Implement Hive with our team of CPQ engineers
Setting up a CPQ project can be quite the challenge. You may not have the bandwidth or capacity to set it up yourself or you might want some guidance during the implementation. In both cases, you can count on our team of CPQ engineers. Discover how to successfully implement Hive CPQ independently or with the help of our team.
What I like best about Hive CPQ? The team, their agility, responsiveness and culture “to the moon” aspiration.
Choose your service package
There are three different project approaches for implementing Hive CPQ. Pick which package fits your business needs most:
- Self-service: Build and maintain your own environment on Hive CPQ. From building configurators to inviting distributors to connecting CPQ to your ERP or CRM systems, you control everything.
- Guided learning: Let our team of Hive CPQ engineers help you to set up your environment. Your dedicated project engineer will build a default version and help you build your first configurator. We will guide you through everything you need to know so you can advance independently.
- Full service: The Hive team takes full control of your Hive CPQ environment. Your dedicated engineer will build and maintain configurators based on product briefings from your side. We will check in regularly so you can keep an eye out on the project.
Implement Hive CPQ successfully
According to which service package you’ve chosen, your timeline will look slightly different but it comes down to the following steps:
Introduction meeting & scope definition
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.
Create a project team
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.
Gather your master data
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.
Follow the introductory e-courses from the Hive Academy
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.
Start implementing Hive CPQ or work side by side with our engineers
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.
Start using the configurator
Once your configurator is ready, these are the next steps:
- Test the configurator internally
- Make any necessary adjustments based on feedback
- Onboard and train your internal team on Hive CPQ
- Add your customers or distributors to the platform
Hive CPQ is a true partner when it comes to defining a workflow that suits the needs of a particular customer.
What happens after the official go live?
You can manage your own configurators and CPQ environment with our Hive Design Studio. This is a low-code module, so you won’t need your programmers to get involved.
In the meantime, the Hive team stays available to assist you. Contact your dedicated CPQ engineer or submit a support ticket for prompt help.
Not ready for a full implementation? Try a Hive Seeing Is Believing first
Not sure if your business is ready for a full CPQ project? We provide a “Seeing Is Believing” option as a minimum viable product (MVP). This will help you define the project scope and kick off the preparation phase along with the initial design of the configurator.
- Simplify internal change management
- Allow customers to test and provide feedback
- Present your vision to management
Without requiring significant time or financial investment.
Ready to kickstart your CPQ project?
Get started today, book your introduction meeting with our experts.
