Lenovo selects Apttus (Image Credit Doug Cline, 2012 under CC0)

Apttus has announced that Lenovo has completed the first phase of implementing its CPQ software. Starting this week Lenovo are using Apttus CPQ in North America to significantly improve their quotation process for clients. Initially the PC group will use Apttus but by July the data centre group will also use the solution. For customers this means a far faster turnaround of quotations than was delivered before. Initial indications are that a process that used to take days, now take minutes.

Benefits for Lenovo and its customers

One look at Lenovo’s online forums and it is easy to see why they chose the Apttus solution. “Too many SKU’s” is the headline of one entry, referring to laptops alone. Lenovo are taking advantage of the Apttus machine learning to simplify the process for raising quotations, delivering dynamic pricing and configurations quickly.

The scope of the project will cover all products across the group including PC’s, servers, parts, accessories and services. Eventually 3,500 Lenovo employees will use the solution in North America, Asia and EMEA. The implementation in Asia is next to complete for the PC Group. The data centre group in both regions will follow in July and EMEA will be implemented in September.

One of the key benefits is that the implementation has streamlined the approval process for quotations. For Lenovo’s corporate customers this is welcome news. Requesting pricing for a new server farm can take a considerable amount of time and can lead to delays on projects. Apttus will virtually eliminate that delay allowing customers to rapidly make decisions for their business.

This will cut down the administration times for the sales team. It will also allow them to spend more time with customers discussing needs and bringing additional value to the relationship.

Rapid project deployment

The project is phased to allow for training and the importing and validation of data into the Apttus solution. The initial phase took only four months. The Apttus implementation services team and PWC are helping Lenovo implement the solution. This includes integration into Salesforce and SAP ERP. Lenovo recently renewed their relationship with SAP although they choose Apttus over one of the SAP dedicated partner solutions.

Scott Ottman, Vice President, Inside Sales and Sales Operations for Lenovo North America commented: “Apttus CPQ will be critical not just in transforming our business and sales execution, this solution will also allow us to spend more time engaging our customers. We’re excited to be a part of the cutting edge of Quote-to-Cash technology and the many benefits it will bring to Lenovo.”

Lenovo is looking to recover its investment costs in under a year, an impressive ROI for any software implementation. Once completed Apttus are hoping they will invest further in Apttus solutions extending the functionality of their QTC solution according to an Apttus spokesperson.

Conclusion

Kirk Krappe, Founder and CEO Apttus Source Apttus)
Kirk Krappe, Founder and CEO Apttus

This is a good win for Apttus. Lenovo are using the software integrated with Salesforce at the front end and SAP at the back end. The rapid roll out and short times for ROI is testament to the impact that a configure, price, quote solution can have on an organisation.

Kirk Krappe, Apttus CEO commented: “Apttus is dedicated to delivering the world’s most comprehensive and innovative quoting solution. Companies like Lenovo experience not only tremendous and impactful results, but also better experiences for their own sales teams. Their success is a validation of both Apttus’ offerings as a whole and the unique value of an effective, enterprise-level CPQ solution.”

It will be interesting to see whether Apttus implement Max, the Apttus intelligent agent. This could assist customers to quickly create quotations themselves. It would provide an interface for server or PC configuration that delivers a competitive advantage. Pricing up computers can be a painstaking business and it is an area that an AI could assist with significantly.

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