Today’s CPQ users demand AI-powered automation, visual configuration, self-service capabilities, and real-time data synchronization to deliver accurate quotes and tailored buying journeys. As a result, businesses are shifting toward next-generation CPQ platforms that offer greater flexibility, scalability, and customer-centric features.
Legacy CPQ systems often fall short on delivering these essential features. Companies working with legacy solutions often struggle with rigid and difficult-to-customize CPQ software that requires substantial resources to implement even the most basic changes.
As a result of this inflexibility, businesses are pivoting towards more agile, innovative solutions that can adapt quickly to current market dynamics and modern client expectations while empowering sales teams to provide more customized service.
Why legacy CPQ is falling behind
Sales teams are under constant pressure to deliver personalized, accurate quotes faster than ever, while managing increasingly complex product configurations and approval workflows.
Legacy Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) systems, once seen as innovative, are now falling short of modern requirements. These outdated platforms often lack the flexibility to support real-time data synchronization, AI-powered recommendations, and varied business models. Their rigid architectures make it difficult to adapt to evolving pricing strategies, integrate with CRM and ERP systems, or scale across global teams. As a result, sales cycles slow down, customer experiences suffer, and revenue opportunities are missed.
As businesses evolve, it’s essential to explore the CPQ pros and cons of legacy versus next-gen solutions to make informed decisions that align with future growth. So, let’s dive into how modern CPQ solutions transform the buying and selling experience.
Trends in CPQ: transforming sales to meet customer expectations
Before exploring next‑gen CPQ software, it’s essential to understand the shifting expectations of modern sales teams and their customers. Today’s sales professionals need intelligent tools that let them work smarter, empowering them with AI‑enhanced insights for account prioritization, real‑time forecasting, and predictive guidance.
They require sales enablement platforms that deliver just‑in‑time training, behavior‑based coaching, and seamless CRM integration, all while supporting hybrid engagement models and personalized self‑service experiences for buyers. Salesforce’s State of Sales Report shows that AI‑powered sales teams are significantly more likely to grow revenue and streamline their workflows for better efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Customers want a simplified, seamless experience at every step of their buying journey. They expect sales tools that cater to their unique preferences, offer self-service options, and deliver fast, accurate quotes.
Optimizing the sales process based on the latest CPQ trends requires implementing a solution that can bridge sales and customer expectations while increasing overall satisfaction and delivering efficiency.
What today’s customer wants
Clients are clear in their expectations, and what they expect makes sense from a customer service perspective. They look for a company that can deliver:
Easier access to product catalogs and pricing
Customers want intuitive access to comprehensive product catalogs and pricing information. They expect a user-friendly experience that offers different product options and variations that they can explore freely.
Personalization
Today’s customers seek personalized experiences. They want recommendations based on their specific needs, preferences, and past interactions. Sales teams can close more deals by being flexible and presenting customized product bundles and pricing options.
Visual configuration
Visual configuration tools are integral to CPQ solutions; customers expect a dynamic interface that allows them to see how different product configurations would look and function. This feature enhances engagement, reduces purchase errors, and increases the likelihood of a sale.
Fast quotes
Business moves faster than ever, and customers demand fast turnaround times. They expect quick and accurate quotes that reflect their specific requirements. A CPQ solution that can generate quotes at the speed of client expectations increases customer satisfaction and gives sales teams a competitive edge.
Reasons to switch to agile CPQ
While customer demand evolves and legacy CPQ software struggles to keep up, next-gen B2B CPQ solutions offer several significant advantages for businesses seeking growth and efficiency.
Increase sales team productivity
Legacy CPQ systems often involve manual and time-consuming processes that reduce or disrupt sales team productivity. Agile CPQ solutions automate the repetitive admin tasks, freeing up valuable time for teams to focus on nurturing relationships with prospects and closing more deals faster.
Automate sales processes
Agile CPQ streamlines the entire sales cycle via the automation of key processes. From product configuration and pricing calculations to generating quotes and managing approvals, automation in agile CPQ products reduces errors, accelerates response times, and builds consistency that the entire sales team can benefit from.
Improve data integration
While legacy CPQ systems can complicate data integration, agile CPQ solutions remove data silos and enable seamless data flow between CRM systems, ERP systems, and other crucial business tools. With integration across data sources, information remains accurate and up-to-date.
Get real-time data and reporting
Digital transformation in CPQ provides sales teams with real-time data and reporting capabilities that build transparency into the sales lifecycle. Sales teams gain insights into customer preferences, product performance, and sales trends so that they have the power to make informed decisions and tailor their strategies for individual customers to build relationships and close deals.
Streamline the sales cycle
Agile CPQ software simplifies the sales cycle by eliminating bottlenecks and reducing manual intervention. Automated workflows, streamlined approvals, better order management, and instant access to product information allow sales teams to navigate the entire sales process efficiently.
Accelerate quote-to-revenue
It’s critical to convert quotes to revenue fast. Agile CPQ solutions expedite the quote-to-revenue process on multiple fronts, including eliminating delays, automating approvals, and providing customers with instant quotes. The accelerated process enables companies to seize opportunities and maximize revenue.
Pros and cons of legacy and next-gen CPQ software
Let’s take a closer look at the CPQ pros and cons when it comes to legacy and next-gen CPQ software:
Legacy CPQ software has long delivered stability and reliability, proving its value across countless organizations. However, these systems struggle to keep pace with today’s fast-moving business environment. Their rigid architecture makes it difficult to adjust to evolving pricing strategies, customer expectations, or complex product configurations. Customizations are time-consuming, integrations with modern tools are cumbersome, and scaling across departments or regions typically requires extensive IT support and development resources. As a result, sales teams can become bogged down in outdated processes that slow down deal velocity.
