10 Benefits of 3D Product Configurator Software for Manufacturers
A well-designed 3D product configurator can help simplify the ordering process for customers and improve conversion rates. It also provides an opportunity to capture customer data that can then be used for other marketing efforts.
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While many businesses have used 3D product configurator software for years, most manufacturers are still not utilizing this tool and are therefore missing out on its benefits. As product configurator software becomes more available, manufacturers are beginning to realize its potential.
A well-designed 3D product configurator can help simplify the ordering process for customers and improve conversion rates. It also provides an opportunity to capture customer data that can then be used for other marketing efforts.
Manufacturers across the world want to increase their sales. 3D Product configurator software makes this happen by presenting customers with different options for customizing your product while offering you price management benefits.
To understand how valuable these features can be, here is a look at 10 benefits of product configurator software for manufacturers.
10 Key Benefits
1. Interactive 3D Visualization
Through a friendly user interface, customers can see how the product changes as they add or subtract elements, increase the size, or change the color, all via a real-time 3D visualization. 3D visualization enables customers to see their creation from every angle with the confidence that the end product will look and behave just like the one they're looking at.
2. Access Products from Every Device
One of the best things about a 3D product configurator is that you can access it using desktop computers and mobile devices, tablets, and smart kiosks at trade shows. This increased mobility helps sales reps close sales by showing potential customers their product and allowing them to configure it themselves and place an order on the spot.
Plus, given the fact that half of internet users use mobile devices, according to Statista, manufacturers need to offer customers a mobile-ready configuration solution.
3. Boost Customer Satisfaction
For manufacturers of all kinds, customer satisfaction means everything. Customers love to see a product before they purchase it and, if you can give them an exact preview of how it'll look, chances are they will feel more satisfied with it once they get it. Giving customers a 3D visualization of the product manufacturers reduces unnecessary back and forth interactions, phone calls, or visits to the store.
4. Seamless Integration with Third-Party Software
Modern configurators can be integrated with third-party systems like ERPs, CRMs, and CMSs. These integrations extend the product configurator's functionalities and enable manufacturers to create sales opportunities, collect data, and keep track of orders. Plus, you can integrate the configurator with a database to store specific configuration parameters and customer information.
5. Cut Costs
Thanks to product configurator software, salespeople in the manufacturing sector will finally have their hands free to deal with strategic selling, reducing the number of hours your sales reps spend daily dealing with transactional calls.
Similarly, a 3D configurator reduces the number of CAD drawings a sales rep will need to show a customer to sell effectively. Lastly, for manufacturers, mass customization enables an accurate, clear list of instructions that the factory can follow to speed production.
6. Reduced Order Cycle Times
CPQ software like a configurator can significantly reduce the time it takes customers to go from configuration to pricing and then to quoting. Configurator software can be a manufacturer's ally in expediting processes and pushing information to other systems to gain better insights into the order process. With a configurator, a sales rep can show multiple configurations in seconds to quickly recommend to their customers the best options available.
7. Simplified Processes
Since most factory processes are separated, data silos are one of the biggest challenges manufacturers face. A CPQ solution provides manufacturers in a wide range of industries with the ability to automate product design, pricing, and ordering. Plus, with a configurator, you can train sales reps to offer guided selling solutions across different channels and simplify processes across manufacturing plants to deploy a system that unlocks insights and patterns.
8. Gamified Selling
Configurators are fun and easy to use. Using one is like playing with Lego, in which certain pieces work together and others don't. With a CPQ solution, customers have the opportunity to engage in a playful personal experience that will end with a fully configured product created by the customer. Plus, through gamification, manufacturers can offer retailers and manufacturers additional value using the collected information to delight customers and increase sales.
9. Fewer Quote Errors
3D Product configurators create made-to-order products that contain detailed information about your customers' requirements. This can help coordinate manufacturing and sales processes to make communication between different departments easier, reducing the chance of errors. A 3D configurator can offer automated feasibility checks to rule out product defects and provide individual support to customers to help them make better decisions.
10. More Cross-sell and Upsell Opportunities
With a configurator, customers can put together large orders with ease. For salespeople, configuration presents cross-selling and upselling opportunities because manufacturers can offer extra customization options for an extra fee. Another advantage that product configurators bring is that salespeople can quickly get to know their customers' needs and preferences and the budget the customer has available.
Salsita 3D Configurator
A 3D sales configurator allows customers to build a 3D model of a complex product. However, building one from the ground up can be challenging, costly, and time-consuming for manufacturers. The development time this requires can easily distract manufacturers from their core business.
