Welcome to the world of tomorrow! Manufacturing is changing, and 3D visualization technology is a leading driver. Thanks to 3D visualization, manufacturers can now design, prototype, sell, market, produce, and ship their products faster, with greater efficiency and less expense than ever before.
This article breaks down how 3D is changing the game for digital leaders in the manufacturing industry.
Epicor CPQ Brochure
The way that companies quote, sell, design and manufacture products has fundamentally changed. Epicor CPQ is different too, and this brochure distinguishes it from other CPQ solutions.
1. Product Visualization Makes Complex Products Easy to Understand
It’s a simple equation: The more complex your product, the harder it is for customers to understand features and functionality. The less the customer understands, the lower their chance of placing an order.
The problem is products are rapidly getting more complicated. Customers are demanding the freedom to personalize and customize products. Meanwhile, technology is becoming more advanced. Once-straightforward products like toothbrushes are transforming into high-tech networked devices.
3D visualization gives customers a crystal clear picture and understanding of your products and the myriad of features, parts, dimensions, colors, materials, and assembly options from which to choose.
This understanding aids decision-making and inspires confidence, which dramatically impacts conversion rates. Companies that inject Epicor CPQ’s 3D visualization capabilities into their customer experience increase 40% higher conversion rates on average.
2. You Can Improve Quoting Accuracy with Product Configurator Software
3D visualization ensures buyers and sellers are always on the same page regarding product configuration. There’s no room for miscommunication and the product that ships is always the one the customer expects to receive.
Product rules coded into the configurator ensure every configuration is valid and optimized, making life easier for engineering teams who are sick of dealing with sales mistakes. Pricing rules can also be built in, giving customers real-time pricing feedback and ensuring the accuracy of quotes.
3. Your Buyer Journey Is More Engaging and Impressive
Customers are bombarded with information throughout the day. The last thing they want to do is read a long, boring product description or thumb through a catalog full of confusing tables and images that don’t show the product they want to configure and buy. It’s exhausting.
3D visualization is a far more efficient information delivery device than text. It’s also more interactive, as customers can frequently rotate products to view them from multiple angles, zoom, and pan as necessary. Customers get the information they need fast and in greater detail.
Humans are wired for 3D–it’s how we experience the world in which we live. We find 3D images more appealing, stimulating, and memorable. They have a visceral impact. In undifferentiated markets, this impact can make the difference between making a sale or losing out on a big deal to a fierce competitor.
4. You Can Leverage Virtual and Augmented Reality Experiences
The key to crafting truly immersive visual buying experiences is first delving into the realm of 3D. The next logical step is implementing virtual and augmented reality, both of which you can access with Epicor CPQ’s visual product configurators.
So, what is augmented and virtual reality?
Augmented reality superimposes digital content on top of the physical world as captured through a customer’s smartphone or another device. It creates a composite image that lets prospects view products in situ. Virtual reality requires the customer to wear a VR headset that transports them to a simulated world where they can walk around and even operate products.
Augmented reality has become increasingly prevalent in B2C as it can deliver highly impactful brand experiences. However, despite its potential benefits, B2Bs have been slow to adopt this technology into their buying journey.
Virtual reality has been used less due to the challenge posed by the headset–they can be expensive and, unlike a smartphone, most people don’t have one lying around. Nonetheless, this trend is shifting with companies like Apple, Google, and Meta introducing more affordable and comfortable headsets.
If you want to wow prospects and customers and provide greater clarity than you ever thought possible, then augmented and virtual reality are the answer. Buyers don’t even have to leave the comfort of their office to experience these immersive showroom-beating experiences.
5. You Can Provide Unlimited Configuration and Personalization Opportunities with a 3D Product Configurator
In 2019, Deloitte reported more than 50% of buyers in the manufacturing sector wanted to buy custom and personalized products. There’s doubt the future of B2B is engineer-to-order, and 3D visualization is the perfect solution to this shift’s challenges.
3D visualization lets manufacturers increase configurability without increasing complexity. They can sell nearly unlimited product options without investing in expensive photography, samples, or physical prototypes. Sales reps can showcase different product variations and customize products in real time as per customers’ requests, making the experience more tailored.
6. You Can Accelerate Your Sales Cycle
By leveraging 3D visualization, customers can access accurate and detailed product information upfront, allowing them to make faster purchase decisions and gain approval from senior management if necessary.
Integrating 3D visualization into a CPQ solution takes things a step further, as it enables the automatic generation of prices and quotes. As a result, sales cycles are accelerated from days to minutes, eliminating frustrating gaps and back-and-forth that can cause customers to drop off.
7. You Can Onboard New Hires More Quickly
As hiring experienced salespeople becomes increasingly difficult and expensive, coupled with the rise in product complexity, businesses face the twin challenges of having less knowledgeable staff handling more complicated products.
However, 3D visualization can make it easier for new hires to get up-to-speed by providing a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the product. Additionally, product rules ensure error-free and optimized configurations, reducing the chances of newbies making costly errors that can turn into disasters.
8. You Can Eliminate Sales-to-Manufacturing Complexity
In manufacturing businesses, sales, engineering, and shop-floor teams often operate in silos, using different terminology, working with conflicting data, and operating separate systems. This lack of integration can make communication and collaboration difficult, resulting in misunderstandings, mistakes, and delays in the engineer-to-order process.
3D visualization bridges communication gaps and creates a common language for all teams involved, opening up opportunities for cross-functional automation. For instance, the sales team can configure products in 3D, which can be automatically translated by engineering into CAD files, BOMs, and assembly instructions for the shop floor.
Collaboration between teams is essential for generating new ideas and opportunities for innovation. It drives agility and enables manufacturers to adapt to changing market conditions and customer preferences, ultimately improving customer satisfaction. With a complete understanding of customer needs, teams can work together to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results.
In Summary
Implementing 3D visualization provides customers and sales reps with a clear understanding of complex products, leading to higher conversion rates, shorter sales cycles, and error-free quotes. It simplifies and streamlines product customization and personalization, giving today’s B2B buyers the products and experiences they deserve.
If you want to differentiate your business and adopt breakthrough technologies like augmented reality, we can get you there faster. Speak to Epicor CPQ to find out how we can help.
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