WHAT IS CPQ: Salesforce, Developer, Pricing & Guide

It is necessary for businesses to give prospective customers accurate quotes. However, it might be challenging for firms with diverse products and pricing. Hence, businesses use CPQ software to create accurate quotes efficiently.

This guide explains how Salesforce CPQ helps sales teams utilize CPQs to automate complex product and quoting, its pricing models, and also the certification for a CPQ developer.

What Is CPQ?

CPQ is an acronym that stands for configure, price, and quote. It is the name of a software tool that helps firms generate accurate sales quotes as fast and efficiently as possible for configurable products and services. Because of this, the quoting process is simplified, which improves accuracy, reduces the amount of manual work needed, and improves the client experience.

By using CPQ, self-service users and sales personnel can rapidly and reliably construct quotes for customized items and services.

Typical Steps Involved in the CPQ Process

Define the services and products that will be made available to customers.
Develop several pricing models for each product and service.
Adjust both the products and the services so that they correspond to the requirements of the customer.
Create estimates based on the requirements outlined by the customer.
Review and authorization of the cited information.
Sending the customer the quote that has been authorized.

What Is CPQ Software?

CPQ software is widely used when generating estimates for goods and services and offers a variety of feature options. The rule-based software can address numerous variables that affect profit margins.

CPQ software can integrate with CRM and ERP systems but is not a part of them. Some popular CPQ software solutions include

Salesforce CPQ
Oracle CPQ Cloud
SAP CPQ
ConnectWise Sell
Odoo

What Is CPQ Salesforce?

Configure, price, and quote software by Salesforce, also known as CPQ Salesforce, is a sales tool developed by Salesforce that enables businesses to deliver correct pricing for any given product configuration situation.

The software helps sales reps accurately quote prices quickly by considering variables like optional features, modifications, and discounts.

Salesforce’s cloud-based platform gives your sales team simple, mobile-friendly tools. The platform connects you to your CRM for the most impactful sales decisions.

Salesforce CPQ Pricing

Salesforce CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) is a pricing solution that helps businesses streamline their sales process and generate accurate quotes.

The pricing for Salesforce CPQ is as follows:

CPQ: $75/user/month
CPQ Plus: $150/user/month
CPQ & Billing Growth: Request a quote
CPQ & Billing Plus: Request a quote

These prices are per user and require an annual contract with a minimum of 10 users.

Sales representatives can apply for a variety of pricing discounts to their quote lines using Salesforce CPQ. The discount types are:

Block Pricing: Based on various quantity ranges, block prices are one way to price a product. The platform determines where the product falls in the quantity ranges when a sales representative adds it to a quote and charges the quote line appropriately.
Pricing at Cost-and-Markup: Instead of using the list price and the discount, determine the pricing using the cost plus a markup.
Batch Pricing: Pricing component and accessory bundle product alternatives based on number ranges with fixed quantities.
Contracted Pricing: When negotiating a contract, sales representatives can apply their original quote’s quotation line pricing to subsequent quotes in the contract account. Contractual pricing helps your sales agents keep a product’s price after signing a contract. Salesforce CPQ applies agreed pricing to new, renewed, and amended quotations.

Please note that the pricing information is subject to change. Therefore, it is better to contact a Salesforce sales representative for detailed pricing information

How Using CPQ Benefits Your Company

CPQs are widespread in the manufacturing, software, and information technology industries, greatly benefiting businesses that sell complex products or services. The benefits of CPQs in business include the following:

#1. Improves Customer Satisfaction

Using CPQs will help a business create a better customer experience by making personalized products/proposals. Also, it makes modifying quotes to meet specific customer demands simpler.

Furthermore, it aids sales reps in recommending to customers the most suitable items, services, or bundles. Thereby assisting them in accomplishing their CRM goals.

#2. Generate More Revenue

CPQ can safeguard sales margins, prevent mistakes in quoting, and expand revenue opportunities, all of which contribute to an increase in revenue. Also, it has the potential to both boost average deal volumes and deliver sustainable improvements in the margin.

The company should gather all relevant information to provide a precise quote that meets consumer needs. That way, you will exceed consumers’ expectations by offering a professional quote without human error, potentially driving more sales.

#3. Improves Accuracy and Speed

CPQ software simplifies the quote-to-cash process, making complicated pricing structures easier to understand and reducing errors.

Also, the software has the potential to cut your sales cycle time in half, which is a significant improvement. Sales reps are able to generate quotes more quickly without compromising the accuracy of those quotes. This enables them to close deals faster.

#4. Enhances Transaction Value

During the quoting process, the software can provide sales reps with suggestions for cross-selling and up-selling products or services.

The offer’s size can be increased by recommending that clients purchase more things, such as add-ons or accessories, and appropriate items and services. This gives sales reps more opportunities to upsell and cross-sell without aggressive marketing.

#5. Simplifies the Process through Automation

CPQ streamlines sales processes by automating the development of quotes, enabling sales teams to concentrate more on selling than administrative responsibilities.

Also, the software uses sophisticated rules and filters to match products for quotes to customer demands automatically. You may also see their prices and set your own. After defining products and prices, you may generate a PDF with the quote details with a few clicks.

#6. Improve the Efficiency of the Sales Representative.

