DealHub, into the playbook. 

We developed this API because many of our customers requested the capability to pull external information into the playbook. Examples are shipping costs, VAT information, and the currency exchange rate. All of these must be brought into the playbook as part of the quote generation.

Quote Validations

To generate valid quotes, the currency type is synced from the CRM. The API fetches the information and brings it back into the quote to accurately reflect the pricing based on real-time data. So easy! And, that pricing validation guarantees no revenue leakage from inaccurate pricing or tax compliance issues.

To take this use case a step further, sometimes the sales representative needs to interact with information that the user is supplying at the moment, such as a VAT number or contract ID. The quote interface has a field for VAT number; the user can enter it and it will be validated and incorporated into the playbook. While validating the VAT, the API can fetch the company name, address, and other required information and incorporate it into the playbook. This information can go into the contract and quote, or you can bring it back to the CRM. You don’t need to ask the customer for the information, saving time and providing a better customer experience.

Another example is entering a country code and determining the VAT rate for that region. Pulling in the VAT rate enables users to generate valid quotes that show the net price and the price with VAT in their quote documents.

Enabling Complex Calculations

A common use case for our external query API is complex calculations. Recently a customer requested that we add internal rate of return (IRR) into their playbook. They had been taking the information out of the playbook and running the calculation in Excel, and putting it back in the playbook. That’s a very error-prone manual process. 

We want to offer a holistic journey for the sales rep in DealHub. We don’t want them to jump into other systems while editing the quote. We solved their problem by doing this with the API. We can pack all this information, send it outside, have it calculated, and then send it back into DealHub. In this case, the user will simply click on the button to calculate IRR.

We can even take this a step further and create an approval workflow that depends directly on the profitability level of a project. For example, no one needs to approve IRR above 20%. This opens a lot of possibilities for advanced calculation inside our system.

Coming Soon!

In the next few weeks we are setting up a new capability in the external query API, which is incorporating line item information inside the information that we’re sending outside. Imagine a scenario where the salesperson has to bring in premium support or a specific onboarding package for any quote above $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Up until now there wasn’t a way to go back to the playbook after calculating the ARR and include specific line item products or services. Now, we can bring this back to the playbook level and make an additional product selection or add a relevant playbook answer.

Additionally, we can take this information and build a billing schedule based on the information that we have on the line item. This connectivity with Billing is a huge benefit for DealHub users.

Quote API

What if a deal desk team or sales manager wants to extract information from the DealHub database?

This is a very common use case, especially for RevOps teams. Many companies have BI tools, reports, and dashboards and they need to bring in as much data as they can from DealHub. Typically, we can extract it to the CRM and this is where we keep all of the line item information and quote level information. But some information isn’t native to the CRM. DealHub holds a treasure trove of information, including the quote, approval workflow and playbook selection. Anything to do with the interaction with the system is data that we can leverage for a company.

Extracting Data from DealHub

To prevent bloating the CRM, exceeding storage limitations, or incurring additional data hosting costs, we fetch the information with the quote API directly into the BI system or dashboard and avoid the use of the CRM for data storage. Think about this solution as two parts: the webhook and the quote API. First, with a webhook, DealHub will notify the system about events that happened inside DealHub. So if a user submits a quote, we can send this webhook outside notifying us that a quote with this quote ID is being submitted or a quote was approved or won. Once we know that something happened in the DealHub system, we can fetch the relevant information based on the quote API, with the quote ID we got from the webhook.

Here’s an example of a dashboard. We can log monthly proposals based on the webhook to see the average response time for each approval, and if you click on that, it’ll lead you to another screen that shows the approvers and then you can see the bottleneck and if you need to take action.

Knowing where your bottlenecks are and where you need to streamline processes is a huge value add for senior managers. They can access real-time information and drill down into specific territories or how many deals were rejected and make data-driven decisions.

Extracting Documents from DealHub

Want to extract documents from DealHub? We have an API for that too!

