Implementation

In our introductory meeting, we want to learn more about your company:

• Product range: We need to understand your products to develop effective configurators.
  
• Challenges: We want to identify and understand your current business challenges and see how our platform can help alleviate any frustrations.
  
• Timeline: We’d like to know your milestones for the CPQ project so we can set up a timeline together.
  

We’ll also help you define the initial scope of the project. What are your primary goals with CPQ? Will you be using the platform internally or are you looking to onboard customers too? Do you need integrations with other applications?

Starting with a realistic scope is crucial. We’ve learnt that implementing a smaller scope, testing, gathering feedback, and iterating give a faster ROI.

Next, assemble your project team. Here’s who you’ll typically need to make your CPQ implementation successful:

• A project manager: This person ensures the project stays on track and has the necessary time and resources to deliver results.
• Configurator team: This group may include individuals from various departments, each bringing unique skills:
  • Product owner: has deep knowledge of the technical and business rules.
  • Commercial stakeholder: manages the sales flow of the configurator.
  • Marketing stakeholder: Oversees branding and the layout of quotes.
  • Testers: Those who will be actively using the tool.
• Integration team: This could be an IT representative responsible for integrating different applications or a partner.

Moving forward, you will need to gather the information you need to set up your configurator. This includes article numbers, product descriptions, prices, rules, validation, parameters, quote documents, media files, and more. We call this your master data.

You may find all of this information in other systems like ERP, CRM, PIM, or Excel. To begin building your configurator, start with an initial batch of master data. After that, you can work on creating the integrations.

The Hive Academy is a training program designed to give you practical, in-depth knowledge of how to use Hive CPQ effectively. 

Whether you’re looking to master advanced features, train new team members or maximize the benefits of CPQ, the Hive Academy is here to support you at every turn. Learn at your own pace, when it suits your schedule.

Time to start building configurators! You can choose to work independently or get a quick kick-start from our Hive team. Your dedicated CPQ engineer will support you, share best practices, and ensure the configurator is set up professionally. We’ll maintain close communication at all times so we can make updates as needed.

Our team has won Best Support in the CPQ industry on G2 multiple years in a row now.

When it comes to integrating Hive CPQ with your existing tech stack, you can also work independently, using our Hive API and available blueprints, or you can rely on our integration team. Use one of our standard connectors or build your own custom connections.

Next, assemble your project team. Here’s how you’ll typically need to make your CPQ implementation successful:

• Test the configurator internally.
  
• Make the necessary adjustments based on feedback.
  
• Onboard and train your internal team on Hive CPQ.
  
• Add your customers or distributors on the platform.

With Hive CPQ, you have the tools you need to manage your configurators independently using our Hive Design Studio. But we know that ongoing support can make all the difference. 

That’s why we offer two tailored service packages, whether you need occasional guidance or a dedicated team to help you evolve and optimize your CPQ setup.