Lead to Cash

The L2C process covers all aspects of customer interaction, from the first contact to the final payment.

It captures the entire B2B sales cycle, typically lastingfour to seven months, and involves collaboration between numerous departments and personnel. It’s naturally complex, and challenges are embedded in every stage of the journey.

To build smoother, more efficient L2C processes, forward-thinking companies invest in innovative tools like Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software.

CPQ supports and enhances each step of L2C, delivering superior customer experiences and tightly aligned operations from sales to manufacturing.

A well-executed L2C strategy, augmented with the right technological solutions like CPQ, can be decisive in winning and retaining customers.

This article explores the L2C process in detail, alongside challenges and opportunities for transformation and improvement.

Introduction to the Lead to Cash (L2C) Process

The L2C process is integral to business operations.

It encompasses the entire journey from the first interaction with a potential customer to finalizing a sale and service delivery.

Here’s an overview of the critical steps:

1. Lead Generation and Qualification

Businesses kick off the L2C journey by identifying and capturing potential customer leads.

This involves diverse strategies like digital marketing, networking events, and leveraging social media platforms to generate a list of potential leads interested in the company's products or services.

Once leads are generated, they undergo a qualification process, considering criteria such as the potential customer's interest level, purchasing power, and compatibility with the product or service.

2. Lead Nurturing

Qualified leads are then nurtured, which means building and maintaining relationships pre-sale.

Nurtured leads have a 23% shorter sales cycle and tend to make larger purchases, so this step is crucial in converting leads into tangible sales opportunities.

Communication strategies like personalized emails, targeted content, and regular follow-ups keep the company's offerings at the forefront of the lead's mind.

3. Sales Quote and Proposal Creation

Here, the focus shifts to crafting persuasive proposals and quotes tailored to each potential customer's specific needs and requirements.

This step is crucial in convincing the leads about the value proposition of the company's offerings.

The more complex products are, the more critical accurate quotes and proposals become. They ensure alignment between customer expectations, the teams involved in bringing those to life, and the final product.

4. Negotiation and Contracting

Negotiation and contracting involve finalizing the terms and conditions of the sale.

This includes pricing agreements, delivery schedules, and other contractual details crucial for closing the deal. Close collaboration between sales and finance teams is vital.

5. Billing and Invoicing

Once a sale is agreed, the process moves to billing and invoicing. This phase ensures invoices are generated promptly and accurately reflect the details of the sale agreement.

Smooth and efficient billing processes are key to delivering a delightful customer experience. Hold-ups or errors are frustrating on the buyer side and can ruin an otherwise frictionless L2C process.

6. Payment Terms

This stage, involving accounts receivable, ensures invoice payment terms are agreed.

Payments are either settled pre- or post-production or delivery or split between stages depending on the business relationship, transaction/order volume, risk, and other factors.

7. Fulfillment and Delivery

After payment terms are agreed, the focus shifts to manufacturing, fulfilling, and delivering the product or service.

This includes all activities related to the preparation, shipping, and execution of services as per the agreement.

8. Customer Service and Support

The final stage, post-sale customer interaction and support, is vital for customer satisfaction and retention. Studies show that 85% of B2B buyers value quality customer service as much as the product's performance.

This after-sales phase cements long-term customer relationships by addressing needs that arise after purchase. It involves providing excellent service, responding to customer queries on time, and handling any feedback or complaints with care.

Challenges in the Lead-to-Cash Process

The L2C process is inherently complex, especially given the length of B2B sales cycles and the average number of stakeholders involved (which is 11, according to Gartner.)

Challenges are embedded within each process, from the initial generation of leads to aftercare support.

Let’s explore the leading L2C challenges companies face in detail.

Inefficiencies in Manual Processes

L2C involves collaboration and communication between numerous departments.

Typically, the sales team handles lead generation and nurturing before deals progress to design and product teams and, eventually, accounting, manufacturing, and after-sales support.

Manual tasks such as data entry, document processing, and manual tracking of sales and customer interactions can severely hamper the L2C pipeline at every juncture, leading to:

• Increased Error Rates: Manual entry and processing increase the risk of errors in customer data, order details, and financial transactions. Error rates are generally around 1%, which mounts up across the entire L2C pipeline.
• Delayed Responses: Manual handling of customer inquiries and order processing can result in slower response times, affecting customer satisfaction.
• Reduced Workflow Effectiveness: The reliance on manual tasks can lead to efficiency-killing bottlenecks.
• Higher Operational Costs: Manual processes require more labor and resources, which increase costs and come directly off a company's bottom line profits.

Data Management and Integration Issues

Effective data management and integration are crucial to building a slick L2C process.

Well-integrated systems furnish businesses with analytics and insights to improve processes. 67% of companies use data integration to support analytics and business intelligence (BI).