Let’s say your deal desk or legal team wants to extract a Word document. Typically, you wouldn’t provide that as an option to the sales team since it would bypass your approval workflow and your playbook checks and balances. Sales people can only extract PDFs. But we do want to provide a Word document for the legal team in specific circumstances such as contract review and redlining.

Another use case many of our customers require is the ability to extract a final signed document, order form, or contract out of a deal and put it into a dedicated repository. DealHub syncs a version of the document back to the CRM at every stage. The user can also sync it to a contract repository with the quote API after the deal is won, knowing that it’s the last document of that specific opportunity.

User API

The User API enables companies to have advanced user management.

A prime use case for this capability is new user notification. If there is a new user inside the system, an admin wants to be alerted and have this visibility. We can set up a webhook that notifies the admin of a new user being created in the system by a Slack message, email message, or other method.

The same can be done with user deactivation. When someone leaves the company, you want to make sure they’re out of DealHub and cannot access your system. 

Another way the User API adds value is the ability to onboard managers so they can bring their team members under them and approve their quotes. This is important automation because sales reps must be assigned their new manager to approve their quotes. Managers typically do not log into DealHub and admins are required to manually create new users and set the team under the manager. The API automates everything, freeing admins from manual work and ensuring managers have the correct team assigned to them.  

Partner API

Many of our customers are enterprise organizations working with partners as part of their sales strategy. They collaborate on the opportunities, quotes, and pricing for products with their partners.

The partners typically work out of a PRM system and need to reach out first for deal registration. Once the deal has been registered, then the channels team will typically go into DealHub and create the deal based on the specifications of the partner.

If the partner needs to change something, it prolongs the sales cycle. Also, over-reliance of partners on the internal channels team for every little change creates a poor customer experience.

Working in an approved opportunity inside the Partner Relationship Management system (PRM), our Partner API enables partners to click a create quote button, the same create quote view that the internal sales team sees inside their CRM. This redirects the partner to DealHub like any organic user in the company. Additionally, uses the opportunity ID that is inside the CRM to fetch all the information needed to set a quote. Partners will be taken to a playbook that is configured for partners. 

It can also be configured for the partners discount by fetching information from the CRM and displaying it in the playbook. Based on the partner, you can present different products, different questions, and different approval workflows. This gives the channels team oversight on what the partner can and cannot create.

The DealHub version can be customized based on the type of user, and we can hide or show questions, lock some of the products, and even change the pricing based on the type of user.

Here’s a high-level overview of how this process works.

At the beginning we have the PRM/CRM system sending information and syncing offline. For example, we have a deal registration coming from the PRM, waiting for the channel team to approve it. Once we have an approved opportunity, we expose the create quote button. Clicking on that will redirect the user into DealHub, and DealHub fetches all the relevant information from the CRM. 

This API is like a bridge, collecting all the information we need, bringing in the tier type and the name of the partner and setting the quote. Once the user clicks on the submit button, all the information syncs back into the CRM. Once you have the information inside the CRM system, you can decide what information to communicate to the PRM system and share with your partners.

Callouts

We have many customers who work with an ERP or a product information management system (PIM) with more than 10,000 SKUs and those SKUs get updated all the time. In that scenario DealHub admins would be updating prices frequently, activating a version for every update. So this is a slow and cumbersome process for the admins. The Callouts API can extract product prices from external systems in real-time while creating the quote. This is a huge time saver and ensures pricing is correct.

Another great use case for companies that sell products with prices that change constantly depending on external factors such as the stock market or gold prices, or even the weather.  In those situations, you don’t want to go activate version after version every time that you want prices to be aligned with the new pricing data. The API will sync the pricing data in real time.

