While many business changes are called transformational I don’t think every change is transformational or for that matter needs to be transformational to be a business success. But if you are either implementing a new Configure/Price/Quote (CPQ) tool or change your existing CPQ process(es) and tool(s) you most likely want to make a fundamental / transformational business change. “Just” a CPQ tool introduction or change by itself won’t get you what you need. You also need to make fundamental or transformational business changes outside the CPQ tool you chose.

  “If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got” – Albert Einstein

 

Based on my experience with CPQ/Quote-to-Cash/Sales business transformation efforts there is a real risk of using your existing CPQ Processes and just transfer them to a new tool. In this case you could almost ask: “Why do you pay the software license fees for the new CPQ tool?”, because you basically do what you did before, only change is that you use a new CPQ tool. If you want a transformational change for your CPQ processes it needs to be a unique effort and you need to be 100% committed to make it successful. While many CPQ tools provide a lot of functionality it is up to the buyer of the CPQ tool to select and use the right tool for their business and their stakeholders. But even if you select the right CPQ tool for your business it doesn’t mean you will be successful because you still have to implement, adjust and adopt the CPQ tool and processes. In order to do this successfully you need to develop your unique CPQ Success Plan.

Here are five proposed steps you should add to your CPQ Success Plan when you embark on a CPQ Business Transformation

1. Don’t waste any time after you signed the contract with your new CPQ vendor (Note: between signing the contract and the start of the Implementation Project there is typically some lag time)

  • Setup your CPQ Business Transformation Team (if you didn’t already do that to select the CPQ Tool)
  • Prepare all stakeholders for the implementation Project
  • Work on the subsequent steps

 

2. Develop your unique Change Management approach

Examples:

  • When you talk to your stakeholders drop the jargon to ensure everyone understands what you are talking about     Example: Use Configure/Price/Quote and not CPQ
  • Make sure your communications are received (e.g. your email updates are read, your phone meetings are not only attended but attendees actually pay attention to what is said)
  • Don’t send more information than needed! No FYI on emails!

 

3. Develop your unique Project Management approach

Examples:

  • Know your pain points, how you want to address them and how you plan to measure success
  • Clarify how you want to work with remote teams
  • Agree which project methodology you want to use and which project plan documents (e.g. risk management plan, scope management, Project Charter, Change Management Plan, Stakeholder Management etc.) are appropriate for your company

 

4. Spend considerable time to prepare your CPQ Training to ensure all your CPQ stakeholders are ready to use the CPQ tool

  • Get support from senior management early on to ensure participation from Key Resources
  • Make training attendees accountable. Example: Do a test at the end of the CPQ training and provide users only access to the CPQ tool after they passed the test
  • Determine how you plan to keep users up-to-date with ongoing changes (e.g. online help in tool)

 

5. Process Engineering – Optimize and adjust CPQ/Sales Processes to take full advantage of your CPQ tool investment

  • Review and adjust your Sales Processes and CPQ tool capabilities to your business requirements
  • Use as much CPQ tool standard functionality as possible
  • If custom changes are required, develop strict criteria to keep these at a minimum