Aquadeck chooses Hive CPQ: Top-level digitalization for swimming pool covers
Aquadeck, a Dutch specialist in custom swimming pool covers, chose Hive CPQ to digitalize its sales process and take the customer experience to the next level. By connecting Hive to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management, the company is taking major steps toward automation, efficiency, and an errorfree production flow.
Introduction
The perfect pool cover, down to the last detail
Aquadeck is a Dutch manufacturer of automatic pool covers and has been part of the Pollet Pool Group since 2016. The company is known for its high-quality products that combine safety, design, ease of use, and energy savings. Their mission is ambitious: they want to offer the perfect cover, down to the smallest detail. “Close… to be perfect!”, as they aptly put it.
Their products go beyond pure aesthetics. Aquadeck offers smart, functional advantages, such as anti-algae layers that prevent algae growth, 100% waterproof sealing thanks to ultrasonic welding and silicone sealant, and solar slats for energy savings. All supported by comprehensive warranty conditions.
The company focuses on the professional swimming pool market. Aquadeck does not only sell directly to end customers but also works through a carefully constructed B2B distribution model. The covers are sold to distributors within the Pollet Group, who then supply them to local installers (sub distributors). These installers serve as the direct point of contact for the end customer and handle the installation of the cover.
Problem
The challenge: A non-scalable, outdated sales process
Aquadeck is ambitious and focused on growth. The company aims to expand its distribution network into new export markets, with the goal of having a local distributor in every country. However, it encountered limitations in its sales process.
In the past, customers placed their orders through Aquadeck’s OrderTool: a custom-made platform used to process all orders. However, this involved many manual processes, such as drawing up production documents, running order checks, and updating the ERP system. This made the process time-consuming and highly error prone.
The OrderTool had also become technically outdated: heavily coded in PHP, not user-friendly, limited in mobile use, and difficult to maintain. The visual experience for customers also failed to meet the high aesthetic standards that Aquadeck strives for.
In order to continue to grow, Aquadeck needed to be able to support its dealers with technical knowledge, visual tools, and flexibility in the ordering process. That’s how dealers can become true ambassadors of the brand. The company went on the lookout for a sales process that was faster, more efficient, and scalable and turned to their digitalization partner Squadron for help.
Solution
A tailored CPQ approach for Aquadeck
Together with Squadron, Aquadeck searched for a future-proof CPQ solution. This involved a thorough analysis of the company’s needs and ambitions. It was important that the CPQ:
- Allows personalization, ensuring alignment with Aquadeck’s branding and visual identity
- Generates attractive quotes
- Processes complex price calculations (including transport costs and group discounts)
- Generates a Bill of Materials (BOM) and a Bill of Labor (BOL) to facilitate the production process
- Display impressive 3D visualizations of the pool covers
Squadron introduced Hive’s Configure, Price, Quote solution to Aquadeck. The manufacturer instantly saw how Hive CPQ could reduce manual tasks by automating the sales process: The software generates attractive quotes and production documents, such as BOM and BOL, with a single click.
The integration with the ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management, means that Aquadeck no longer has to manually enter data. Orders received via the configurator are automatically synchronized with FSCM, including sales prices, customer data, and related documents. This saves time and ensures faster processing without errors.
Hive CPQ offers a more user-friendly experience than the OrderTool. Thanks to the integration of 3D technology, customers can receive immediate visual feedback during configuration. Dimensions are displayed automatically, which drastically reduces the chance of errors. The platform also visualizes important technical details, such as roll diameters, insulation values, and product cross-sections.
In addition, Hive CPQ allows more flexibility on a technical level. Aquadeck uses the sub distributor module, allowing every party in the sales process – from manufacturer to installer – to benefit from the power of CPQ. This requires advanced pricing logic: different price lists per customer and region, with additional options for discounts at the item level. While the OrderTool fell short in this regard, Hive CPQ allows these complex pricing structures to be managed easily and clearly.
Process
Phased implementation to maximize adoption
The project was carried out in different phases. In the first phase, the Hive team was challenged to provide an improved UI for both the B2B platform for dealers and the B2C configurator for end customers. More customization options were added to better reflect Aquadeck’s unique look and feel.
Shortly afterwards, the first configurators were built, featuring 3D visualizations and automated document generation for quotes. Aquadeck worked closely with the Hive teams on this and also leveraged the Hive Academy to learn more about the CPQ solution and its structure.
Parallel to these developments, Hive also provided technical support to Aquadeck for the integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management, ensuring that the entire flow – from quotation to delivery – runs seamlessly.
It is now up to Aquadeck to transfer its 1,500 dealers from the OrderTool to Hive CPQ. They can continue to rely on support from our Hive team throughout this process. The new system will be rolled out in phases, with periods during which the old and new systems will temporarily run side by side.
Future
International growth with improved dealer support
With Hive as its customer portal, Aquadeck aims to provide even better support to its installers, reduce administrative burdens, and speed up the entire ordering process. The company hopes this will enable it to further expand its distribution network. Additionally, Aquadeck wants to inspire end customers. Their experience configurator will soon be available on the website, allowing users to design their own pool covers without having to log in.
The choice for Hive CPQ was therefore more than just a technical decision. It is a strategic step towards further digitalization and internationalization. Aquadeck is ready for the future, and Hive is helping to shape that future.