Pricing API

This brings us to our Pricing API. This is a significant capability of DealHub that adds tremendous value to sales and revenue teams! With the Pricing API, customers get accurate pricing from the DealHub active version. Because of the logic built into the system, the API enables DealHub to determine how much a product will cost depending on variables like the tier and other factors defined in an external system. The user inputs information in the fields that may impact the price. DealHub will calculate it and send back the price for a specific scenario.

The API provides quick capability or providing the customer with the price without having to create a new opportunity, a new quote, or going through the entire guided selling process, but rather quickly referencing the pricing out of DealHub.

Mobile-oriented companies with sales reps who are not always in front of their laptops will love this feature. It enables salespeople to reply to prospects and customers on the fly from their mobile devices – a use case we hear often.

Here’s an example. Let’s say that the currency and location impact the pricing, and let’s say the customer wants onsite support within North America and US dollars. The sales representative can send a request, and it will be calculated inside DealHub logic based on the active version, and we get that the list price. Changing the currency and location will change the price.

Another use case for the pricing API is if you have a self-service model or e-commerce and you want to give the pricing from DealHub to your end customers inside your website. In the example below there are three tiers. This pricing flows from DealHub and if pricing changes it will automatically appear on the website’s pricing page. 

New DealHub APIs at a Glance

DealHub is evolving and broadening its capabilities via API. 

• Importing data into the playbook
• Leveraging data from DealHub’s database
• Empowering partners to generate quotes
• Advanced user management
• Callouts – getting product prices from external sources
• Accessing pricing anywhere 
• How to Learn More

Want more insights into how DealHub can help your organization? Be sure to register to access the full webinar on-demand recording here!

The post What you can do with DealHub API appeared first on DealHub.

Manual sales processes lead to errors, time wasted, and money left on the table

The ability to efficiently create reliable price quotes is crucial to accelerating sales cycles, impacting business growth, and creating a satisfactory customer experience. However, the process can involve numerous parameters and become a complex and time-consuming task. This is especially true when the sales quote involves an ensemble of components and variables whose costs depend on multiple considerations such as industry, product configuration, etc.

As a result, salespeople often find themselves manually computing prices and then using tools such as Excel or Word to issue a sales proposal. This not only makes the process tedious, but also leads to calculation errors, discrepancies in pricing and legal policies, inconsistency in how the organization’s brand is represented, and wasted time and effort on generating customized quotations.

In fact, according to Aberdeen Group, only 38% of companies are sending accurate price quotes, leaving significant revenue on the table.  

So how can organizations simplify the process and increase their speed and efficiency when generating quotes in Microsoft Dynamics 365?

3 ways to streamline the quoting process and increase sales efficiency

1. Implement playbooks and guided selling

If you are reading this, you are probably using Excel or other manual templates to calculate and create your company’s price quotes. Sales playbooks are intuitive and configurable wizards that use “guided selling” to walk salespeople step-by-step through each customer engagement and content generation activity. These guided flows can be customized to every type of sales scenario, enabling salespeople to create personalized quotes within minutes effortlessly.

2. Employ digital proposals instead of Word, Excel, or manual templates

Digital proposals release sales teams from time-consuming manual entry when creating business proposals. The whole deal cycle can be managed and nurtured from one point of interaction instead of sending and tracking numerous files. This not only saves time and minimizes errors, it enables prospects to share proposals with their internal stakeholders with just a couple of clicks.

3. Use insights to optimize every stage of the deal

Getting real-time alerts on customer engagement allows salespeople to quickly identify buyer intent, track progress, and see which content is resonating. They can pinpoint friction areas, and quickly make changes to optimize the experience for customers and guide the deal forward quickly and more efficiently.

As organizations grow, the manual processes and templates that served them when they were small become difficult to scale, unmanageable, and time-consuming. I have worked with dozens of Sales Operations professionals, IT managers, and other Sales related capacities and one of the things that almost always surprises them is how easy it is to implement tools within Microsoft Dynamics 365 that automate processes and make quoting simple, easy and fast, leaving salespeople time for what they do best, sell.

