134 “ None of the other tools we considered came even close to the power of Experlogix” GUIDO VAN MIER, THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC By working with Experlogix, Thermo Fisher Scientific has reduced quote times, improved the accuracy of instrument configuration and enabled the business to run much more smoothly P ROF I L ED : THE RMO F I SHE R S C I ENT I F I C Putting CPQ under the microscope Thermo Fisher Scientific (TFS) is a provider of scientific instruments, including electron and ion-beam microscopes and tools for nanoscale applications across many industries including materials research, life sciences and data storage. The business operates in an extremely price- and market-conscious field, so it wanted to streamline internal and external business operations with a more effective configure, price, quote (CPQ) solution. TFS was already using a quote and order system, but the process had limitations. For example, sales and customer service teams had to use around 20 different software tools and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to complete a proposal or order. These were cumbersome and difficult to maintain and did not integrate with the firm’s customer relationship management (CRM) system, which also introduced inefficiencies. TFS decided to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM to improve sales and customer service operations. To help realise the benefits of the new CRM solution, TFS needed an integrated product configurator to control quote and order configurations of products and services precisely, and support discount approvals and non-standard requests. It also wanted to be able to provide accurate pricing in multiple currencies, consolidate the needs of product administrators operating in different time zones, and create a “corporate memory” of product configurations. “TFS runs an international business with various factories around the globe,” says Guido van Mier, configuration manager for TFS. “We needed a highly flexible, scalable configurator that would help streamline our financial management and allow us to control our configurations very precisely. Moreover, we wanted a tool that would easily support the use of discount approvals as well as the processing of non-standard requests.” After investigating several product configurator packages, TFS selected Experlogix due to its integration with Dynamics CRM and its scalable architecture. “We evaluated other solutions but in the end, there was no decision; Experlogix was the logical choice for us as it is such a versatile tool,” says van Mier. “Experlogix could handle all that we initially required and more. Just recently we incorporated logic that handles installation, warranty, additional warranty, and freight and duty. None of the other tools we considered came even close to the power of Experlogix. “One additional very important consideration for choosing Experlogix was its capabilities in managing our administrative pains. Multiple administrators operating in various time zones were putting quite a bit of stress on the system. Now our administrative departments work seamlessly around the world.” By working with Experlogix, TFS can now consolidate product and service options, rules and pricing into a single intelligent system, eliminating the need for paper catalogues and complex spreadsheets. Experlogix has also helped the business to ensure that the entire proposal or order is accurate, guaranteeing a
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