Streamlining Order Customization

For modern manufacturers, streamlining order customization isn’t just about keeping up with market trends—it’s about keeping pace in an industry where, according to research from Deloitte, 98% of manufacturers have started their digital transformation journey.

Without streamlined order management processes, businesses face costly inefficiencies, from unclear specifications to production delays. By leveraging custom order management software, manufacturers can eliminate bottlenecks, improve order accuracy, and enhance customer communication, leading to faster order fulfillment and higher customer satisfaction.

The cost is steep: lost sales, production errors, and missed opportunities in the growing customization market. But get it right, and you unlock faster order processing, fewer errors, and the ability to scale your customization offerings efficiently. 

So what’s driving manufacturers to overhaul their order customization processes? Let’s look at the key factors.

Why Manufacturers Are Giving Order Customization an Overhaul

1. Customers Expectations

In a 2024 study of 1,000 consumers, 81% said they prefer companies that offer a personalized experience. Crucially, over 80% of today’s B2B buyers expect personalization to extend beyond face-to-face interactions to their preferred platform: online ordering.

B2B buyers increasingly expect customization options, and when prices are comparable, they tend to choose customizable products over standard offerings.

2. The Race for Efficiency

Inefficient customization processes create bottlenecks that ripple throughout the entire operation. Manual configuration and quoting processes are time-consuming and error-prone, often requiring multiple rounds of communication between sales, engineering, and production teams. 

As labor costs rise and skilled workers become harder to find, manufacturers simply cannot afford these inefficiencies. They need streamlined processes that reduce errors, accelerate order processing, and free up valuable engineering time for innovation rather than routine configurations.

When manufacturers integrate these streamlined customization processes with their broader automation initiatives, the benefits multiply. Deloitte research shows that such integrated automation approaches can boost overall productivity by 20-25% within the first few years—with customization efficiency being a key driver of these gains.

3. Stiff Competition

The competitive landscape for manufacturers has fundamentally shifted. Traditional players now face competition not just from historical rivals, but from tech-savvy upstarts—often international—who built efficient customization into their DNA from day one.

Companies that lag behind in digital-first customization risk losing ground to more agile competitors. This is especially evident in B2B markets, where buyers now demand the seamless digital experiences they’re accustomed to as consumers.

Transforming Your Customization Workflows

In today’s manufacturing landscape, the growing complexity of product customization presents a critical challenge. While you could expand your workforce—hiring more sales representatives, engineers, or customer service staff—this approach isn’t sustainable in our tight labor market. There’s a more intelligent solution: Configure Price Quote (CPQ) software.

The “Digital Brain” of Modern Manufacturing

CPQ software serves as your organization’s digital brain, streamlining complex product configurations and empowering sales teams to close deals with confidence. By automatically validating technical requirements, enforcing engineering rules, and generating precise quotes within seconds, CPQ has become indispensable across industries. The CPQ market is seeing remarkable growth, up from US$2.2 billion in 2022 to an anticipated US$7.3 billion by 2030.

Let’s explore the key CPQ features revolutionizing customization across industries, from automotive to biotech and construction materials:

Visual Product Configurators: Seeing is Believing

Interactive 3D visualization eliminates uncertainty from the customization process. Sales teams and customers can see real-time changes as they configure products, with the ability to rotate and zoom for detailed inspection. This capability dramatically reduces order errors and builds buyer confidence, particularly crucial for industrial products where precise specifications determine success.

Augmented and Virtual Reality: Experience Before Purchase

AR and VR capabilities transform the buying experience by allowing customers to visualize customized products in their intended environment. 

Imagine previewing custom shutters on your building—examining measurements, spacing, and shadow patterns throughout the day—or visualizing furniture placement in your classroom before manufacturing begins. This immersive visualization capability aids decision-making and reduces costly returns and customer dissatisfaction. 

Guided Selling: Your Digital Product Expert

Think of guided selling as embedding a product expert directly within your visual configurator. The system intelligently guides users through complex configurations, suggesting optimal options and preventing errors in real-time. This capability is crucial in today’s market, where 90% of B2B buyers research multiple websites before engaging with sales teams.

The guided approach empowers junior sales representatives to handle sophisticated configurations confidently, while allowing experienced staff to focus on high-value consulting rather than routine specifications.

Self-Service: Meeting Modern B2B Buyer Expectations

Modern CPQ platforms enable self-service by combining guided selling, 3D visualization, and eCommerce capabilities into an intuitive digital experience. Buyers can independently explore product options, configure complex solutions, and generate accurate quotes—all without waiting for sales assistance. This self-service approach delivers several crucial benefits:

• 24/7 Availability: Buyers can research and configure products on their own schedule, across time zones
• Faster Decision-Making: Immediate access to pricing and configuration options accelerates the buying process
• Reduced Sales Overhead: Sales teams can focus on high-value consultative interactions rather than routine configurations
• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Buyers maintain control over their purchase journey while still having access to expert assistance when needed

For manufacturers, this self-service capability doesn’t mean eliminating the sales team—rather, it transforms their role from order-takers to strategic advisors who can step in at crucial moments with high-value expertise.

CAD Automation: Eliminating Engineering Bottlenecks

By generating precise CAD drawings automatically from configured orders, CAD automation removes a major bottleneck in custom manufacturing. Engineering teams can focus on innovation rather than routine documentation, as the system instantly produces accurate technical specifications, reducing lead times and overhead costs.

Single Source of Truth: Unified Product Data

Centralized product data management within CPQ ensures every team—from sales to engineering to production—works with consistent, current information. Gone are the days of scattered spreadsheets and outdated documentation. When specifications, rules, or prices change, updates propagate instantly throughout the system.

Digital Thread: Seamless Integration

CPQ creates a digital thread—an unbroken chain of data—flowing from initial configuration through design, engineering, and manufacturing. This seamless integration with your existing software ecosystem, including ERP, CAD, CRM, and manufacturing execution systems, enables real-time order tracking and access to precise information in each department’s preferred format.

While many manufacturers build comprehensive integrated environments, Epicor CPQ distinguishes itself by offering robust standalone functionality. This flexibility allows organizations to begin optimizing their customization processes immediately, with the option to expand integrations as needs evolve.

Final Thought

Streamlining order customization is no longer optional—it’s a competitive necessity. By embracing advanced custom order management software and automated order management systems, manufacturers can achieve better order accuracy, faster processing, and improved customer communication.

From small business owners to enterprise-level operations, investing in efficient tools for managing orders, automating inventory tracking, and optimizing the ordering process is key to staying ahead in today’s fast-paced market. With streamlined workflows and robust systems, businesses can scale, improve productivity, and exceed customer expectations—unlocking growth opportunities in the era of personalized manufacturing.