Appledore Research Confirms: CSPs Need Telco-Specific CPQ Systems
Whether they’ve been in business for months or decades, all communication service providers (CSPs) face unique, evolving challenges. Telco customers today—both enterprise and individual—expect a tailored array of plans and subscription options, lightning-fast connections and impeccably maintained service.
However, it isn't just about the plans and what is being configured. CSPs also need to navigate complex environments with their systems, processes and technology ecosystems. A new survey from Appledore Research has found which of these challenges are most pressing for CSPs and how their configure, price, quote (CPQ) systems are under-delivering.
Several years ago, forward-thinking CSPs adopted early, generic CPQs but quickly found these off-the-shelf solutions didn’t meet telcos’ specific needs. As capability gaps emerged, CSPs learned the unique complexities of the telco industry were incompatible with the available offerings. And Appledore’s study bears that out: 85% of the survey respondents confirmed that their existing CPQ systems only meet less than 75% of their requirements.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. While Appledore’s research found many key areas where generic CPQ systems fall short, it also determined that certain CPQs have what it takes to support telcos. Read more to learn what CSPs should look for in future-proof CPQ solutions.
The Data Doesn’t Lie: Appledore Identifies Critical Shortcomings
Current CPQ systems are falling short for CSPs in several key areas. One primary issue Appledore’s research identified is catalog-driven ordering, which relies heavily on having access to a real-time synchronized catalog that “serves as a single source of truth for all product and service offerings,” the report reads. And while catalog-driven ordering is the engine of modern CPQ systems, many CSPs have multiple catalogs from different vendors with various restrictions, making it difficult to establish a seamless catalog-driven ordering process. In fact, 44% of surveyed participants cited incomplete catalogs as a significant concern.
When it comes to automation, the order-to-fulfillment leg of the process fares slightly better than the quote-to-order leg. According to the survey, 54% of respondents can automate at least 25% of their orders to fulfillment, compared to 46% who can automate that share of their quotes to orders. This shows that while there’s been some progress in automation, a considerable gap still exists for most CPQ systems.
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