DealHub CPQ helps MSD 365 users close bigger deals faster

One of the easiest tools to implement, and perhaps one of the most valuable is Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ). Automated quoting with DealHub CPQ enables Microsoft Dynamics 365 users to eliminate sales process inefficiencies and close larger deals. This is illustrated by the success BDR Thermea is experiencing using DealHub. For this enterprise company, DealHub implemented a dynamic sales playbook that streamlines the sales process for representatives, no matter how intricate the sales cycle is. By responding to a set of pre-configured questions, sales professionals can generate precise price quotes, eliminating the need for the back office’s assistance in creating quotes.

The native integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 ensures real-time synchronization of customer data between the CPQ and the CRM. As sales reps progress through the sales playbook, quotes are automatically generated with customer data, accurate pricing, and valid product configurations, reducing manual input. Additionally, DealHub CPQ allows for zero-coding backend changes, enabling easy modifications without the reliance on coding by operations teams. Eliminating bottlenecks and simplifying implementation and maintenance has improved the scalability of BDR’s sales operations.

The implementation of DealHub has yielded notable results for BDR. Salespeople now operate more efficiently, with DealHub automating customized quotation documents, leading to increased compliance, fewer contract errors, and significant time savings. The sales team can independently produce accurate quotes within just two minutes, a substantial improvement from the previous four-hour manual process.

A major benefit to BDR is how DealHub CPQ has empowered its sales representatives to be self-sufficient in managing extensive product catalogs with thousands of SKUs. This self-sufficiency has not only increased the confidence of the operations team in the accuracy of deals sent to customers but has also reduced their dependency on external partners. BDR values DealHub CPQ for its user-friendly interface, support for large product catalogs, adherence to complex pricing rules, and the ability to update the product catalog swiftly, transforming a process that used to take weeks into a matter of minutes.

Read more about the easy way to generate quotes in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales.

The post The quick and easy way to generate quotes in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales appeared first on DealHub.

The Deal Desk guides, streamlines, and supercharges the sales process when selling complex products and services. However, to pull back the curtain on its complexities, it’s vital to demystify the Deal Desk and its multifaceted responsibilities. 

In this blog, we’ll be delving into the emergence of the Deal Desk in the sales ecosystem and exploring its functions and responsibilities. We’ll also show you how a Deal Desk synchronizes sales, finance, legal, and operations and take a candid look at what challenges teams face when they embrace the Deal Desk.

But wait! There’s more! We’ll also cover the future of the Deal Desk in the context of a changing sales landscape to show how teams can use it to adapt to future challenges. 

B2B selling requires orchestration

A complex B2B selling experience has many moving parts from beginning to end. While it may start with marketing and sales, at some point, a prospect becomes a client, and the real work begins: negotiating contract terms, upselling and cross-selling, delivering the product, and so on. In the early days of sales, so many moving parts, all handled by different people across departments, could become a complete mess. 

Complex deals involving high-value products and services need orchestration. Without a central point of control, organizations risk losing themselves in the chaos of negotiations. However, when Deal Desk enters the scene, individual parts align and become a carefully orchestrated workflow that can be calculated, calibrated, and designed to create a flawless customer experience. 

Deal Desks are the driving force behind deal-making in industries like enterprise software, financial services, professional service firms, and telecommunications. Having a Deal Desk is essential in these sectors, where deals can involve intricate product configurations, legal intricacies, and financial nuances. From beginning to end, it ensures that the sales process is efficient and profitable – and runs in such a way as to ensure it can optimize over time.

Deal Desk: the maestro of sales

We need to break down its day-to-day operations to truly understand the Deal Desk’s significance. Think of your Deal Desk as a symphony conductor. Much like the conductor leading the orchestra, the Deal Desk ensures that every moving part of the sales process, like every individual musician, is completely in tune, in time, and in concert with every other moving part.

