Higher Sales Volumes through Product Configurators

• Adapt high-priced products to customer requirements
• Simplify the sales process for complex technical products
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Increase sales and profit figures

For the modern consumer, individuality has a very high priority. Whether it's clothing, furniture, bicycles or similar things – consumers are only looking for one thing: unique products. To satisfy this need, it is no longer sufficient to rely on mass production only. The consumer of today wants a unique product that is tailored to their individual wishes; preferably with the option to configure it themselves before ordering.
So, in order to succeed in a global competition, you must be able to offer and provide unique products on the consumer's request.  Product complexity and diversity are therefore essential to differentiate yourself from competitors.

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This is exactly where Sepia's Product Configurator comes in. Configuration scenarios using classes and rules that are created in the Product Configurator, ensure that product variants can be configured directly in the webshop or via a product configuration wizard on the website. Alterra Product Configuration Manager (PCM) not only considers the individual needs of the customer thereby increasing customer satisfaction, it also facilitates and simplifies the work of your in-house sales staff.

What is a Product Configurator?

A Product Configurator or Variant Configurator is an application used to generate orders that are based on individual wishes of the customer placing the order. They act as an interface between the customer or the sales department and the order entry department. The configuration options result from the selection, combination and parameterization options of a product that are limited by its configuration rules.

This makes the Alterra product configurator unique

One of the most widely used applications for managing configuration data and their integration into eCommerce systems is Alterra PCM (PCM = Product Configuration Manager). First of all, this Product Configurator is a fully independent software module that can be used to manage any master data, rules and outputs for product configuration. In addition, this system is also compatible with the popular SAP VC (VC = Variant Configuration). If it is necessary to configure a product in Alterra or a connected webshop, the relations maintained in SAP VC can be transferred, transformed, and used as a configuration profile for a Product Master in Alterra. The software is furthermore compatible with other ERP systems such as Microsoft Dynamics AX (Axapta Product Builder), Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision) and Infor (Product Configuration Management).

What's more is that the Variant Configurator of Alterra can be quickly and easily integrated in any webshops and websites. A last, but very important difference which makes Alterra PCM different from other Product Configurators is that it seamlessly cooperates with the Alterra PIM Product Information Management System thereby making product master data, parts lists and also product-related marketing data and media assets directly available for Product Configuration. Due to the modular design of the system, special functions can be easily integrated on the customer's request.

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Benefits of a Product Configurator from a customer perspective

The benefits for your customers include that the desired product can be visualized, even if physically still doesn't exist. On the basis of the Product Configurator's catalog view, properties of the product – such as component type, color, quality and price – are selected by just a few clicks to narrow down the options that are available. The customer can vary the properties of the product until the product corresponds to their expectations, is available and can be ordered.

By accurately representing the product variants, it is possible for the customer to decide whether or not the product meets their expectations in advance. Your goal to quickly offer to the customer an individual solution at the desired cost and quality is therefore easily achieved. The result is a high level of customer satisfaction as the customer is largely unrestricted with respect to their wishes and can let their creativity run free.

Benefits of a Product Configurator from a business perspective

But it is not only the customers who benefit from a Product Configurator. Also from a business perspective, there are many benefits – especially with respect to the possible profits. A Product Configurator helps optimize sales and manufacturing processes, which increases time efficiency in a company. The Variant Configurator improves the so-called "information supply chain" within in the company. Cost controls are improved for purchasing and manufacturing and expert knowledge can be multiplied.

A cross-departmental product knowledge management makes useful know-how available across the sales process. Furthermore, it ensures offers that are free from errors. This means, for instance: if the price of a product or a product property changes you must enter it only once in the Product Configurator. Alterra PCM automatically changes the price in every single place where it is linked to the product or the product property. This avoids unwanted price differences and allows individual pricing. In addition, the workload is reduced, which leads to shorter response times when processing customer queries.

Conclusion: Product Configurators increase both customer satisfaction and sales figures

The fact that customers are given the possibility to create their desired product themselves decreases the complaint rate dramatically. In addition, you as a company are given the possibility to offer unique products the customer cannot buy from competitors. And furthermore, the focus on target groups can be broadened: the fact that customers are offered the possibility to create a desired product by themselves, you can focus on multiple target groups without the side effect that certain customer groups are neglected.

Whether from a customer or a business perspective: Alterra Product Configurator significantly enhances your company's productivity, simplifies work processes and clearly increases the satisfaction of your customers and staff. The individualization of the products leads to an increase in sales and profits – this is especially true for niche products, complex technical products and end customer products in the high-price segment.

Go to Alterra Variant Configurator >>>