The software’s speed benefits both employees and customers since it means sales teams no longer need to waste time going through management for approvals. This results in increased levels of customer and staff satisfaction.

Also, the time sales reps need to spend putting together contracts reduces since the software automates the quotation process. Therefore, they can direct more attention toward acquiring prospective clients.

#7. Automates Subscription Renewals

The software simplifies the renewal process for customers by automating the entire process, thereby ensuring that your business maintains a steady revenue stream. Automating subscription renewals benefits your business by ensuring customers can easily renew their subscriptions and reducing customer attrition.

Also, it creates personalized renewal processes for customers and delivers automated payment reminders to late payers. If customers don’t renew their subscriptions, it further carries out automatic surveys to find out why, hence providing your business with data to help enhance customer service.

#8. Real-Time Reporting and Analytics

The software help businesses discover which product combinations correspond with customer demand and enhance their offerings by providing statistics on product sales.

Also, using the software can save costs by lowering the number of administrative tasks required, boosting productivity, and reducing errors during the sales process.

What Is CPQ Developer?

A CPQ developer is an individual with expertise in designing configure, price, and quote (CPQ) applications for various business sectors. As a CPQ developer, one’s primary responsibilities include designing, developing, and maintaining the software’s applications compatible with CRM, PRM, and ERP software.

Additionally, a CPQ developer should know the features of the software’s applications and be able to design applications that interact easily with other business technologies, such as contract management software (CLM) and digital sales rooms.

Certification for a CPQ Developer

The Salesforce Industries CPQ Developer certification is for individuals with experience developing configure, price, and quote applications for the Salesforce Communications, Media, and Energy & Utilities Clouds.

The CPQ developer certification aims to validate the knowledge and skills required to implement and roll out the software’s package. Although the Salesforce Administrator Certification or equivalent experience is recommended, it is not a prerequisite.

How Is CPQ Different From Salesforce?

Salesforce CPQ is a software solution built on the Salesforce platform that helps sales teams streamline the quoting process by automating product configuration, pricing, and quote generation.

In contrast, Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform that offers various tools and applications for managing customer data, sales, marketing, and customer support.

The differences between CPQ and Salesforce are:

Focus: Salesforce CPQ focuses on automating and optimizing the sales quoting process, whereas Salesforce offers a broader range of tools for managing customer relationships
Integration: Salesforce CPQ is an add-on to the platform, enhancing existing Salesforce services by streamlining sales processes and improving efficiency.
User Base: Salesforce CPQ is primarily used by sales teams, while various organizational departments, including sales, marketing, and customer support, use Salesforce CRM.
Functionality: Salesforce CPQ provides features like product configuration, pricing rules, discount management, and approval workflows, while Salesforce CRM offers a wide range of features for managing customer data, tracking sales activities, and analyzing customer interactions.

What Is CPQ Functionality?

CPQ functionality simplifies and enables you to configure complex pricing and expedites the quote-to-cash process for products and services.

The software systems automate the process of generating quotes, which enables sales teams to configure product and service offerings, enforce pricing guidelines, and control discounting and margins. After that, they generate accurate price quotes and proposals and present them to customers.

The software’s functionality comprises various solutions, ranging from effortless tools that enable salespeople to enter a product, select a discount, and generate a quote to integration with other software such as ERP, CRM, accounting systems, or eCommerce platforms to ensure product data accuracy.

Is CPQ Part of CRM?

CPQ is not technically a part of CRM, but many businesses integrate it with their CRM software to streamline quote generation and sales processes.

Also, it can function as a standalone application. However, some companies view the software as an essential component of CRM, and there are advantages to having both within a single integrated platform with shared data

What Is the Difference Between CRM and CPQ?

CRM and CPQ are tools that serve different purposes in the sales process, but they can complement each other when integrated effectively.

CRM handles the company’s customer relationships, encompassing the sales, marketing, and customer service departments. It is largely utilized in pre-sales and post-sales operations and stores contact information, past experiences, business relationships, and sales opportunities.

CRM aids in developing commercial strategy, the administration of client relationships, and the support of structured marketing campaigns and sales force management. However, it is ineffective during the sales process, and it does not directly help with configuration, price, or quote

CPQ is a solution that automates the configuration, pricing, and quoting elements of the sales process, making it easier for sales reps to provide accurate quotations rapidly. It improves sales staff efficiency, giving them more time to contact customers, and it delivers accurate pricing and quotes, minimizing errors and possible conflicts. However, it primarily focuses on the sales process rather than relationship management or marketing, necessitating sufficient training and support for sales employees to reap the full benefits.

Is CPQ an ERP?

CPQ is not an ERP system, but they are related and can work together to improve business processes and increase organizational efficiency. Integrating CPQ with ERP systems ensures that data is shared effectively and sales teams can respond quickly to customer needs while maintaining optimal pricing and configurations.

Does SAP Have CPQ?

Yes, SAP has a CPQ software called SAP CPQ, which is a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering designed to help sales teams perform complex product configurations and create and manage sales quotations

What Is an Example of a CPQ?

An example of using the software can be illustrated by a company that sells complicated goods or services and provides customers with a wide variety of personalizable options, different price tiers, and various rebates and savings opportunities.

These offerings’ configuration, pricing, and quoting may all be automatically generated with the software’s process, improving accuracy and efficiency.