One of the primary functions of the Deal Desk is to oversee complex deal structures. This involves determining the right pricing strategies, discounts, and terms that are both attractive to the customer and profitable for the company. It’s a balancing act that requires a comprehensive understanding of the product or service being offered, market dynamics, and customer needs.

Moreover, the Deal Desk keeps a vigilant eye on compliance and profitability. This means ensuring that deals adhere to legal and financial regulations while maximizing the company’s revenue potential. Essentially, they create a framework that minimizes risk and maximizes rewards.

When you have a Deal Desk in place, deals move forward smoothly. Deal Desk keeps track of timelines and milestones, ensuring no crucial step is missed. From initial negotiations to final contract signings, the Deal Desk is there to oversee and coordinate every aspect of the sales process.

Maintaining harmony between departments

Maintaining internal harmony is essential to closing a sale, and the Deal Desk is the crucial link between departments, including sales, finance, legal, and operations.

Each department has its unique goals and challenges. For example:

• Sales teams are often focused on meeting revenue targets, sometimes at the expense of profitability 
• Finance teams are primarily concerned with keeping costs in check
• Legal teams are worried about compliance and risk mitigation
• Operations need to ensure the smooth delivery and support of products and services

If not appropriately coordinated, each department can come into conflict with another.  

The Deal Desk acts as a mediator, aligning all these departments. It ensures that sales proposals are both financially sound and legally compliant. It also coordinates with operations to ensure that what’s being promised can be delivered effectively. Essentially, Deal Desk ensures everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal. 

Staying in tune

Dealing with complex B2B sales – even with a Deal Desk in place – can be challenging. Typical areas of concern include:

1. Data and information overload. Managing complex deals involves significant amounts of data and information, from pricing details to contract terms. 
2. Inconsistent deal structures. These can lead to pricing discrepancies and confusion. 
3. Cross-departmental collaboration. Coordinating efforts between sales, finance, legal, and operations can be tricky when each department has its own agenda.
4. Pricing complexity. Pricing complex products and services requires a deep understanding of the market, competitive landscape, and customer needs. 
5. Legal compliance. Ensuring all contracts and deals comply with legal regulations and industry standards is essential. 
6. Risk management. Identifying and mitigating risks associated with complex deals is a significant challenge. 

Luckily, the modern Deal Desk is equipped with the latest technology and solutions to overcome these challenges. Deal Desks can build an end-to-end workflow that streamlines deals while increasing compliance when used concurrently as part of a technology stack. Some commonly used tools include:

Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software. CPQ is one of the Deal Desk’s most valuable tools. It streamlines the process of creating complex proposals by providing sales teams with accurate pricing and product configuration options. It eliminates errors and ensures that the deal structure is consistent and profitable.

Subscription management. This software assists Deal Desks with managing the recurring revenue models that many modern businesses rely on. Subscription management ensures that subscriptions are handled correctly and customers receive the services they’ve paid for, all while managing renewals and upsells.

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM). With CLMs, Deal Desks manage contract negotiation, drafting, and approval. Adopting CLM software ensures that all contracts are legally compliant and align with the agreed-upon terms, reducing legal risks.

eSign technology. eSign can streamline the contract process by reducing errors, enhancing compliance, and offering remote accessibility that is convenient to both sales representatives and customers alike. 

DealRoom. DealRoom offers a unified platform for Deal Desks, streamlining subscription management, approvals, and collaboration, helping teams close deals quickly, increase revenue, and enhance customer service.

In essence, the Deal Desk has evolved to leverage these technologies, making it even more efficient and effective in managing complex deals.

The future of complex deals looks bright

As the sales landscape evolves, the Deal Desk is here to stay. It has repeatedly proven to be essential for managing complex deals, and its importance is only growing.

The convenience of adopting Deal Desks lies in their ability to adapt to new challenges. And, as business practices and sales approaches continue on a trajectory of constant change, new technologies, and customer expectations will also evolve over time. That’s why Deal Desks must stay agile and embrace these changes.

