Challenges and success factors
Why the logic for the configurator should not start in the webshop
As a manufacturer and finisher from industry and the public sector, you face a central challenge. If you sell products that can be customized by your customers, for example servers, laptops, desktop PCs, cars, motorcycles, shutters, doors or windows, then you need a product configurator in your online shop. Easier said than done, because ...
... the configurator must communicate seamlessly with the merchandise management system, otherwise you can't produce anything and sell anything.
Challenge 1 - Configurator & Webshop
+The configurator is often implemented where it is first needed by potential buyers: The web shop. That's why the configurator logic then ends up in a place where a lot of programming effort goes into - the backend of your e-commerce solution. No sooner said than done, a lot of money invested: Frontend and backend deliver a reasonable result. BUT ...
... ultimately, the data of the configuration ordered by the customer must also be transferred from the web shop to the ERP - and back again. This is the only way for production and logistics to work, and the only way for the buyer to see the stock of individual components and items before check-out.
Challenge 2 - Configurator & Middleware
+In most cases, when using a configurator, a middleware is used which transfers the data from the web shop back to the ERP. This again results in development costs. With each new interface, the whole system becomes more error-prone. The next update of your e-commerce platform may already ensure that the configurator in the shop no longer works.
Moreover, the data usually flows in only one direction: from the web shop via the middleware into the ERP system. Although you have managed to synchronize selected data records, such as the inventory, back into the web shop, the costs and effort involved were very high.
Challenge 3 - Configurator & Sales Team
+What if your sales department wants to create an offer without creating a login for the customer in the online shop because he or she might not want to? Instead, you simply want to receive an offer PDF by e-mail? A common business process in medium-sized businesses.
Then you start to create interim solutions in order to import the desired configuration into the ERP in such a way that the sales department can create an offer. Once this has been sent to the customer, the customer will, in the best case, want to buy an upgrade or make a change. And the whole process starts all over again. It takes the sales team up to 25 minutes to create a single quote - far too long, even for high margin products.
In the worst case, the configuration logic and a lot of product data is only in the backend of your online shop. Now the product is taken offline because it has been sold out. Aftersales and service, however, always result in small quantities of used products that can be offered as "refurbished" without any problems. If these items are not switched live in the web shop, the sales team cannot easily make an offer, because the knowledge of compatible components is only documented in the web shop and possibly nowhere else. The refurbished, valuable products now gather dust in the warehouse until they are written off and disposed of.
This scenario plays in the past. In the next section you can find out how our Product Configurator can solve all the challenges mentioned above efficiently and cost-effectively for you.
The solution
The Dynamics 365 Product Configurator for all common e-commerce platforms
Do you sell customizable products such as servers, laptops, desktop PCs, cars, motorcycles, shutters, doors or windows? Do you need a product configurator for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance that is as individual as your business? Then we have the right solution for you. Our product configurator is directly integrated into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and can be used for all common e-commerce platforms such as Magento, shopware, OXID eShop and many more.
Let your customers easily configure and purchase highly complex products in the online shop of your choice.
Dynamics 365 Product Configurator - Simple to complex variants
+With our product configurator, nested products can be easily assembled and purchased. Your customers will be taken by the hand and will only see feasible model variants due to previously defined dependencies.
You want to display a widely distributed product with many dependencies in your online shop? Your customers should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to delve into the smallest detail or only use a simplified view. This is also possible.
Dynamics 365 Product Configurator - Synchronization & Performance
+Create a configurable product in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance within a very short time. State-of-the-art technologies such as Azure Blob Storage connect images directly to your online shop without loading times. Information such as product texts or prices are synchronised with the e-commerce platform in real time. The performance gain due to the lack of middleware is enormous. Changes such as price adjustments in Dynamics 365 Finance are displayed in the online shop without delay.
Dynamics 365 Product Configurator - Connection to OXID eShop
+And the best thing is: If you decide on OXID eShop, the connection of our product configurator to the web shop is part of the package.
Since all information and the logic of the configurator remain in the merchandise management system, you solve another challenge in addition. What if your sales department wants to send a PDF offer to a prospective customer, but the customer does not want to order in the online shop herself? It's simple: The product is configured directly in Dynamics 365 Finance, transferred to a offer and sent via the CRM. Simple, fast and very efficient.
