Searching for the Best CPQ System? Why Visual 2D/3D Configuration is Your Game Changer
In the complex world of manufacturing, sales, and distribution, the phrase “Best CPQ System” is more than just a search query—it’s a quest for a competitive edge. CPQ, which stands for Configure, Price, Quote, represents the technological backbone for businesses dealing with customizable, often complex, products. Yet, in a sea of CPQ solutions, many fall short when it comes to truly engaging the customer and simplifying the sales process.
At Digital Hill, we believe the best CPQ system isn’t just about logic and numbers; it’s about visual empowerment. This is where our Build and Price Pro product stands as an industry-leading web software tool, transforming the CPQ experience with unparalleled 2D and 3D visual configuration capabilities.
Beyond Spreadsheets: The Evolution of CPQ
Historically, CPQ systems were born out of necessity—to manage the daunting task of configuring complex products, ensuring accurate pricing, and generating professional quotes without manual errors.
Before CPQ, sales teams relied on a chaotic mix of spreadsheets, lengthy product catalogs, and frequent calls to engineering or production departments. This “manual CPQ” is slow, error-prone, and a significant bottleneck in the sales cycle.
The first generation of CPQ systems brought much-needed order, automating rules, pricing, and quote generation.
However, many of these systems remained text-based and feature-heavy, still requiring a leap of imagination from the customer or dealer.
They solved the internal problem of accuracy but often failed to enhance the customer’s buying journey or accelerate the initial engagement.
The Rise of Visual CPQ: The Digital Hill Difference
Today, the definition of the best CPQ system has evolved. It’s no longer enough to just configure a product; customers demand to see it.
This is where visual CPQ, powered by advanced 2D and 3D rendering, becomes powerful. Our Build and Price Pro leads this charge, offering a platform that doesn’t just calculate options but vividly displays them.
Imagine a customer or dealer building a custom trailer. With a traditional CPQ, they might select “green paint” from a dropdown. With Build and Price Pro, they click “green” and instantly see the model of the trailer update in real-time. They add a specific wheel package, and the image changes. This isn’t just a convenience; it’s a powerful sales tool that:
- Enhances Engagement & Reduces Friction: Customers are more likely to complete a configuration when they can visualize their choices. This interactive experience reduces the brain load and makes the process enjoyable, leading to higher conversion rates and richer leads.
- Eliminates Ambiguity & Drives Confidence: “Does this accessory fit?” “What will it actually look like?” Visual CPQ answers these questions instantly. By seeing the product evolve with each selection, customers gain confidence in their choices and in your brand, drastically reducing post-purchase disappointment or returns.
- Accelerates the Sales Cycle: The visual feedback loop significantly shortens the decision-making process. What once required back-and-forth emails, CAD drawings, or even physical mock-ups, now happens in minutes. This empowers both your direct sales team and your dealer network to generate accurate, visually validated quotes on the spot.
- Boosts Order Accuracy & Reduces Errors: Beyond customer confidence, visual CPQ ensures internal accuracy. Our system’s logic prevents incompatible configurations, and the visual confirmation acts as a final check. This minimizes manufacturing errors, material waste, and the costly rework associated with miscommunications.
Build and Price Pro: Industry-Leading Visual CPQ
What makes Build and Price Pro stand out as a contender for the best CPQ system for manufacturers of configurable products?
- Real-time 2D & 3D Rendering: This is our core differentiator. Whether you need photorealistic 3D models of complex machinery or dynamic 2D representations of customizable boats, our platform delivers. Users get instant visual feedback, transforming a text-based selection process into an immersive design experience.
- Intelligent Configuration Logic: Our system handles the most intricate “if/then” rules and dependencies. If selecting one option impacts another, or if certain combinations are physically impossible, the configurator guides the user automatically, ensuring every build is valid and manufacturable.
- Seamless ERP Integration: A CPQ system is only as good as its connection to your core business data. Build and Price Pro integrates with your existing ERP to pull live pricing, inventory, and material availability, ensuring every quote is current and feasible.
- Dealer Network Empowerment: Extend the power of visual CPQ to your entire dealer network. Our tool can be embedded directly onto dealer websites, providing them with an always-accurate, visually engaging sales tool that reflects your latest pricing and product updates for their retail site, and the option for a secure portal online where they can do all their product and parts ordering.
- Robust Quote Generation: Once configured, the system generates professional, branded quotes automatically. These can include detailed specifications, pricing breakdowns, and even the final visual rendition of the configured product, ready for immediate delivery.
- Customization is Key: We understand that every manufacturer is unique. Build and Price Pro is designed with a “custom-first” approach, meaning it adapts to your specific product lines, business rules, and branding, rather than forcing you into a generic template.
The Future of Sales is Visual
In a marketplace saturated with options, the best CPQ system is the one that removes barriers to purchase, streamlines operations, and makes buying easy. For manufacturers of customizable products, embracing a visually-driven CPQ solution like Build and Price Pro is no longer an option—it’s a necessity for maintaining a competitive edge. It empowers your customers, fortifies your dealer relationships, and ultimately, helps you close more sales, faster.
Stop imagining and start seeing. The future of product configuration is here.