For example, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are poised to significantly influence the Deal Desk’s future. These technologies can analyze sizable amounts of data to identify trends, set pricing strategies, and predict customer behavior. This will not only streamline the deal-making process but it will also make for a more personalized response to customer needs.

Moreover, the Deal Desk’s role extends beyond deal-making. It’s increasingly involved in post-sales activities as well, and in the future, it will be a part of ensuring that customers get what they’ve been promised to promote contract renewal. This customer-centric approach is becoming a significant part of the Deal Desk’s responsibilities.

Deal Desk emerged to bring structure and harmony to high-value deals and has maintained its status as a master orchestrator in the realm of SalesOps. With its day-to-day orchestration of deal structures, compliance, and profitability, Deal Desk has the power to keep sales workflows on track, maintaining harmony between departments and aligning sales, finance, legal, and operations with a common goal.

The sales landscape is constantly evolving, and with it, the role of Deal Desks shines brighter than ever. As an agile strategy, it’s primed to embrace emerging technologies. These Desks play a pivotal role in managing intricate deals. So, when you see a seamless B2B sale, recognize the unsung hero behind it – the Deal Desk making it all come together.

The post The Deal Desk demystified: orchestrating sales success appeared first on DealHub.

According to research by Bain & Company, “leading sales operations teams attribute 60% or more of their total pipeline in any quarter to actively designed and deployed sales plays. The playbook provides a reliable view of whether they are on track, and if not, recommends ways to deploy more targeted, alternative plays.”

Without a playbook, the sales process is largely guesswork. Without the tools to integrate that playbook into your sales team’s everyday workflow, it’s essentially useless.

The good news is that you can integrate a Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solution into your sales playbook for a more robust resource, leading to scalable and predictable results.

How a sales playbook and CPQ align for sales growth

A sales playbook and CPQ software represent two essential components of a sales organization’s toolkit that can align seamlessly to drive sales growth. A sales playbook serves as the strategic guide that outlines the overall sales process, best practices, and customer engagement strategies. CPQ software complements it by providing the tactical tools and resources to execute those strategies effectively.

When these two elements are integrated, they create a powerful synergy that streamlines the sales process and empowers sales teams to operate with precision.

The sales playbook sets the strategic direction by defining the ideal customer profile, sales messaging, and sales methodologies. It guides salespeople through each stage of the sales cycle, helping them understand customer pain points and preferences. When CPQ software is integrated into this playbook, it translates these strategic insights into practical actions.

Sales professionals can use CPQ software to configure tailored solutions, generate accurate quotes, and recommend complementary products or services in real time. This alignment ensures that sales teams have the right resources at their fingertips to engage customers effectively, resulting in faster and more personalized sales interactions.

Moreover, the data and insights gathered from CPQ software can feed into the sales playbook, enabling you to continually refine your organization’s sales strategies and adapt to changing market conditions. In this way, integrating a sales playbook and CPQ software creates a dynamic and growth-oriented sales environment that fosters improved close rates, increased revenue, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Integrate CPQ solutions into your sales playbook

Integrating Configure Price Quote (CPQ) software into your sales playbook can significantly optimize your sales process and improve close rates in the following ways:

1. Reinforces your sales culture

Your playbook lets new hires acclimate quickly to the organization and its operating methodology. Likewise, it reinforces your sales culture by standardizing best practices and putting guardrails in place that ensure sales success.

When your CPQ solution becomes a seamless part of your sales playbook, new hires can hit the ground running. Productivity is improved, leads are easily qualified, and opportunities can be closed almost instantly.

2. Streamlines product configuration

CPQ software allows salespeople to configure complex products or services based on customer needs with ease. This capability is critical for selling custom-manufactured products, subscription enterprise SaaS products, or bundled services. Integrating this functionality into the sales playbook ensures sales teams can quickly generate accurate and customized quotes, eliminating errors and reducing turnaround time in your sales cycle.