However, the majority struggle to manage integration efficiently or use their data effectively, which has negative impacts:

• Inconsistent Customer Data: Disjointed systems can result in erratic and incomplete customer profiles, affecting personalized service and sales strategies.
• Impaired Sales Forecasting: Lack of integrated data hampers accurate sales forecasting, essential for strategic planning and inventory management.
• Inefficient Order Processing: Poor data integration can lead to inefficiencies in order processing, from sales to fulfillment.

Navigating Varied Customer Preferences and Channels

Customer preferences are exceptionally diverse today, the impacts of which are felt throughout the L2C process. For instance, millennial buyers have increased by over 70% in recent years, driving a shift from in-person sales to their preferred online sales channels.

Catering to varied customer preferences across channels requires a balance between personalization and operational efficiency:

• Customization Needs: Addressing specific customer demands for product customization can complicate order management and production.
• Varied Pricing Structures: Offering flexible pricing options and catering to different customer segments while maintaining profitability introduces complexity.
• Cultural and Regional Differences: Navigating cultural and regional differences in customer behavior, compliance, and expectations presents communication challenges, particularly at the sales end.

Communication Breakdown in Custom or Complex Orders

Effective communication is fundamental to managing custom or complex orders within the L2C process.

Demand for custom orders has soared recently, with B2B buyers expecting in-depth product personalization. This increases product complexity, which in turn increases L2C complexity pre- and post-order.

Custom orders need to be effectively communicated between teams. Miscommunication, in particular, becomes a key issue that can slow the cycle down and lead to:

• Production Errors: Lack of clear communication can result in production errors, impacting the quality of the final product.
• Order Delays: Misunderstandings in order specifications can lead to delays in order fulfillment.
• Increased Costs: Inaccurate or incomplete communication can cause rework and waste, increasing production costs.
• Customer Dissatisfaction: Failures in accurately delivering custom orders can result in customer dissatisfaction and potential loss of future business.

Compliance and Security Concerns

The L2C process sends, receives, and processes sensitive or personally identifiable information (PII) data at almost every step. Failing to protect that data can lead to non-compliance and an increased risk of data breaches.

The vast majority of businesses state they wouldn’t purchase from a company they don’t trust with their data, so demonstrating trust and security credentials throughout the L2C process is paramount. This involves:

• Data Security: Implementing and continuously updating robust security measures is crucial to protect sensitive customer and transaction data from cyber threats.
• Regulatory Compliance: Businesses must adhere to a range of local and international regulations related to data privacy (like CCPA or GDPR), financial reporting, and industry-specific standards to ensure compliance.
• Audit Trails: Maintaining transparent and accurate records for auditing is vital. This involves using reliable systems that can track and document each step of the L2C process accurately.
• Secure Communication: Ensuring secure and confidential communication of customer details between personnel and teams is a major challenge without safe transmission protocols.

How CPQ Systems Address L2C Challenges

Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) systems streamline the complex process of gathering customized orders from sales and shepherding them through manufacturing to fulfillment.

These tools simplify the intricate details required to produce and deliver products to each client's specifications by assisting in:

• Configuration: Helping sales teams or customers select suitable product options and features based on specific requirements, ensuring valid and feasible configurations.
• Pricing: Using an automated no-code engine to calculate prices, factoring in customizations, quantities, discounts, and special customer agreements.
• Quoting: Producing detailed and precise sales quotes with comprehensive information, including product descriptions, sales drawings, pricing, delivery schedules, and terms.

CPQ’s features combine to support the end-to-end L2C process, from collecting and quoting orders to manufacturing and after-sale data integration.

Let’s explore these benefits in detail and how they combat the challenges of L2C processes.

Enhancing Pricing and Quotation Accuracy

CPQ technology improves accuracy across pricing and quotations, some of the first processes handled in the L2C cycle.

Here, CPQ effectively manages complex pricing models, ensuring every quotation is accurate and consistent. This ensures alignment across the remainder of the cycle through to production.

• Handling Complex Pricing: CPQ systems adeptly navigate various pricing models, including bulk discounts and promotional offers.
• Consistent Quotation Accuracy: Ensuring consistent accuracy across all quotes, CPQ technology reduces errors and protects credibility.

Personalizing the Customer Experience

Robust CPQ systems elevate the customer experience by offering interactive and personalized sales features and guided selling. These tools allow customers to configure products visually in 3D and augmented reality alongside a sales rep or independently online.

Sales reps benefit from a visual product configured with in-built guided sales scripts, helping them serve the customer and meet the demand for complex, custom products with thousands of options.

Customers benefit from the ability to self-serve. They also gain a crystal clear visual understanding of their final product before committing to a purchase. This transparency reduces purchase anxiety and boosts conversion rates by 40% (the average for Epicor customers.)

Integrating for Efficient Data Management

By integrating with CRM, ERP, CAD, and other back-office systems, CPQ software slots right into modern enterprise workflows, supporting efficient data management across the L2C cycle. It bridges the communication gaps between sales, engineering, manufacturing, finance, and operations, building a seamless data flow.

