Overview
When dealing with small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), trade, government departments and international customers, a quotation function can offer additional value not generally available on B2C websites. There are many reasons for a trade user to create a quote. Some may be related to:
- Compliance - they need quotes from different suppliers as part of corporate governance; they may also use this as a form of approval as a part of their internal buying procedure.
- Assistance request - they want to buy a specific product but are unsure if accessories or consumables etc are required. A quotation can be an opportunity for your sales staff to upsell and convert a quote into an order.
- Freight request - the customer wants to buy a product and would like to confirm the shipping costs and lead time before proceeding.
- Better pricing - the customer wants to buy a large quantity of multiple items and would like a sales rep to review for better prices;
- Or they may have seen a competitor's product but would prefer to buy yours if you can price match or start a conversation about why your product is better. (NOTE - Adjustment of pricing must currently be done in the ERP and the quote re-integrated.)
Quote Modes
Quotation modes available
Which quote mode your ecommerce site should implement depends on the combination of several factors, e.g., is quoting is to be done in the ERP or online, what ERP is used, how freight should be handled, and whether to allow customers to use an approval process. If your business uses Pronto, the standard mode can be self-configured. All options need consultation with Commerce Vision.
| Mode | Description | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced with Freight |
| The 'Advanced With Freight' quote mode is the most advanced and powerful one on CSS. This mode enables user to define multi-step pages to complete a quoting process, where customised freight options can be defined and added/estimated to the quote. The freight of a quote can also be updated/re-calculated on ERP. |
| Online Only |
| On 'Online only' quote mode, B2B users submit a quote request at checkout, where freight can be added and calculated. With fixed pricing, the quote is available on the 'Quote Approve' and 'Quote Review' pages. Users can elect to convert the quote into a sales order. |
| Online and Pronto Approved |
| The workflow of 'Online And Pronto Approved' quote mode is similar to that of 'Online Only' mode. However, the requested quote is sent to Pronto for approval before it can be converted into a sales order. |
| Pronto Approved |
| The 'Pronto Approved' quote mode can only work with Pronto ERP, and integrates with the Pronto quote approval system. |
| Pronto Freight Approved |
| The 'Pronto Freight Approved' quote mode can only work with Pronto ERP, and integrates with the Pronto freight system. |
| Standard |
| On 'Standard' quote mode, a quote created by B2B users on CSS is automatically sent to ERP for review and editing. After the quote is finalised and freight added in ERP, it is converted to a sales order and re-integrated to CSS. |
| Standard and Approved |
| The advantage of 'Standard And Approved' quote mode over 'Standard' is that customer can manage (approve/modify) a quote on CSS before it is sent to ERP. The freight options can also be defined and added/estimated to the quote. |
Note Solutions that integrate with non-Pronto ERPs can also be implemented.
Additional Information
| Minimum Version Requirements |
|
|---|---|
| Prerequisites |
|
| Self Configurable |
|
| Business Function |
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| BPD Only? |
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| B2B/B2C/Both |
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| Third Party Costs |
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Related help
