Ensuring your sales department works like a well-oiled machine is one of your main jobs as a Sales Operations boss. Because of this, your sales tech needs to do what’s asked of them:
- Do routine work automatically
- Allow your sales team to work as efficiently as possible.
- Make your sales method work better to add value.
- Please give us the information we need to make predictions and improve things.
Our clients tell us that the most essential features of our Configure Price Quote (CPQ) software are the ones that make their jobs and the jobs of their sales managers easier. A CPQ must do more than give you a way to set prices and get correct quotes. The best CPQ software has other tools that make it more useful and directly affect ROI.
Because these features add so much value to CPQ software, G2 Crowd, which helps people choose better software by reviewing and rating its users, uses them as criteria for rating software. DealHub has been named by G2 as the best CPQ platform for four years in a row because it has so many valuable features and functions. You’ll both agree that this is a big deal.
The 13 most important CPQ features for people in charge of sales operations
Easy to set up
A sales operations manager doesn’t want their team and work to be slowed down while the new software is being set up and put into use. Sales leaders need a CPQ that is quick and simple to set up and customize. It’s even better if they don’t have to hire a developer to write custom code. Connecting to other digital tools, like ERP and CRM software and other data sources, must be accessible. This keeps data silos from forming and cuts down on administrative jobs that need to be done twice.
Simple to use
If teams don’t want to use platforms and tools, companies may end up with salespeople doing chores by hand that the CPQ could do, defeating the investment’s purpose. People will be more likely to use a simple CPQ with features that make selling and quoting easier, like sales playbooks and rules for price and discounts that are already set up. CPQ goods with drag-and-drop features and a flexible design let teams make changes quickly that can make the product more straightforward to use and more likely to be adopted. To get new workers up to speed quickly, sales operations leaders also need a CPQ that lets them get started quickly. This makes it easy for people to use CPQ and for sales teams to grow.
Easy to run the business
One significant benefit of using the right CPQ is that it makes administrative chores much more accessible. Sales operations leaders need a tool that is simple to use and keeps up to date. It should be easy to run the CPQ software. It is easy to change prices, set up new discount rules, and add new goods, saving the company time and money.
Meets the standards
Every sales group has its own needs. Many CPQ systems have features that make the sales process more accessible, like creating documents, managing versions, workflow, and getting approvals. As well as guided selling, analytics and reporting, support for multiple languages and currencies, and data integration are some other valuable features that a CPQ system should have. Keep in mind that the best CPQ is one that works with the company’s CRM and ERP tools.
How good the help is
A buy of sales technology should never be a one-time deal. The best thing about CPQ for a sales leader is that it offers ongoing help during setup, implementation, and continued use. So, look for a CPQ provider that puts customer service first and is easy to work with.
A strong rules engine
Sales teams should never have to deal with hard-to-understand logic for price and configuration. Look for solutions with rule engines that make it easy to make and handle quotes and very complicated prices. With a strong rules engine, businesses will be able to be more creative and adaptable with their deals, packages, and discounts. This makes it possible to tailor quotes to each client’s needs while clearing up misunderstandings.
A low-code approach that is quick and easy to change
It takes longer for CPQ to work with rigid systems. Leaders in sales operations need a flexible, low-code option that lets teams respond quickly to changing market needs without going through IT or programmers. Teams that use low-code options can change CPQ to fit their specific workflow without asking outside developers for help.
Helped selling
With guided selling, you don’t have to go to long training classes. Customer service reps can quickly get up and running with it, get real-time help, find product suggestions, and upsell chances on the spot. The idea behind guided selling is that salespeople can quickly solve customer problems and close deals by giving their customers expert advice.
Easy connection with billing, ERP, and CRM
Streamlining processes requires a lot of centralization. When ERP, CRM, and billing tools are connected to CPQ, everything works well together and helps businesses not miss out on chances. An integrated CPQ solution brings together the finance, marketing, and sales teams by cutting down on mistakes, speeding up the quote-to-cash process, and finding cross-selling and upselling possibilities.
Management of subscriptions and contract renewal
When sales operations leaders buy technology that offers features like automated reminders, flexible subscription choices, and easy renewals, they make it easier for customers to renew their contracts and manage their subscriptions.
More advanced reporting and metrics
KPIs are great for sales teams. KPIs quickly show what’s working and what’s not, so you can keep track of performance and change your methods to improve processes and close more deals. With more advanced data, sales teams can find problems and other efficient ways to make money.
Adding an e-signature
If a sales team’s CPQ system supports e-signature, they can save time and paper while closing deals more quickly. E-signatures make it easier to get past the last hurdle that turns potential customers into paid customers. They can also make renewals and repurchases easier. People involved in a deal can sign it electronically from anywhere at any time. This means that there are no longer any delays in completing contracts.
Control and following through
Customers who are good with technology want to ensure that private data stays safe, and businesses must follow strict safety rules. So, sales operations leaders want a system that puts security and compliance first to avoid fines or data leaks. With CPQ, for instance, businesses can make sure:
- Standardization of quotes and prices
- Making sure business rules are followed
- Validating data and cutting down on errors
- Digital audit trails for keeping an eye on accounting
- Control of versions
- Integration with contract management is seamless.
CPQ can significantly improve control and compliance by streamlining and automating the quoting process while following regulatory rules. This way, sales teams can focus on closing deals with trust.
DealHub CPQ features are liked by our customers.
You can compare DealHub to other CPQ vendors reviewed by G2 Crowd users. After reading this, you’ll know that DealHub was named a High Performer again and that our CPQ software was ranked #1 in the following categories:
- Feeling happy
- Simple to use
- Meets the standards
- How easy it is to do business with
- Help with setup and
- Easy to set up
- How good the help is
- Easy to manage
Adding connections to CPQ to make it more useful
There’s no chance of missing essential data when you can keep track of the whole deal flow in your CRM. Your CPQ should be an extension of how you do things in sales and should be built into your CRM. This is why DealHub CPQ works so well with:
- Apple Inc.
- This is HubSpot
- Dynamics for Microsoft
- The Freshworks
- CRM SugarCRM
- Signup for DocuSign
- Gong
There is two-way synchronization in all areas, meaning your data is always up to date.
DealHub CPQ is quick and straightforward to set up, which is why our customers love it! You can start quoting when you enter your product info and set up your business rules. Developers don’t have to be involved because code is unnecessary. This means that teams can get up and going quickly.
Customers also like how much we charge. DealHub knows how the market works and wants to stay ahead in the CPQ world. We aim to provide high-quality CPQ features that work with current systems to ensure users have a smooth experience that brings in money and results.
Changing the way you do sales with CPQ
As the great engineer and management consultant W. Edwards Deming put it, “85% of the reasons for failure are flaws in the systems and process, not in the employee.” Instead of nagging people to do better, it’s the managers’ job to change how things are done. When a best-in-class CPQ is combined with a CRM, sales operations can change how they do things and get better results for their company, team, and customers.
When sales teams use CPQ, they can be more efficient in the following categories:
- Cutting down on the number of people, tasks, etc., needed to create and send quotes to buyers
- Managing changeable pricing so that prices can easily change to fit the market
- Quickly making complicated quotes
- Using marketing tools well to create, send, and keep track of replies to messages
- Better talk between the business, marketing, and sales teams
When your company is looking for a CPQ, look for one that does well in these areas. Like those with features that add value, sales leaders who are good at their jobs get high marks on G2.
