Seamless Quote-to-Cash Transformation with Salesforce CPQ and Certinia CPQ

Quote-to-Cash Transformation
In the quest for operational efficiency, the fusion of Salesforce CPQ and Certinia CPQ offers a powerful combination for a smooth and integrated Quote-to-Cash (QTC) transformation. In this blog, we explore the collaborative strengths of both systems, outlining how this dynamic partnership can optimize project estimates, enhance order and project management, and provide a robust foundation for customer engagement.

Fine-Tuning Project Estimates

Integrating Salesforce CPQ and Certinia CPQ ensures precise project estimates by combining Salesforce’s advanced product configuration capabilities and user-friendly interface with Certinia’s resource modeling and services quoting functions. This collaborative approach enhances accuracy for both product quoting (for SaaS and/or finished goods) and robust project & resource planning for exceptionally tight project execution.

A Boston-based SaaS and professional services company faced challenges in accurately estimating project costs due to complex product configurations and an inability to conduct sophisticated resource modeling within its existing Salesforce CPQ system. This integration empowers sales teams to navigate and model precise resource configurations, examine rates, costs, and margin structures, and provide upcoming visibility to the delivery teams for effective project planning. The collaborative approach significantly improves accuracy in delivering competitive project cost estimates to clients. Certinia CPQ’s integration resolved project estimation issues, improved planned utilization of the client’s workforce, and ultimately increased customer satisfaction.

Order and Project Integration

Order and Project Integration

Certinia CPQ, when seamlessly integrated with Salesforce CPQ, provides a unified perspective on quoting of tasks, resources, and staffing for all projects. This cohesive integration significantly streamlines the workflow, allowing for closed won quotes to be fully transitioned into projects within Certinia’s industry leading PSA application. This automated handoff helps remove friction for resource staffing, cost analysis, and helps to streamline client onboarding.

Consider the experience of an Austin-based services organization that recently adopted Salesforce CPQ for order management. The organization encountered challenges arising from disjointed processes between CPQ orders and the existing PSA project management system.

To overcome this obstacle, they strategically integrated Salesforce CPQ with Certinia Services CPQ, establishing a seamless handoff. This streamlined connection ensures that CPQ orders seamlessly trigger the creation of PSA projects, delivering comprehensive visibility into tasks, resource allocation, and staffing. The implementation of this unified approach resulted in a noteworthy 20% reduction in project initiation time and an overall 25% improvement in operational efficiency.

Salesforce CPQ as the Customer Engagement System of Record

Salesforce CPQ serves as the centralized system of record for customer engagement, covering various aspects such as guided selling, product configuration, pricing, contracting, amendments, and renewals. The seamless collaboration between Salesforce CPQ and Certinia Services CPQ establishes comprehensive control over customer interactions, making it the ultimate single source of truth for the entire business spectrum.

Despite the integration of Salesforce CPQ in the quoting process, a Chicago-based product & services company faced challenges in delivering a seamless and engaging customer experience. Specifically, the precision and sophistication in pricing and quoting both products and services proved to be elusive, negatively impacting their overall customer satisfaction.

To address these issues and enhance customer engagement, the company opted to integrate Certinia Services CPQ with its existing Salesforce CPQ. The result was a notable 20% increase in customer satisfaction scores post-integration, showcasing the positive impact on the overall customer experience achieved through a more refined and sophisticated quoting process. Certinia CPQ played a crucial role in this improvement, contributing to a 15% reduction in contract errors and 20% better utilization of the company’s staff.

Strong Adoption of Both Systems

The success of a comprehensive transformation lies in the robust adoption of both systems.  A skilled partner is vital for effective user training, enabling teams to master Salesforce CPQ and Certinia CPQ for seamless Quote-to-Cash transformation.

Encountering resistance within its sales and finance teams, a Toronto-based financial services firm grapples with the adoption of integrated Salesforce CPQ and Certinia CPQ systems. In response to this challenge, a seasoned technology partner takes charge, implementing a strategic user training initiative. The primary objective of the initiative is to overcome resistance by fostering familiarity and proficiency with the integrated systems. Through extensive training sessions, teams gain the skills needed to fully leverage collaborative features, ultimately ensuring a seamless Quote-to-Cash (QTC) transformation process. This targeted approach significantly enhances user adoption and empowers teams to maximize the benefits of the integrated systems.

Salesforce CPQ, Certinia CPQ
The collaborative prowess of Salesforce CPQ and Certinia CPQ is a game-changer in Quote-to-Cash (QTC) transformation. From fine-tuned project estimates to automated invoicing, the synergy between these platforms ensures a harmonious and efficient process. With the guidance of an experienced partner, businesses can unlock the full potential of this integrated solution, paving the way for a streamlined and optimized Quote-to-Cash (QTC) transformation journey.

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Satch Patel, Executive Vice President, MD, UK & EMEA

Satch brings 25+yrs of enterprise global solution experience having contributed to the growth of some of the worlds largest marquee software and hardware giants in the industry from Oracle Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Cisco/EMC, to Apttus & Salesforce.
 
