Client Context & Business Challenge
In fast-paced sales-driven organizations, efficiency in quote management is critical to closing deals on time. Our client, a leading enterprise with a global sales presence, was struggling with a major bottleneck—quote processing inefficiencies.
On-the-Ground Challenges:
- Backlog Pile-Up: The backlog of quotes was taking up to a month to process, causing delays in revenue recognition.
- Manual Effort Overload: Sales teams had to manually track, revise, and approve thousands of quotes, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies.
- Customer & Revenue Impact: Delayed quote approvals meant longer sales cycles, frustrated customers, and potential revenue loss.
- Integration Issues: The existing workflow had fragmented systems with manual interventions slowing things down further.
With the demand for quicker turnaround times and higher efficiency, it was evident that a transformation was necessary.
Our Approach: Analysis & Prioritization
Before jumping to a solution, we conducted a deep-dive analysis into the existing challenges and envisioned a scalable approach.
Key Analysis & Findings:
- Pattern Analysis: We mapped the entire quote lifecycle and identified bottlenecks at various stages—retrieval, revision, approval, and discount application.
- Error & Delay Factors: A significant portion of delays came from manual handovers, data inconsistencies, and approval delays due to missing contextual information.
- System Limitations: The existing setup lacked an end-to-end automation framework that could seamlessly handle quote revisions and approvals in real time.
What Did We Prioritize?
Given the above findings, we decided to focus on three key areas:
- End-to-End Automation: Eliminate manual interventions in backlog and open quote processing.
- Optimized Orchestration: Introduce a structured workflow to ensure seamless coordination between different processes.
- Integration Fixes & Enhancements: Address broken integrations and augment functionalities to accelerate the approval process.
The Solution: A Seamless Automated Orchestration
Using Informatica Cloud Application Integration (IICS CAI), we designed a fully automated quote processing framework that streamlined interactions with Oracle CPQ.
How It Works:
- Orchestration of Quote Processing: A centralized workflow that manages quote retrieval, revisions, and approvals dynamically.
- Automated Discount & Margin Adjustments: Eliminating the need for sales teams to manually update pricing components.
- Seamless Integration Fixes: Addressed existing inefficiencies in CPQ interactions, ensuring faster, error-free approvals.
- Error Handling & Intelligent Logging: Built-in monitoring mechanisms to ensure transparency and reduce exceptions.
The Outcome: Massive Efficiency Gains
The transformation yielded incredible results:
- Backlog Quotes: Processing time reduced from 1 month to just 12 hours.
- Open Quotes: Now processed in approximately 16 hours.
This automation not only improved efficiency but also enhanced accuracy, reduced manual dependency, and freed up valuable sales resources.
The Impact: A Recognition-Worthy Transformation
The initiative was well-received across leadership and sales teams. The remarkable reduction in processing time and effort earned accolades from senior management, reinforcing the value of intelligent automation.
Final Thoughts: Beyond Just Automation
The success of this initiative wasn’t just about automation—it was a combination of:
- Thoughtful Design – Structuring a seamless and scalable process.
- Smart Automation – Eliminating manual interventions and inefficiencies.
- Strategic Fixes & Enhancements – Augmenting and improving existing integrations.
This transformation highlights how a well-designed automation strategy, powered by Informatica Cloud and Oracle CPQ, can drive massive business value.
