Ask a CPQ Expert: What are some common implementation pitfalls?
ASK A CPQ EXPERT
What are some common pitfalls to avoid during implementation?
It can be tempting to view CPQ tools as plug and play. After all, the demos that first enticed your business into considering CPQ as a solution are intended to show the world of possibility ahead, not the reality of your current org. It’s no wonder then, that CPQ can get a bad rap when it falls short of that demo’s promise.
With that said, Salesforce CPQ does contain a world of possibilities for your team. The tools themselves are incredibly powerful when implemented for your specific business needs.
Like a well-tailored suit, when the right attention is paid to making it your own — it fits you perfectly. With the right partner tailoring the technology to your specific business requirements, and the right people from your organization invested in the process, this frustration can be easily avoided.
Viewing CPQ tools as plug and play is one misstep when implementing CPQ. The following are some common pitfalls that can occur during the implementation process, setting you up for headaches down the road.
Avoid these and you’ll be well on your way to CPQ success.
Not checking your contract details.
As with any legal agreement, it’s always good to know the fine print of what you’re signing. This isn’t earthshaking advice, but you’d be surprised by how many folks haven’t carefully read the details of the agreement for what benefits they’re entitled to as a customer and miss out on them.
For example, your contract may include valuable training that can help your Salesforce administrator become more familiar with the tool and get a head start on any learning curve. This training may have an expiration date so it’s worth being mindful of the details in your contract.
Letting perfection get in the way of progress.
Your consultant will need to assess what your sales representatives do today to get from quote to cash so they can tailor your CPQ solution to your business. This process will map out what you need to lift and shift as you implement CPQ.
It will also bring to light other areas of the CRM that need to be optimized, if any integrations will need to move over, and what could potentially break as part of the process.
Diving in headfirst to an implementation without outlining these expectations is a surefire way to cause frustration and division. It can also result in an incredibly well built out CPQ system — that doesn’t work for your needs at all.
Instead, build a team of technical experts and superusers who can help set the expectations around your needs, how CPQ will solve for pain in your current process, and what that current process truly is.
Not bringing in superusers early.
Speaking of your superusers, you’ll want to identify these key team members and bring them into the process early. Their input will help ensure that the system that’s built out is tightly aligned with your business processes.
Rather than relying on one person as the expert on your business and its requirements, seek out other individuals’ who can strengthen that information with their collective input. This way, you can ensure you’re building a CPQ system that will serve the people who will actually use it.
In our experience, when the people who will use the system are brought into the design of it early, they become invested in the success of the effort and influential advocates for it.
Not testing.
User acceptance testing is a critical part of a successful CPQ roll out. It’s another method of ensuring that the system you’re building meets the specific criteria you are building it for. And this simple strategy of empowering the user by directly involving them in the solution proves its value once again. It provides the opportunity for the end-user to share if it works for them.
Without testing, post-deployment issues can mean user frustration and diminished ROI. By adding user acceptance testing into the implementation plan, you can be sure that the system is being built for your needs and with your users in mind, minimizing any bugs that might otherwise undermine the effort.
Going down rabbit holes.
True of any CRM project, or any project really, it can be tempting to follow any issues that crop up and address them immediately. While some may be important to pursue, be wary of the rabbit holes that move you away from the minimum viable product.
Keep a listing of these side issues to return to when the time is right. One strategy that’s worked well in the past includes asking a superuser to document and track these issues during the course of the project. That one person keeps a clear running list that you can return to when the time is right. With everything in one place, you can then identify what to prioritize based on value added.
Staying laser-focused on the minimum viable product, tracking issues that come up, and being incredibly discerning about which ones truly need immediate attention will help keep your project on time, on track, and on budget.
Omitting old processes your team values.
Implementing CPQ means translating your current business processes for the new system. Naturally, you’ll transform many of your current business processes as a part of this effort.
It can be tempting to do a complete overhaul, after all, it’s the right time to inspect what’s working and what isn’t. A word of caution, though, be mindful of how much time is spent revamping processes that might otherwise work and need minimum adjusting to fit into the new way of doing things. If your team values something and relies on it to get the job done, inspect why that’s the case and what can be kept as you roll out CPQ.
Get rid of the deadwood of course, but keep the elements that are working for your team.
Forgetting your users after go-live.
You’ve stayed focused on your minimum viable product, built a system that fits your needs with accurate pricing information, stayed away from rabbit holes, and kept what was working for your team. It may feel like you’ve just finished the marathon, but it’s not quite over yet.
After deployment, you’ll want to keep your ear to the ground for any bugs or user issues that may diminish all that hard work and investment in the system. Offer one clear communication channel for your users to express what may still need attention and tweaks. Leverage those same superusers who have been so central to your success to champion the system. Whether that’s training others, tracking post-deployment issues, or whatever you may be hearing about the system that could be value added.
Anticipate what your team will need to be successful with the new way of doing things and don’t let your resolve drop after go-live.
Lack of documentation.
How will you know the process after implementation is technically complete? How will you know the nuts and bolts of the system after it’s been implemented?
With such complex work newly complete, it’s important to have clear documentation that outlines exactly what the heck just happened and how it should be working in your CRM. Without this documentation, new work may cause unforeseen issues — breaking components in mysterious ways that require time and budget to first identify and then fix.
Take some time to consider who will be responsible for maintaining the system and what they’ll need to know about its architecture in order to maintain it. Documentation can save you from many, many headaches down the road.
CPQ is a complex system to implement and there are, naturally, many other pitfalls that an experienced technical mind can help you avoid. If you’re considering CPQ as a solution for your organization, we’re happy to discuss what we’ve seen work in the past and set you off on the right foot. You can get in touch with us and schedule free consultation time to discuss anything Salesforce here.