As your Configure Price Quote (CPQ) renewal approaches, it's the perfect time to reassess whether your current solution truly empowers your sales team and supports your SaaS business model. With technology evolving rapidly, your renewal represents a strategic opportunity to enhance your quote-to-cash processes and drive revenue growth. Here's how to approach your CPQ renewal with a focus on maximizing value.

Assess Your Current CPQ Performance

Before committing to another term with your current provider, evaluate how well your CPQ solution is meeting your needs:

  • Quote creation speed: Can your sales reps create complex quotes in seconds, or are they waiting for deal desk assistance?
  • Approval workflows: Are deals getting stuck in approval limbo, or do you have transparent processes that accelerate closings?
  • Pricing flexibility: Can you easily create the multi-year ramp deals and custom pricing structures your customers want?
  • Usage metrics: Are you leveraging all the features you're paying for, or are there untapped capabilities?

Document these insights—they'll provide leverage during renewal negotiations and help identify gaps in your current solution.

Identify Pain Points That Could Signal It's Time for Change

If your current CPQ solution exhibits these warning signs, your renewal might be the right time to consider alternatives:

  • Implementation taking years instead of weeks
  • Complex deals requiring workarounds or manual processes
  • High operational costs from expensive integrations and maintenance
  • Limited visibility into key metrics like ACV, ARR, and TCV
  • Rigid pricing models that don't support your evolving business needs
  • Slow approval processes that delay deal closures

Evaluate Modern CPQ Requirements for SaaS Companies

Today's fast-growing SaaS businesses need CPQ solutions that provide:

  • Implementation agility: Go-live timelines measured in weeks, not years
  • AI-powered capabilities: Technology that simplifies complex quoting processes
  • Flexible pricing models: Support for any combination of one-time, recurring, usage-based, credits, and percentage-based pricing
  • Streamlined approvals: Transparent workflows with real-time tracking
  • Full data visibility: Instant access to deal metrics that inform decision-making
  • Customer collaboration tools: Digital sales rooms that eliminate back-and-forth emails

Negotiate with Leverage

When approaching your renewal:

  1. Come prepared with data: Document how your current solution performs against these modern requirements
  2. Know the competitive landscape: Research alternatives to establish realistic benchmarks for performance and pricing
  3. Be clear about must-have improvements: If staying with your current provider, identify non-negotiable enhancements
  4. Consider total cost of ownership: Factor in implementation, integration, and maintenance costs—not just licensing fees
  5. Request proof points: Ask for evidence that demonstrates the provider can meet your evolving needs

Plan for a Successful Transition

If your evaluation suggests a change would be beneficial:

  • Begin planning 4-6 months before your current contract expires
  • Establish clear implementation milestones and success metrics
  • Ensure your new CPQ provider has experience with your CRM system
  • Develop a comprehensive data migration strategy
  • Create a training plan to drive adoption across your sales organization

The CPQ Decision: Strategic, Not Just Operational

Your CPQ solution directly impacts revenue growth, sales productivity, and customer experience. As SaaS pricing models become increasingly complex and customers expect more flexible purchasing options, having the right CPQ becomes a strategic advantage—not just an operational necessity.

The most advanced CPQ solutions today don't just automate quotes; they empower sales teams to craft win-win deals, accelerate approvals, and provide real-time visibility into metrics that drive business decisions. Your renewal is the perfect opportunity to ensure your CPQ technology is helping, not hindering, your growth trajectory.

Final Thoughts

As you approach your CPQ renewal, remember that today's AI-powered CPQ solutions can deliver implementation in weeks, not years, while supporting even the most complex pricing models. They're designed to help sales teams create quotes in seconds and provide the analytics needed to make data-driven decisions.

Whether you choose to renew with your current provider or explore alternatives, ensure your CPQ solution aligns with your growth ambitions—and delivers the flexibility, efficiency, and insights your business deserves.

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