Competitive businesses need competitive tools, which is why the best fleet management and shipping companies tend to to partner with the best CPQ software vendors to ensure their sales proposals are as dialed-in as their routes and routines.
From customized templates, to optimized product and pricing configurations, to ensuring “the shipment” (a.k.a., the sales quote!) arrives on time and is tracked every step of the way, the proposal automation needs of distribution companies are easily met by most CPQ solutions. But probably not all of them. Here’s what to look for.
Tracking all the steps
On the road again… I can’t wait to get on the road again… my whole business is based on efficiency with my customers, and I can’t wait to get on the road again.
Apologies to the red-headed stranger, but there’s something about knowing every shipment is safely and efficiently on its way to the customer that puts a song in one’s heart.
Same goes for sales quotes. With the right quote tracking tools in place, you’ll know that quote X has reached the customer, and quote Y was just signed, and quote Z was closed/won (which may call to mind a different tune, the kind you think of when you’re taking care of business).
That is, of course, if your CPQ software vendor has included the tools needed to track proposals. Look for something beyond tracking just “sent” and “signed,” because if you’re tracking every call, every email, every adjustment, and every interaction, you have a better chance of spotting any roadblocks before you even need to get around them.
Making all the connections
In fleet management and shipping, making the right connection at the right time means everything. Because, usually, the first time you’re late or miss a shipment is the last time, too.
Connections are just as critical in your configure, price, quote software, though they are entirely different. Because in the business technology space, we call connections “integrations”, and integrations with leading CRM systems are a best practice for any CPQ software vendor that pulls its weight.
Look for a CPQ software that connects seamlessly with Salesforce, Dynamics, and Zoho, to name just a few. And if it’s a single sign-on integration, so much the better.
Choose a worthy partner
Given the choice of a shipping companies, it’s always better to go with a known than an unknown. Maersk or Joe’s Flybynight? Hmmmmm…
Get the references, check the case studies, do the research on your shipping partner AND your CPQ vendor. The less you have to worry about your business partners — whether you’re asking them to be on the road with your hard goods, or in the cloud with your business tech — the more you can focus on the bottom line.