• Bridging Departmental Gaps: CPQ integration connects various teams, ensuring consistent communication and collaboration.
• Real-Time Data Sharing: It facilitates real-time data exchange across departments, enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making.

Reducing Manual Workloads

Automation is central to CPQ, streamlining processes from when a product is ordered to when it enters production.

For example, CPQ solutions like Epicor CPQ auto-create CAD drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), and other manufacturing information to ensure engineering and shop floor teams are readily equipped with the data they need to begin production.

Tight alignment between what the customer orders and the end product enables a more cohesive L2C cycle, as everyone has access to the same single source of truth they need to fulfill their tasks.

Additionally, automation across the L2C processes minimizes human errors, streamlines communication, and frees up valuable labor hours for strategic tasks.

• Minimizing Human Errors: By automating routine tasks, CPQ systems reduce the likelihood of costly mistakes.
• Freeing Up Staff for Strategic Tasks: Reducing manual workload allows staff to focus on more value-added activities, improving productivity and innovation.

Ensuring Compliance and Security

CPQ platforms are instrumental in maintaining compliance with industry regulations and data security standards, important commitments that many businesses grapple with.

By adopting cutting-edge CPQ with enterprise-grade security, businesses can build and retain customer trust in the sales process.

• Compliance with Industry Regulations: CPQ systems like Epicor CPQ are hosted in the cloud with best-in-class security, ensuring sensitive data is kept secure across the L2C cycle.
• Data Centralization: CPQ centralizes data into a single source of truth, protecting it as it passes through the L2C process from department to department. This minimizes data transfer via email, spreadsheets, or paperwork–which are potentially insecure.

Reporting and Analysis

In addition to integrating with CRM, ERP, and other back-office systems, CPQ produces data and supports analytics in its own right.

It arms businesses with actionable insights into customer behavior and product selections, driving continuous improvement. It also supports process mining initiatives, where repeated business processes are identified for optimization and automation.

1. Reporting and Analysis: CPQ systems capture data that can feed into data analysis and business intelligence (BI) strategies. It provides insights into customer trends, operational bottlenecks, and efficiency opportunities.
2. Predictive Analytics: By leveraging historical data, CPQ systems can offer predictive analytics, helping in strategic planning, inventory management, and targeted marketing efforts.

In Conclusion

The L2C process is more than just a series of operational steps. It's the heartbeat of customer engagement and business growth. As companies meet demand for complex, customizable products, the L2C cycle itself has evolved to adapt to new business processes.

Managing complex L2C pipelines, while challenging, offers an opportunity for businesses to go above and beyond in delivering impactful customer experiences. The key lies in optimizing the L2C process, leveraging advanced tools such as CPQ software.

These tools are not just solutions but transformative agents that redefine customer engagement and operational efficiency. A streamlined, efficient L2C process, equipped with tools like Epicor CPQ, is a powerful driver for customer satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat business.

L2C FAQ

What is the Lead to Cash (L2C) process, and how does it contribute to revenue growth?

The lead-to-cash process encompasses all the stages, from initial customer contact to final payment. It's integral for driving revenue growth as it streamlines the sales, billing, and fulfillment process, ensuring efficient and effective revenue generation.

How does revenue recognition work within the L2C process, especially for professional services?

In a business that provides professional services, like consulting or legal work, it's important to record the money earned (revenue) at the time the service is actually delivered. This helps match the money made with the time period when the work was performed, which is important for preparing accurate financial reports and following rules and regulations.

What are the common causes of revenue leakage in the L2C process, and how can they be addressed?

Revenue leakage often occurs due to inefficient processes, errors in billing, or missed sales opportunities. It can be addressed by adopting robust systems like Epicor CPQ, SAP Sales Cloud, or Salesforce CPQ that streamline the sales order and billing processes and provide better visibility and control over the entire L2C cycle.

How does integrating customer success strategies into the L2C process enhance customer experience and loyalty?

Integrating customer success strategies into the L2C process focuses a company’s efforts where they matter most: on long-term customer satisfaction.

This approach ensures customers receive continuous value from their purchases, fostering loyalty and leading to repeat business and referrals.

Can the L2C process benefit from automation, and if so, how?

Yes, automating the L2C process can significantly improve efficiency and accuracy, from lead generation to final invoicing.

Automation tools can help manage customer data, track sales orders, generate accurate quotes and invoices, and ensure timely follow-ups, all of which contribute to a smoother and more reliable process.

What role do CRM systems like SAP Customer Experience and Salesforce Sales Cloud play in the L2C process?

CRM systems like SAP Customer Experience, Salesforce Sales Cloud, and Epicor CPQ (which has built-in CRM capabilities) are critical in managing customer interactions and data throughout the L2C process.

They provide valuable insights into customer needs and behaviors, facilitate effective communication, and help track the progress of sales opportunities, all of which are key to optimizing the L2C cycle.