Satch has helped many blue chip organisations realise their vision to modernize their systems from the front office to back office revenue operations to meet the demands of today’s radically transforming and digitally-driven business models, having worked with the likes of Linklaters, CliffordChance, Barclays, RELX Group, Microfocus, Novartis, Siemens, PayPal, Vista Equity Group Companies, London Stock Exchange, TPICAP and Princes Trust.
 
With his leadership approach, experience and passion for helping companies drive transformative change, Satch has a deep expertise in many industries, technologies and best practices across the lead to revenue lifecycle and how driving such digital transformation(s) can improve business growth and increase operational efficiencies  as well as preparing businesses for M&A activities.

Brion Schweers, Board Observer

Brion Schweers is a Senior Vice President of Product Management at Salesforce, currently managing the Revenue Cloud Solution Excellence team. During the past 30 years, Brion has assisted enterprises around the world in transforming their business by focusing on their Product-to-Cash processes. Prior to joining Salesforce Brion was VP & GM, CPQ at Apttus, VP, Sales & Success at A5 Consulting, served on the OAUG ConfigSIG Board and spent 15 years at Oracle in various roles related to their CX and CPQ products. Brion is also the executive Sponsor of Vetforce – Carolinas and is actively involved in the Salesforce Military program where he mentors Veterans and their spouses with actionable, personalized career advice.

Joseph Truhe, Board Member

Joseph Truhe has over 20 years of investing experience. Prior to joining Jefferson Capital in 2013 Joseph was a Portfolio Manager with Whitney Bank in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he oversaw the company’s Trust accounts and served as the Energy sector analyst for the Hancock Horizon Funds. Prior to Whitney, Joseph worked as an analyst and member of the investment committee at HFR Asset Management, a multi-billion dollar hedge fund platform in Chicago, Illinois. There, Joseph reviewed and maintained investment discretion over the firm’s Event Driven and Asia-focused hedge fund allocations. He was also responsible for the expansion of the firm’s Asia-focused fund offerings.  Joseph holds a BA in Economics from Yale University.

Steve Swartzman, Board Member

Steve Swartzman is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. Previously, as a co-founder of C3 Capital, he helped originate and manage over 35 investments, including national brands such as American Apparel, Traeger Grills, and Grunt Style. Steve’s chief focus remains consumer brands and e-commerce enablement businesses, and he currently serves on the boards of Grunt Style, Accel Clinical Research, Spoke Custom Products, Warne Scope Mounts, and New World Natural Brands.

Prior to C3, Steve structured and managed subordinated debt investments at KC Venture Group, and he spent 7 years as a Vice President with Citibank in New York, managing client relationships for emerging markets clients and structuring over $1 billion in complex trade financings. He is a past President of the Midwest chapter of the Small Business Investment Alliance, and he serves on the board of the International Center for Music at Park University in Kansas City.

Steve received a MBA from Columbia Business School and an AB in History and Literature from Harvard College.

He resides in Kansas City, where he was raised, with his wife Evelina and two sons, Harrison and Zandy. When he’s not working, his favorite activities are fishing, golfing, and eating.

Charles Scripps, Board Member

Chad has over ten years of experience investing in dynamic, growing businesses in diverse industries and geographies. His private equity experience includes HIG Capital, which has over $12B in capital under management, and AEA Investors, which manages over $3B of invested and committed capital. While at HIG and AEA, Chad led diligence, structuring, and financial analysis of potential and existing investments, and completed transactions in the industrial products and consumer services industries. Chad also has experience investing in the public equity markets, most notably as a Managing Director at Fox Point Capital, a $1B fund seeded by Julian Robertson of Tiger Management. He invested across a number of industries, including industrials, financials, technology, and consumer products, and led Fox Point’s international research. Prior to focusing his career on investing, Chad was a management consultant at McKinsey and Company, solving strategic problems for the world’s leading companies. Chad earned an MBA with Honors in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS with Distinction in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Lester F. Alexander II, Board Member

Les Alexander is a partner with Jefferson Capital Partners where he provides mezzanine and equity capital for growth and buyout transactions. Mr. Alexander is a member of the firm’s investment committee and serves on the board of directors of several portfolio companies where he is actively involved in strategic planning and corporate governance. Prior to joining Jefferson Capital, he worked at Advantage Capital Partners where he completed several portfolio company investments and served on the investment committee. Before becoming a private equity investor, Mr. Alexander served as president of Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc., a leading fire truck and emergency vehicle manufacturer. At Ferrara, he was responsible for managing a workforce of 450 employees producing over 300 vehicles annually for its domestic and international customers. As an investment banker for 15 years with such firms as Howard Weil, Southcoast Capital, and J.C. Bradford & Co., Mr. Alexander completed over 50 public offerings of debt and equity securities, private placements, and merger and acquisition transactions totaling more than $7 billion for public and private companies in a variety of industries. Mr. Alexander is an adjunct professor at Tulane University and Loyola University where he teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in investment banking, private equity & venture capital, advanced financial management, investments, and entrepreneurship. He is also the board president for Benjamin Franklin High School, a public charter school in New Orleans. Mr. Alexander is the former Chairman Finance of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and served on the global Board of Directors. He is a founder of the Louisiana chapter of ACG and was a recipient of the ACG global Meritorious Service Award and the Louisiana chapter’s Outstanding Service Award. Mr. Alexander received his bachelor of science in Commerce from the University of Virginia in 1989 and his MBA from the University of North Carolina in 1993.

