Automating the Quotation Process
Automating sales processes and digitizing with automatic quotation creation
The Initial Situation
A company approached us with the need to digitize and automate its unstructured quotation process. Initial discussions revealed that the existing process included many manual steps that often led to errors and took a lot of time. The quotation process was complicated and inefficient as numerous documents like price lists, configurations, and technical data were scattered across various Excel sheets and Word documents. The manual transfer of this information between departments such as sales, engineering, project management, and others further delayed the process and made it error-prone.
The main goal of the project was to digitize and automate the quotation process to increase efficiency and minimize errors. We were to develop a solution that replaced the existing manual steps and provided a unified, structured platform. This platform should enable the central management and automatic updating of price lists, configurations, and technical data. Additionally, our goal was to improve internal communication and make the entire process more transparent and faster.
Implementation
Workshop and Process Analysis
The first step in the implementation was organizing a workshop with key employees from sales, engineering, project management, and product management. In this workshop, we analyzed the existing quotation process in detail. The analysis showed that numerous different documents such as price lists, configurations, and technical data distributed across various Excel sheets and Word documents complicated the process. Information had to be exchanged between different departments, which slowed down the process and made it error-prone.
Development of a Process Diagram
Based on the insights from the workshop, we created a unified process diagram that clearly defined all tasks and responsibilities. This diagram was coordinated with all participants and served as a basis for further development. It helped to structure the existing process and identify areas where our software could contribute to optimization.
Customization of the Enterprise Product Configurator
For the implementation of the project, we used our enterprise product configurator, which is characterized by its flexibility and adaptability. Instead of forcing the company to adapt to a rigid SaaS product, we were able to customize our software exactly to their specific requirements and processes. This customization enabled the efficient digitization and automation of the quotation process without fundamentally changing the company's existing workflow.
Prototyping and Further Development
We developed a prototype of the new configurator, which served as a technical demonstration and a tool to promote internal communication. This prototype made the added value of digitization tangible and inspired employees to come up with more ideas. In a subsequent workshop, we collected and prioritized these ideas to incorporate them into the development of the final version. After several development iterations, the first complete version of our configurator was completed.
Introduction and Training
After completion, intensive training and a two-week test phase for a selected internal group followed. This phase allowed us to make final adjustments and ensure that all employees could use the new solution effectively. The application then went live, and after just three months, we were able to draw a positive first balance: The creation of quotations, which previously took a week, could now be completed in a few hours.
The Solution
Improved Efficiency and Accuracy
By automating the quotation process, sales staff can now fully concentrate on their core tasks instead of performing time-consuming manual activities. The number of quotations created increased, and the error rate dropped significantly. All quotations are always up-to-date as the data is automatically updated.
Extended Functions and Customer Satisfaction
Additionally, the configurator offers the possibility to provide customers with a schematic 3D drawing of their configured machine, further increasing understanding and satisfaction. These visualizations help to clearly and understandably present complex technical details.
Sustainable Benefits
The introduction of our enterprise configurator shows that digitizing and automating business processes is not only necessary but also easy to implement and quickly leads to measurable successes. Companies benefit from the flexibility of our solution, which adapts to their specific needs without forcing them into rigid structures.
Digitize your quotation process and accelerate your sales exponentially.
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