3. Ensures product and pricing accuracy

Another challenge new hires typically have to overcome is learning the organization’s entire product catalog. CPQ software is linked to current product catalogs and pricing databases. By incorporating this real-time data access into the sales playbook, your sales team can stay up-to-date with product offerings, promotions, and pricing changes, enabling them to provide the most relevant and competitive solutions to customers.

Additionally, CPQ tools ensure pricing calculations and discounts are consistent and aligned with company policies. By incorporating pricing guidelines and rules from the CPQ system into the sales playbook, you can ensure your salespeople always provide customers with accurate and competitive pricing, increasing their trust and improving conversion rates. Additionally, all inventory is tracked to reduce order errors.

4. Guides selling

Guided selling is one of the most essential capabilities of CPQ software. CPQ takes the guesswork out of customizing sales conversations based on the customer’s needs by prompting salespeople to ask the right questions and recommend the most suitable products or configurations to meet customer needs. By embedding these sales guidance prompts and decision-making trees within the sales playbook via CPQ, you can ensure your sales team consistently follows a customer-centric approach and maximize upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

5. Automates quote generation

CPQ systems can automate the creation of quotes that will appeal most to your target audience. Integrating this automation into the playbook enables sales teams to generate professional and customized documents quickly, reducing administrative overhead and ensuring a consistent brand image.

6. Provides analytics and reporting

Many CPQ tools offer analytics and reporting capabilities that help organizations gain insights into sales performance and customer preferences. By including these reporting features in the sales playbook, sales teams can leverage data-driven decision-making and continuously improve their sales strategies.

Integrating CPQ within your broader sales framework also enables sales managers to track their sales team’s activities in real time, ensuring that all days are productive and feedback is based on data insights.

Improving close rates with a tighter sales process

Integrating CPQ software into a sales playbook enhances the sales process by streamlining configuration, ensuring pricing accuracy, guiding salespeople, automating proposal generation, and providing access to real-time data and analytics. A more efficient and effective sales process ultimately leads to improved close rates and higher customer satisfaction.

If your sales playbook needs an update, integrating with a CPQ solution could be the ticket to ensure a frictionless buying and selling experience for your customers and sales team.

The post 6 reasons to integrate CPQ into your sales playbook appeared first on DealHub.

For business application managers searching for a quoting solution for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales, CPQ promises to revolutionize pricing strategies, enhance customer experiences, and boost revenue. However, embarking on a CPQ journey isn’t without its challenges. To help you navigate this transformative process successfully, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide that outlines the top 10 “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for digital pricing transformations with CPQ. Whether you’re just starting your CPQ implementation or looking to refine your existing strategy, these insights will prove invaluable in aligning your efforts with business goals and avoiding common pitfalls.

The Do’s: Charting a Course for Success

1. Do Align with Business Goals: The first step to a successful digital pricing transformation is ensuring it aligns seamlessly with your organization’s overarching business goals and objectives. Without this alignment, your efforts may go astray, wasting time and resources.

2. Do Involve Key Stakeholders: Engage a diverse range of key stakeholders, including sales, marketing, finance, and IT, right from the outset. Their insights and perspectives are invaluable in crafting a holistic CPQ strategy and ensuring a unified customer journey.

3. Do Prioritize Data Quality and Integration: Data is the backbone of effective CPQ. Prioritize data quality and seamless integration with other business systems to ensure accurate pricing and streamlined processes.

4. Do Take a Customer-Centric Approach: Place your customers at the center of your CPQ strategy. Offer personalized pricing options and a frictionless buying experience to meet their needs effectively.

5. Do Provide Continuous Training: Empower your sales teams with ongoing training and support. This ensures they maximize the use of CPQ tools and optimize pricing strategies effectively.

6. Do Measure and Analyze: Implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics to track the effectiveness of your pricing strategies. Data-driven adjustments are essential for staying ahead in the market.