Patrick F. Healy, Board Member

Based in Kansas City, Mr. Healy is a co-founder of C3 Capital. He has been an active private equity investor since 1985 and was a co-founder of C3 Holdings in 1994. Prior to this time, he sponsored and structured equity investments in real estate. He gained extensive workout and restructuring experience as chair of the creditor’s committee of a $1 billion bankruptcy and from being called upon to rescue a publicly-traded company from a major fraud. Mr. Healy was a senior tax partner at Mayer Hoffman McCann, a regional CPA firm, for eleven years. He received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Kansas.

Chris Waters, VP of Strategic Sales

As Vice President of Strategic Sales, Chris guides and influences all strategic sales activities at A5 , starting in presales activities, successful sales methodology, sales process, and continued revenue generation and expansion opportunities. Furthermore, he will provide oversight in strategic sales function for the company and develop strategic sales plans that will promote growth in sales and customer satisfaction. Chris has proven his commitment to sales leadership and organizational success through field leadership as National Sales Manager at Deluxe Corporation, Field Sales Manager within the Social / Analytics Cloud at Oracle, US Regional Manager for CPQ Major Accounts at Oracle and now as Vice President on Sr. Leadership Team at A5.

Keith Fox, GM Salesforce Canada

Keith Fox is a software and consulting veteran for the past 34 years. Keith started his career at EDS which was followed by 4-year stint offshore in Bermuda. Keith then returned to Canada where he held a number of progressive sales and technical positions with software companies such as Sybase, BEA, and Oracle. After his stint with Oracle, Keith founded Cloudware Connections, a premier Salesforce consulting partner. 11 years down the line, Cloudware was acquired by A5, and Keith joined as GM for Canada.

Tarun Sharma, Vice President Delivery

Tarun Sharma is Vice President Delivery at A5 and is responsible for customer success, project operations, recruitment, resource utilization, and sales operations functions for Oracle practice. As a business and technology leader Tarun helps businesses develop solution strategies to streamline the sales process and improve customer relations to drive revenues, profits, and build brand loyalty. Tarun has led customers through digital transformation journeys. He has commanded strategic and tactical initiatives to shorten sales cycles, increase deal values and productivity, improve brand awareness and help organizations become easier to do business with. He has helped customers modernize their sales enablement tools and present a single source of information to support an omni-channel sales approach. This includes global roll-out for multiple business units included multi-currency and multi-language. Tarun graduated from Texas A&M University with a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering.

Adam Rosenfield, VP of Salesforce Practice

As Vice President of A5’s consulting practice – Adam is responsible for both strategic alliances with partners and expanded sales growth through the entire portfolio of A5 services. With over 20 years of Sr. level management consulting expertise – Adam has worn multiple hats in his career including practice development, sales, and client advisory. He has sold & delivered countless enterprise transformational initiatives creating a measurable competitive advantage for his customers. In addition to various technical software certifications, Adam holds an undergraduate and master’s degree in Accounting & Information Technology from the University of Texas at Austin and resides in El Paso Texas with his wife and 3 children.

PJ Alfrejd, CFO

As the CFO, PJ is responsible for all things financial at A5. With over 20 years of experience in financial leadership positions, PJ has worn all the hats required of a growing tech business. His extensive knowledge of the consulting industry, experience with M&A, and strength in operational finance is another catalyst to take A5 to the next level in its growth trajectory. PJ is a CPA with a BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and has held various finance leadership positions at Exodus/Savvis (acquired by Centurylink), Neohapsis (acquired by Cisco), and mFoundry (acquired by FIS).

Vinay Kruttiventi, President & CEO / Chairman of the Board

As the CEO of A5, Vinay plays an active role in all aspects of day-to-day business operations. He is also actively involved in establishing a strategy and vision for the company. As a true customer advocate with Salesforce and Oracle product development, Vinay is actively engaged in various industry user/special interest groups. Since founding the company in 2004, Vinay has grown the business into a leading Salesforce, and Oracle partner focused on multi-cloud transformations.

Vinay has successfully implemented and architected CPQ solutions and multi-cloud complex transformation projects for various Fortune 500 companies since 1996. He has a strong authority over industry, process, and technology in Configure-Price-Quote and ERP applications. Vinay graduated from Osmania University with a Bachelor of Engineering degree and JNTU (Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University) with a Master in Technology degree.