For that reason, Salsita 3D Product configurator solution offers a software development kit (SDK) that gives manufacturers a framework from which to build custom software without additional time and costs. With Salsita's product configurator, manufacturers gain increased flexibility because it enables them to build all kinds of products.
For manufacturers looking to leverage the power of product configuration, Salsita's sales configurator represents an open standard, portable, API-first software solution that integrates with your existing tech stacks. Our developers just need to take the code and modify it accordingly to your needs.
KILO Designer Furniture - Case Study
KILO, a Dutch furniture manufacturer whose business of customizable furniture was growing rapidly, needed a way to empower customers to create their own personalized furniture designs online. Salsita's 3D product configurator enabled them to automate this process for them as they continued to scale up their business.
To do so, we adapted our 3D product configurator framework to accommodate KILO's exceptional level of customizability. Then, we deployed it on KILO's e-shop so the designs the customer creates and submits can be sent directly to manufacturing for a seamless CPQ process.
In this way, customers can order highly customized pieces of furniture online. Our team also integrated the online configurator into KILO's manufacturing process, adding an order dashboard to the implementation that enables KILO to automatically map the designs onto the materials, reducing the manual intervention required to fulfill every order.
I've never experienced the high level of professionalism the Salsita team brought to the table. - Jan Paul, CEO at KILO
Try KILO's product configurator for yourself.
For a closer look at how we helped KILO build their 3D product configurator, check out the full case study here: Case Study: Product Configurator for KILO's Designer Furniture.
Daniel Backhaus - Chief Strategy Officer
L' Atelier Paris Haute Design - Case Study
L’Atelier Paris Haute Design, LLC designs, manufactures, and sells custom, high-end French ranges, cabinets, appliances, and entire kitchens.
Since appreciation of the finer things in life extends well beyond the physical reach of their four showrooms, L’Atelier decided to take to the internet to reach this untapped market. This presented some unique challenges, however. Since the products on offer are custom-built by hand to exacting specifications, they are also highly customizable, offering virtually unlimited options in terms of size, configuration, colors, finishes, and more.
This was a tall order indeed. Finding a digital solutions partner able to combine L'Atelier's luxurious design and aesthetics with intuitive user experience design and the engineering muscle needed to bring it to life seemed like an insurmountable challenge. L’Atelier de Paris found Salsita Software, a unique solutions provider leveraging our 3D Product Configurator Framework as a powerful foundation, the engineering team, in conjunction with our UX and design professionals, then went to work bringing the vision of L’Atelier to life.
Configure your own Range - Le Provençal Range
The reaction to the new configurator has been universally positive, from prospective customers, kitchen designers, as well as the team at L'Atelier, whose sales staff regularly use it as a sales tool.
I’ve never experienced the delivery team living up to the sales team’s hype, but in Salsita’s case, they actually exceeded it. - Ricardo Moraes, L’Atelier Paris
Since the initial launch in late July of 2021, L’Atelier de Paris Haute Design has seen the engagement rate on their website increase dramatically as hundreds of prospective clients have accessed it to configure their dream kitchen. Giving customers the ability to design their dream products uniquely tailored to their needs also provides a powerful competitive advantage that drives sales. Research shows that this leads to higher conversion rates and increases average transaction size.
Daniel Backhaus - Chief Strategy Officer
Salsita's 3D Product Configurator and Visualization
With our configurator framework, you can display all types of complex products. You can start small with simple 3D models and few configuration options, then add new features. Also, with a hybrid product configurator, your product becomes cloud-native immediately.
From manufacturing processes to eCommerce features, you can integrate with everything to help visitors configure their dream product and gain insights about sales and customer preferences. Our product configurator is built on open standards, and it's entirely API-based, which guarantees maximum compatibility with third-party software.
Also, since we are a web development agency, you get all the benefits and the close support of having a world-class software team to back you up. Plus, with Salsita’s hybrid product configurator you gain a future-proof solution that leverages the novel MACH architecture to supercharge your eCommerce presence.
With our cloud-native solution, you can scale your project as much as you want as it can be hosted on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, making it easy to scale up and down with traffic. This approach enables you to modify it to suit your and your consumers' needs. Plus, you don't need to think about maintenance because we can assist with that too.
Do not hesitate to contact us for consultation. We will be happy to hear your story, answer any questions, or give you expert advice.
