How can non-standard product configurations affect the CPQ process?

Non-standard product configurations often introduce a level of complexity into the Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) process because they deviate from the typical product offerings and established rules. When products can be customized in non-standard ways, it can lead to unique combinations that may not fit neatly within existing pricing structures or rules. This necessitates the implementation of custom pricing rules to accurately reflect the unique features or configurations of the product.

In particular, non-standard configurations may require additional consideration of factors like materials, labor, or service levels that vary from standard offerings. Therefore, sales teams must ensure that these custom configurations are correctly priced and quoted. This often involves additional logic, rules, and validation checks within the CPQ system to accommodate the uniqueness of each configuration.

Additionally, without appropriate handling of non-standard configurations, there can be a risk of inaccurate quotes, which can affect customer satisfaction and sales revenue. Thus, the requirement for custom pricing rules inherently complicates the quoting process, making it essential for CPQ solutions to be robust enough to manage these variations effectively.