Next-generation B2B CPQ solutions are built for flexibility, speed, and innovation. Cloud-based, low code, and modular by design, they enable continuous updates and seamless integration with CRM, ERP, and other go-to-market systems. These platforms support advanced features like guided selling, real-time pricing, AI-powered recommendations, and dynamic product configuration, which help sales teams create personalized, accurate quotes quickly and efficiently. Scalability is also a key advantage; as businesses grow or shift focus, modern CPQ tools can easily adapt without costly re-engineering.
While transitioning to a next-gen CPQ solution may require thoughtful planning, particularly around data migration, user training, and system integration, the long-term gains far outweigh the initial effort. Companies that embrace modern CPQ benefit from accelerated sales cycles, improved quote accuracy, better customer experiences, and enhanced alignment between sales and operations. These solutions empower sales teams with the tools they need to meet customer expectations and outperform the competition in a digital-first marketplace.
Factors to consider when migrating from legacy to next-gen CPQ
Several critical factors require careful consideration when migrating an organizations CPQ from legacy to next-gen software. Reflecting on these factors and putting a plan in place pre-implementation will ensure setup and onboarding are a snap.
1. Aligning business goals and needs
Aligning the choice of CPQ software with your business goals and needs is crucial. Before choosing a solution:
- Evaluate your specific requirements and growth plans.
- Research the solution’s scalability to clarify if the product can grow with the company.
- Consider factors such as industry specialization, integration capabilities, and ease of customization.
2. Implementation and training
Be clear-eyed about the support and training required for a smooth transition. Consider the implementation timeline, potential operations disruptions, and what training and support are available for your team. A successful migration will require good planning and effective change management.
3. Data migration and integration
Evaluate the ease and accuracy of data migration from these systems to the new CPQ solution. Assess the integration capabilities with existing CRM, ERP, and other essential business tools. Seamless data flow and integration will maintain efficiency and maximize the value of a next-gen investment.
4. Cost and ROI
Don’t just look at the price tag! Consider the overall cost of migrating to next-gen CPQ software. Assess both upfront and ongoing costs, such as licensing fees, implementation, training, and potential customization. Additionally, analyze the ROI (return on investment) potential and any other long-term benefits a new solution can deliver to your organization.
What’s next: emerging trends in CPQ
As technology continues to evolve and forward-thinking companies trade in their legacy CPQs for more agile solutions, there are several emerging trends to keep an eye on:
CPQ as a strategic lever in the revenue lifecycle
As businesses shift toward revenue-centric strategies, CPQ is playing a larger role in the broader quote-to-revenue (Q2R) process. CPQ has become a critical link between sales, finance, customer success, and operations. By connecting CPQ with billing, subscription management, revenue recognition, and CRM systems, companies create a seamless revenue lifecycle, from initial quote to final payment and renewal.
This connected approach reduces errors, accelerates deal cycles, and ensures a smooth handoff between departments. It also enables real-time visibility into revenue data and customer behavior, which is essential for accurate forecasting and proactive decision-making.
Agile CPQ
Next-gen CPQ solutions will continue to gain popularity thanks to their adaptability and flexibility in meeting the needs of businesses and customers alike.
CPQ on the cloud
Cloud-based CPQ solutions are becoming popular due to their scalability and accessibility. Cloud-based CPQ is easy to deploy, updates regularly, and reduces maintenance, lessening the burden on internal IT teams. Other benefits include easy remote access, better collaboration, and real-time data synchronization.
Mobile operability
As mobile devices continue to free both sales teams and customers from offices and desktops, CPQ solutions keep pace to provide for a better handheld experience. Optimizing for mobile allows sales reps to access CPQ tools and customer data on the go to deliver real-time quotes and engage with customers anytime, anywhere.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP)
AI and NLP are disrupting every sector they touch, and CPQ can benefit from AI-powered algorithms that analyze customer data, historical patterns, and market trends to provide personalized product recommendations and pricing strategies. NLP also enables natural language understanding to allow customers to interact with CPQ systems using conversational language, which enhances the overall experience.
Visual buying experiences
Visual configuration tools continue to evolve to provide increasingly sophisticated and immersive experiences enabling customers to interact with product options in a visually engaging way. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can transform the buying experience, allowing customers to visualize and customize products in real-world environments.
Integration with customer experience (CX) platforms
CPQ is becoming more tightly integrated with CRMs and marketing automation systems. This provides seamless data sharing and a holistic view of customer interactions so that sales teams can personalize quotes, offers, and recommendations based on customer behavior and preferences.
Advanced analytics and predictive insights
CPQ systems incorporating advanced analytics and predictive insights so users can make data-driven decisions. With better analytics, businesses can identify opportunities and upsell with ease. Predictive insights also improve sales forecasting accuracy.
Configurable commerce
CPQ solutions are evolving to provide end-to-end configurable commerce capabilities. Beyond generating quotes, CPQ systems can easily integrate with e-commerce platforms to create a cohesive buying journey.
Internet of things (IoT) integration
As IoT technology continues its forward march, CPQ integration with IoT devices has an opportunity to enhance customer service while driving sales. When integrated with IoT, CPQ systems can leverage data from connected products to recommend compatible accessories, handle remote diagnostics, and deliver pricing based on usage or subscription models.
There’s never been a better time to explore what an agile CPQ solution can do to streamline your quote-to-revenue execution. Take a close look at how your sales team’s needs are changing and then weigh the pros and cons of legacy vs. modern CPQ. The right CPQ platform will empower your team, boosts efficiency, and create the kind of buying experience your customers expect.Ready to future-proof your sales process? Contact us to see next-gen CPQ in action.
