What is sales workflow automation?
Sales workflow automation is a strategy in which a dedicated platform completes tasks automatically and optimises a sales process, liberating IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs) from manual tasks and enhancing their focus on pivotal, revenue-driving activities.
When effectively deployed, these software platforms allow sales teams to streamline their workflows, thus optimising efficiency and boosting productivity. This increased efficiency enables MSPs to concentrate on high-value activities and spend more time with customers, accelerating sales and revenue growth.
MSPs utilising sales automation platforms can expertly navigate their sales pipelines, foster enduring customer relationships, and seize lucrative opportunities. This, in turn, promotes resilient growth amidst the rigours of a competitive marketplace.
There are many tools and solutions in the market. In this comparative article, we'll delve into the best solutions on the market today to help you choose the most suitable sales workflow automation solution for your needs.
The leading tools in the market today are:
- Salesbuildr
- QuoteWerks
- Zomentum
- ConnectWise CPQ (formerly ConnectWise Sell)
- Datto Commerce
We'll examine and share various aspects, including features, ease of use, integration capabilities, automation capabilities, customer experience, error reduction, and standardisation. We considered features and benefits, CRM and PSA integrations, distributor connections, automation options and pricing. By thoroughly evaluating these factors, we aim to provide a comprehensive comparison to inform your decision-making process.
Features & Benefits
With the rapid evolution of technology, sales automation tools must keep up to remain relevant and effective. The continuous development of (new) functions and features is essential to improving the automation of sales processes. The addition of new features and functions allows sales teams to stay ahead of the competition, streamline workflows, spend less time on admin tasks and focus on high-value activities. This adaptability ensures alignment with changing consumer behaviour, catering to the rising demand for self-service experiences and empowering customers to exert greater control over their buying journeys.
By investing in a sales automation tool that regularly adds new functions, MSPs can improve their sales process and drive revenue growth while staying ahead of the curve in a constantly evolving market.
In the following sections, we will describe some key features and benefits of sales workflow automation and compare how the different solutions offer these capabilities.
Quote Management
Mastering the art of quote management forms the cornerstone of effective sales strategies for MSPs. This broad spectrum encompasses a range of features, including the use of template-based quotes and the ability to customise quotes to suit individual clients.
These systems often have the capacity for accurate project costing, crucial for maintaining transparent and trustworthy client relationships. Further enhancing the client experience, these software solutions offer the ability to bundle solutions, providing a simplified yet comprehensive service overview.
Other valuable tools in this category include personalised pricing books, direct import of vendor quotes, and the option to utilise special bid pricing. Together, these features facilitate a seamless, tailored, and efficient quote management process.
Template-Based Quotes
Simplifying the sales process is crucial for MSPs to efficiently close deals and provide a positive experience for their customers. By streamlining the sales workflow, MSPs can reduce complexity and eliminate unnecessary manual tasks, allowing their sales teams to focus on building relationships, understanding customer needs, and delivering tailored solutions.
The leading sales software options in the market, including Salesbuildr, QuoteWerks, ConnectWise CPQ, Datto Commerce, and Zomentum, all offer the capability to create and send template-based quotes, proposals, and contracts. While each solution varies in the time needed to configure these templates, Salesbuildr has templates ready to send quotes in minutes. Template-based quoting enables MSPs to provide professional, consistent, and tailored documentation to their customers, saving time and effort and increasing their chances of closing deals.
By selecting a sales tool that has template-based quotes, MSPs can streamline their sales process, increase efficiency, and focus on high-value activities. Salesbuildr's frictionless template-based drag-and-drop quotes, as well as QuoteWerks, ConnectWise CPQ, and Datto Commerce's incorporation of similar functionalities, make it easier for MSPs to create professional, customised documentation for their customers.
Salesbuildr now offers “landing pages” and, more specifically, Thank you pages. Landing pages you create can be used as thank you pages for customers that are shown after they approve your proposal. This can be used to manage their expectations and clearly lay out the next steps. Thank you pages can be linked to templates and quotes.
Ultimately, the right sales software for MSPs should provide a user-friendly and efficient workflow that simplifies the sales process and enhances customer experience.
Customised Quotes
Creating customised quotes is a critical aspect of sales for MSPs. Customised quotes allow MSPs to showcase their brand and value proposition to potential customers.
