02 20 Replace config w Hive web

When is the time right to replace your current product configurator with HiveCPQ?

Complex and powerful product configurators are often the backbone of a manufacturers organisation. It is an engine to validate input and generate crucial output information like pricing, bill of materials, bill of labour, complex calculations and more. However, lots of configurators no longer meet today's market standards. Let's take a look. 

Frederik
Februar 06, 2020 geschrieben durch
Frederik Taleman

Product configurators

Manufacturers often have implemented product configurators years ago, and have invested years into the fine-tuning and maintenance of their configurators. Unfortunately, often, these configurators do no longer meet market standards. They often are slow, don’t fully support ‘the web’, look as they come from the Middle Ages. On top of that they cannot be used in multiple applications (CRM, website, lead generation, webshops,…) and it takes a specialist to fill in the inputs in a correct way.

Today’s modern configurators are fast, visually appealing and can be used for multiple purposes and scenario’s. When is your ‘old’ configurator old enough to replace it with a new one? It is a though question.

When is the time right to replace your product configurator?

For starters, it is not always needed to immediately decommission your old configurator. When we make a HiveCPQ implementation it happens we build Hive as a commercial configurator that will support the sales process. Once the order is placed, Hive can supply all inputs to the old configurator module, who in turn will generate all appropriate information for the production.

The advantage of such approach?

  • The ‘old’ configurator is no longer used during the sales process
  • The ‘new’ configurator does not have to contain all information, but can be a simplified version at the start. Making it faster, more agile and more friendly to its users
  • Business logic can be moved gradually into the new configurator. This makes it easier to entirely replace the old one, over time

The disadvantages of such approach?

  • There will be maintenance of two configurator engines. Each with its own purpose though. One for sales, the other for production. With a clear goal in mind, decommission the old one.

A good way to support two configurators at the same time, is to make sure they refer to the same ‘master data’. The Hive configurator for example, can use external validation rules to validate a model. 

On the other hand, completely replacing it is often the right choice!

If you compare old engines to a modern engine, it is a world of difference. Today, with modern technology, the development of a configurator is easily 10 times faster as it is with old technology. Especially in the maintenance part of the configurator models.

Struggling with your current configurator and wondering if it's time to replace it?

Related articles

How to make a business case for CPQ
WEB May 23 Article
Juni 01, 2023 geschrieben durch
Sales optimalisation CPQ software Hive CPQ

How to make a business case for CPQ

In 2016, I founded Hive CPQ to help ambitious manufacturers accelerate their sales. One of the main reasons I wanted to create Configure Price Quote software is because CPQ is the kind of software that has a great impact on a company. If implemented correctly, it becomes a key strategy and efficiency ingredient. Today I’m sharing my insights on how to make a business case for CPQ. Let’s dive right in!

weiter lesen
Top 7 most common myths about CPQ software - Myth vs. Reality
05 22 Myths CPQ web
Mai 25, 2022 geschrieben durch
CPQ software

Top 7 most common myths about CPQ software - Myth vs. Reality

Configure Price Quote (CPQ) software simplifies the sales process for manufacturers by making it easy to configure complex products, calculate the correct price, and generate a quote. Working with a CPQ guarantees that all information is stored in one place and that all departments within a company are linked to one another. However, there are a lot of common misconceptions about CPQ software that need debunking. Let’s take a look at the most common myths and how CPQ software handles these.

weiter lesen
CPQ implementation made easy: Meet our expert Hive CPQ team
04 23 Implementation team WEB
April 28, 2023 geschrieben durch
CPQ software Hive team Hive methodology

CPQ implementation made easy: Meet our expert Hive CPQ team

CPQ or Configure Price Quote simplifies quoting for manufacturers of complex products. It is a powerful sales tool, but it only reaches it full potential when it’s implemented correctly. CPQ implementation is often really challenging. We have a team of CPQ specialists ready to help you every step of the way.

weiter lesen