Tips For Appointing A Successful CPQ Administrator

Implementing a configure, price, quote (CPQ) solution will transform your sales process — but only if you have the right people managing it. Who you task with setting up the platform and managing it on a day-to-day basis is just as important as selecting the right CPQ solution.

A quality CPQ administrator needs to be capable of managing the switchover, implementation, and eventual day-to-day use of the system. This admin’s skills and traits will be key to the success of your new endeavor, but what qualities do you need to look for in a candidate? Let’s dive in.

What to Look For in a CPQ Admin Candidate

Like all positions at your company, you can choose to recruit internally, or hire an outside expert. If you promote from within, you’ll have someone who is familiar with the company and knows the ins-and-outs of the business and its personalities. However, hiring someone from outside the company can bring a fresh perspective and make it easier to identify ways to improve existing workflows. Whether you choose to hire internally or externally, here’s what you should look for in a candidate:

Dedication to Your Organization

Regardless of whom you pick, you need to ensure that the new hire is committed to the success of the organization. They need to be the type of person who truly wants the company to succeed and will stay with you for years to come instead of simply looking at this job as a stepping stone to employment outside the company.

Existing CPQ Knowledge

You want the admin to spend the majority of their time working on projects that are CPQ-related. To ensure success, the admin needs to be a dedicated resource, and that means they shouldn’t have unrelated tasks eating up most of their time. The admin needs to become an expert at using and administering the software.

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Self-Sufficiency — Within Reason

Ideally, you want a CPQ admin who can work independently and doesn’t need a lot of micro-management or close supervision. But you also want someone who knows their own limitations. They should be able to admit when they don’t know something and be willing to reach out to others (either inside the company or outside) who can provide help and support, especially with the switchover and implementation.

Resourcefulness

You’ll need an admin who knows how to use the resources available to them. While CPQ providers will have tech support teams, you need someone who’s able to troubleshoot and figure things out on their own as much as possible. An admin should know how to use the resources provided with the software, and also know when to reach out to the tech support team when the solution is not apparent.

Rapport With SMEs

Your new CPQ admin needs to know how to assemble and regularly communicate with an internal team of specialists and stakeholders. At a minimum, this should include representatives from sales, engineering, and production. This will help make sure that you’re getting the most out of your CPQ software and create buy-in across the company.

Collaborative And Service-Oriented

Your admin should have the ability to work with the end-users throughout the implementation process. Getting input from your sales team and customer base helps ensure that the newly implemented CPQ system is designed for the people who will actually be using it.

People Skills

This is a new prospect with a new paradigm for your entire business, so your admin should be eager to learn and do research. They need to be organized and not afraid to ask questions.

There will be team members who are resistant to new ways of doing things. As such, your admin will need to bring a positive energy and create excitement about the CPQ solution in order to get buy-in from the rest of the organization. You’ll also want to be sure they’re able to collaborate well with others, have a goal-oriented mentality as well as a creative spirit, so they can think outside the box.

Technical Skills

In addition to strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, the ideal CPQ admin will need a number of technical proficiencies. Some of these include:

Experience with web development and CAD, so they have an idea of what needs to be done to integrate your new solution with these areas.
A foundational knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as comfort with web applications and tools.
An understanding of industrial or mechanical engineering, so they will know how CPQ will impact that department.
Hands-on manufacturing experience, so you don’t have to completely train someone on how your industry works.

Switching over to a CPQ solution is a game-changing decision, but it can be incredibly daunting to bring about so much change. That’s why you need a strong leader as your admin who can steer your business into a new chapter of efficiency and growth.

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Tips For Appointing A Successful CPQ Administrator

What to Look For in a CPQ Admin Candidate

Dedication to Your Organization

Existing CPQ Knowledge

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CPQ

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CPQ

Ready to Calculate Your ROI?

Considering CPQ software but unsure when you’ll see a return on your investment? Use the new CPQ ROI calculator now!

Self-Sufficiency — Within Reason

Resourcefulness

Rapport With SMEs

Collaborative And Service-Oriented

People Skills

Technical Skills

Interested in Learning More?

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Connect With Us

Ready to drive business transformation?

Tips For Appointing A Successful CPQ Administrator

What to Look For in a CPQ Admin Candidate

Dedication to Your Organization

Existing CPQ Knowledge

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CPQ

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CPQ

Ready to Calculate Your ROI?

Considering CPQ software but unsure when you’ll see a return on your investment? Use the new CPQ ROI calculator now!

Self-Sufficiency — Within Reason

Resourcefulness

Rapport With SMEs

Collaborative And Service-Oriented

People Skills

Technical Skills

Schedule a Demo

Interested in Learning More?

What is Idea to Cash

10 Signs You Need a CPQ Solution

7 Ways CPQ Transforms Manufacturing Sales

Digital Transformation in Manufacturing

ETO vs MTO

What is CPQ

The Power of Enhanced Guided Selling

CPQ Best Practices for a Smooth, Successful Launch

8 Tips For An Effective CPQ Launch

5 Top Features Manufacturers Should Look for In Product Configurators​

Connect With Us

Ready to drive business transformation?

5 Top Features Manufacturers Should Look for In Product Configurators