5 Benefits Gained from Automated Approval Workflows in Dynamics 365 Sales with CPQ

Every sales representative knows that the longer it takes to get a final quote in a prospective buyer’s hand, the more likely the deal won’t close. However, with good reason, a deep discount or a change in contract language will need approval before reaching the customer. Getting that approval can often be a bottleneck that slows the performance of a company’s sales team and allows potential revenue to slip away.

Rather than struggling with inefficient software and processes, you can streamline the approval workflow and gain a competitive advantage. Adopting a modern CPQ for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales will help you do just that, significantly reducing the time needed to close a deal.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 benefits of automated approval workflows in a Configure-Price-Quote (CPQ) solution, as well as 3 examples of sales approval workflows that are prime candidates for automation.

Why You Need Automated Approval Workflows with a CPQ in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales

Automated approval workflows are key to speeding up response times, and they also reduce errors that inevitably creep in with manual processes. Such improvements lead to increased customer satisfaction rates and higher revenues. Let’s examine 5 such benefits.

1. Improve Cross-Team Collaboration

Imagine one of your top-performing sales representatives has a large potential deal with a new customer. To win their business, he needs approval from the legal department to change the contract language, and approval from the finance department to offer an attractive discount. He sends emails to the two departments… and waits. With email, there is little accountability, and it’s easy to overlook an urgent approval request among a flurry of messages.

With automated approval workflows like those in DealHub CPQ, there is clear visibility throughout the approval process. It’s easy to determine who needs to approve a deal, and the system reminds them automatically. Collaboration becomes a natural part of the process and frees up more time for your representatives to keep selling.

2. Increase Speed and Efficiency for Sales Teams

Time is money when making a sale. Automated approval workflows naturally decrease the time necessary to secure the needed approvals to close the deal. With CPQ software, you can establish workflow standards and define conditional logic to handle the variables inherent in approval processes. Once defined, they provide a straight, guided path to more sales and increased profits.

3. Enhance Organizational Transparency

McKinsey reports that organizational transparency “accelerates information gathering, helps people coordinate their efforts, and makes those in positions of authority accountable to others.” With the consistency that automated approval workflows provide, sales reps become more productive and efficient, communications are clearly understood which results in greater trust, and in turn, improves collaboration across all departments. It has a positive, healthy impact on company culture as a whole.

4. Ensures Processes Stay Consistent

Consistency minimizes uncertainty. That has a positive impact on your team’s agility, and it also inspires confidence in your customers. It helps you quickly respond to changes in the market. Automated approval workflows reduce errors and bottlenecks, and provide clear direction for onboarding and training new sales representatives, furthering the objectives of increased transparency, trust, and control.

5. Provide a Better Customer Experience

The competition is constantly raising the bar, and customers have higher expectations than ever. Automated approval workflows take many formerly manual processes off the hands of your representatives, allowing them to dedicate more time to nurturing prospects and creating extraordinary customer experiences.

3 Sales Approval Workflows You Can Automate in Dynamics 365 Sales with CPQ

1. Discount Approval Workflow

A common bottleneck for sales departments, discount approvals are streamlined with a CPQ solution in Dynamics 365 Sales. Quotes are generated consistently, and automatically follow the guidelines your organization has established. If the discount is within the standard range, automatic approval could be granted. If the discount is more substantial, it can be routed to the appropriate manager to ensure there is no revenue leakage.

2. Billing Approval Workflow

This process ensures timely validation and payment of invoices issued. A streamlined workflow facilitates transparency, clearing bills correctly and efficiently. Payment cycles are timely and consistent, and automation reduces common manual entry errors.

3. Legal or Compliance Approval Workflow

Managing contracts and ensuring legal compliance are the objectives of this workflow. It helps to streamline legal processes, simplify contract requests, and expedite approvals.

Conclusion

A key aspect of streamlining your sales and quoting workflow is ensuring your approvals are automated to reduce the time to close deals and ensure accuracy and consistency throughout the process. Teams collaborate with ease, accountability and compliance are ensured, and revenues are maximized.

Contact us today to learn more about how DealHub CPQ and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales work together to provide a seamless quote-to-cash experience.

By DealHub | dealhub.io

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