7. Do Experiment and Iterate: Be open to testing new pricing models and iterating your approach based on feedback and results. Flexibility is key to staying competitive.

8. Do Ensure Legal Compliance: Don’t overlook the importance of legal compliance. Ensure that your pricing strategies adhere to all relevant regulations and industry standards.

9. Do Select CPQ Vendors Wisely: Choose a CPQ vendor that integrates natively with Microsoft Dynamics. Select a vendor that aligns with your business needs and offers scalability for future growth to ensure your long-term success.

10. Do Invest in Change Management: Develop a change management plan to ease the transition and gain buy-in from employees at all levels. A smooth transition is crucial for success.

The Don’ts: Navigating Common Pitfalls

As you embark on your digital pricing transformation with CPQ, it’s essential to be aware of potential stumbling blocks that could hinder your progress. Here are the top 10 “Don’ts” to steer clear of:

1. Don’t Neglect Data Quality: Avoid relying on inaccurate or outdated data for pricing decisions. Without clean, reliable data, your CPQ system’s output may lead to costly errors.

2. Don’t Rush Implementation: Take the time to plan and execute your CPQ transformation thoughtfully. Rushing into deployment can result in overlooked details and suboptimal outcomes.

3. Don’t Overcomplicate: Keep your pricing models as simple as possible to prevent confusion for both customers and internal teams. Overly complex pricing can deter potential buyers and frustrate your staff.

4. Don’t Ignore Customer Feedback: Disregarding customer feedback can lead to pricing strategies that don’t resonate with your target audience. Listen to your customers; they are your best source of insights.

5. Don’t Neglect Training: Failing to provide adequate training can result in underutilization of CPQ tools. Invest in thorough training programs to ensure your team can harness the full potential of your CPQ system.

6. Don’t Set and Forget: Pricing strategies should evolve with changing market conditions and customer preferences. Avoid setting them in stone; regularly review and adjust as necessary.

7. Don’t Skimp on Security: Ensure the security of customer data and sensitive pricing information. A data breach can not only result in financial losses but also damage trust and reputation.

8. Don’t Disregard Legal Compliance: Ignoring legal and regulatory requirements can lead to costly legal issues. Stay informed about the laws and regulations that pertain to your industry and pricing practices.

9. Don’t Forget Scalability: Implement a low-code CPQ solution that can scale with your business’s growth. Failing to consider scalability can result in limitations that hinder your expansion plans.

10. Don’t Silo Departments: Collaboration is key to a successful CPQ transformation. Avoid working in departmental silos and encourage cross-functional collaboration among all relevant teams.

By being mindful of these “Don’ts,” you can navigate the challenges often accompanying digital pricing transformations with CPQ. Combining the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” will provide you with a comprehensive roadmap for success in your CPQ journey.

Deliver one fluid sales motion with a CPQ for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales

All business application managers aim to create one fluid sales motion that simplifies the buying and selling experience. Avoid the scenario where sales representatives are juggling various disconnected tools that hinder their ability to close deals efficiently. Engage in open conversations with your sales team to understand their specific needs and ensure that the chosen tech solutions are seamlessly integrated and scalable, capable of handling complex deals without causing frustration.

Moreover, the value of sales professionals’ time cannot be underestimated. Lengthy manual tasks and convoluted sales processes waste valuable time and hinder efficiency and productivity. To enhance your sales team’s quoting speed and accuracy, consider implementing CPQ software. CPQ technology streamlines administrative tasks, empowering sales representatives with greater autonomy and flexibility. With its suite of integrated tools, CPQ adapts to your unique requirements, offering a solution that simplifies your sales processes and enhances productivity and effectiveness.

When choosing technology solutions for your sales team, keep the above recommendations at the forefront of your decision-making process to simplify vendor selection. Following these do’s and don’ts increases the likelihood of a successful implementation while fostering maximum adoption among your sales team. 

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