Productconfigurator software
Merkato CPQ lets you rapidly build tailored product configurators for complex solutions. Easily centralise your customer-specific production and sales knowledge. Scale your sales process by automating configurations, calculations, document generation ánd order processing, all in one environment.
- Streamline your design-to-production processes
- Accelerate and digitise your sales process
- Integrate with your CAD, BIM, CRM and/or ERP
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What is a product configurator?
A product configurator is a software that allows sales reps, dealers, or even customers to build a product to their exact needs. They can select options, sizes, colors, and technical specifications step by step, while the system ensures every choice is valid.
However, that’s not the full story. Many people use product configurator and sales configurator as if they were the same thing. In reality, they serve different purposes.
Let’s not go too deep into this here. If you want to learn more, you’ll find an in-depth explanation here.
Also, for simplicity’s sake, on this page (and throughout our website) we use product configurator as an umbrella term that includes both product and sales configurators.
A sales configurator is the front end. It’s the tool that helps users tailor a product to their needs. If the configurator is backed by a cpq platform, it calculates an accurate price, and in advanced setups, generates a quote automatically.
A product configurator, on the other hand, supports the technical build-up of complex products. It accelerates the design process, eliminates errors, and often integrates directly with CAD and ERP systems. In that sense, it’s the bridge into PLM.
Personalisation with a product configurator
Complex products come with a wealth of choices. You have to make many selections and calculations before being able to create a quotation. This takes a lot of time and is also prone to errors. A product configurator streamlines selections and automates both product rules as price calculations. You quickly and easily build custom quotations that perfectly match the customer and are manufacturable by your organization.
Merkato as a product configurator
With Merkato, building your own product configurator is even easier than creating custom offers. You have full control over how you want to visualise your product configurator and how you want each feature to work. No programming knowledge is needed, our consultants give extensive trainings and there are plenty of tools available to set up the system and learn how to use it.
Shorten your sales cycle, share production expertise, and increase profitability.
Close more deals, make it easy for your customers to do business with you, and increase your margins with a product configurator. Easily create customer-specific orders and documents using your own product configurator for efficient sales.
How does a product configurator work?
Knowledge storage
A product configurator stores knowledge about your customer-specific offerings using
smart rules. There are rule-based and
restriction-based product configurators. For your convenience,
we offer both options.
Product and price configuration
These smart rules define what can be sold together – and more importantly, what cannot.
Thanks to predefined rules, your product configurator provides
guided configuration of your customer-specific product.
These rules can involve various detailed data models and calculations, such as:
- Material calculations (distances, machine hours, labor hours, etc.)
- Product limitations
- Environmental variables
- Price calculations
- Options and variants
- Workflows and permissions
- Customer variables
- Applicable standards and regulations
- Other relevant variables
Document generation
A good product configurator also allows you to create tailored documents.
Every document (quote, product sheet, order, etc.) can be customized!
For example: If the customer chooses option A, then text A with a photo of that option should be on the quote.
If the customer chooses option B, then text B with a photo of option B should be displayed.
Curious about how this works behind the scenes and what else our
CPQ software can do?
The benefits of a product configurator
With guided configurations and automatic pricing and documents, your sales team and internal teams can focus on what really matters.
No more repetitive tasks!
Increase customer satisfaction by ensuring they get exactly what they want.
Your team can respond quickly, always delivering accurate and tailored offers.
With more time available, your sales team can spend their hours where they truly matter – with customers and on the road.
Sales costs are lower than ever before.
Your profit margin increases with every product or project sold!
Selling customer-specific offers becomes highly efficient thanks to automated workflows with roles and permissions, up- and cross-selling suggestions, and e-signature capabilities.
Gain better insight into what’s being offered and what’s actually sold.
Which products and variants perform well, and which don’t?
Use this data to refine your marketing and sales strategies for even more sales success.
Discover the possibilities of a product configurator
Want to learn about the possibilities and benefits of a product configurator for your own offerings? Schedule an introductory meeting with one of our consultants below.
- Your story
First, we listen to your story. Together, we’ll look at your current offerings and processes. What challenges are you facing? What does an optimized process look like for you?
- Overview of the possibilities
A product configurator is unique to each company (and product). We’ll explore the possibilities that best fit your offerings.
- Step by step
Is there a match? We usually propose a step-by-step plan. We implement quickly and accurately to meet the most urgent needs. These product configurators then evolve into complete sales solutions where product renderings, 3D-CAD integrations, and direct production control are no exceptions.
Talk to our team
At CPQ Belgium, we believe in the power of personal contact.
Book an appointment below, and our team will be happy to assist you.
Implementing Merkato as a product configurator
Implementing Merkato as a product configurator is straightforward. No programming knowledge is required to set up the system, and plenty of tools are available to help you get started and learn how to use it. Think of self-populating tables, automatic links to products, and copy-paste functionality from Excel. Since Merkato is a modular platform, custom adjustments are possible. You largely decide which features to use and how to tailor them to your needs.
Maintenance and updates are hassle-free, as you always have access to the latest version of Merkato. With the comprehensive user guide, helpdesk, and internal training, your team will quickly get to know Merkato and fully benefit from all the system’s advantages.
Satisfied customers worldwide.
More than 200 sales teams worldwide use our Merkato software.
This platform, which has already proven its worth, is used by a wide variety of users.
Its use consistently improves sales results every day.
Why choose CPQ Belgium?
Choosing CPQ Belgium means choosing expertise.
With Merkato, we provide the best tools to streamline your sales processes. We help you implement Merkato and integrate the product configurator into your commercial and technical landscape.
Curious about the power of Merkato and the benefits of a product configurator?
Get in touch today!
9050 Gent, België
1000 Brussel, België
4000 Luik, België