Salesbuildr, QuoteWerks, Zomentum, ConnectWise CPQ, and Datto Commerce all allow users to create tailored proposals using customisable templates. Salesbuildr offers “linked and protected” quote building blocks (widgets) within the quote template library. A widget that is protected will prevent the contents from being updated by a user that does not have the required permissions. This ensures compliance and consistency across specific services or conditions and reduces the chance of human error.
For MSPs that rely on quotes/proposals to close deals, selecting a sales tool that offers a robust template-based library is essential. This allows MSPs to streamline their sales process, create customised quotes with ease, and ultimately increase their chances of success.
Accurate Project Costing
MSPs need to ensure that project costs are clearly and accurately represented in quotes, including labour costs, and correctly converted as such into PSA quote entities. This streamlines the sales process whilst also reducing the risk of costly errors.
Salesbuildr and QuoteWerks both have Autotask integrations to ensure that labour costs are automatically converted into Autotask quotes, removing the need for time-consuming manual interventions and reducing the chance of human error.
Bundled Solutions Made Easy
The ability to create bundled solutions and services is a valuable feature for MSPs, allowing them to combine any combination item from their catalogue into a single line item for customers. This feature simplifies the buying process by allowing MSPs to promote and sell business outcomes, not just products and services, whilst also streamlining the presentation of complex solutions in a clear and concise manner. The result is an enhanced customer experience and a more effective sales team.
Salesbuildr simplifies bundles by allowing you to offer outcome-based solutions without complexity. The platform lets you package hardware, software, services, and labour into a single line item (bundle) on a quote. Tracking contract profitability is crucial for MSPs, and Salesbuildr ensures accurate billing by synchronising all underlying items as line items on your Autotask/PSA quote. With Salesbuildr bundles, your customers see and approve a single line item while retaining the ability to convert approved items into recurring service contracts.
Personalised Pricing Books
Enabling MSPs to offer customised pricing and incentives for individual customers is essential for delivering a tailored sales experience that increases the likelihood of winning deals and ensuring contract compliance. MSPs can significantly benefit from the implementation of customer-specific pricing books with support for special bids. This enables MSPs to provide a personalised sales experience tailored to the specific needs and preferences of individual clients. By offering customised pricing and incentives, MSPs can gain a competitive edge in the market and increase their chances of securing lucrative deals while ensuring compliance with contractual obligations.
Salesbuildr has a strong focus on helping MSPs “manage who they sell to.” Salesbuildr’s pricing books empower MSPs to provide customers with highly personalised and competitive pricing options, giving MSPs a distinct advantage in their sales processes, and increasing client loyalty and retention.
Vendor quotes in customer pricing books
Salesbuildr, Zomentum and QuoteWerks are the only platforms that allow users to import distributor or vendor quotes directly into a customer pricing book, streamlining the quote management process and saving time, ensuring consistency across all sales documentation.
Import Vendor & Distributor Special Bid Pricing
Managed Service Providers can take advantage of special pricing from vendors and distributors. These special pricing arrangements aim to help resellers, VARs, and MSPs win competitive deals or target specific market segments, ultimately increasing sales for both the reseller and the vendor. Sales teams can import distributor or vendor CSV or XLS quotes directly into a proposal, streamlining the data integration process and ensuring the accuracy of the information included.
Most MSP sales platforms, including Salesbuildr, QuoteWerks, ConnectWise CPQ, and Datto Commerce, have this feature enabled/integrated into their software. With Salesbuildr, this is as simple as copy and paste, making it an indispensable feature that MSPs will love to use. This will help sales teams save time whilst giving them a competitive advantage.
With the ability to easily import vendor quotes, MSPs can present more competitive pricing to their customers, potentially winning more deals.
Sales Automation
Sales automation is pivotal in accelerating sales operations and represents the next generation of sales efficiency. In MSP sales software, automation features streamline workflows and minimise manual interventions, allowing teams to focus on strategic planning and customer engagement.
Key components include streamlined order automation for precise and efficient transaction records. Optimising the product mix forms another central element, allowing MSPs to present their most attractive and suitable offerings effectively. Crucially, advanced approval rules provide robust control over the sales process, ensuring accurate, timely, and professional customer interactions. Real-time PSA updates ensure sales and services teams are always making data-driven decisions, keeping them ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Streamlined Order Automation
Efficiently creating, sending, and tracking purchase orders is essential for businesses to maintain organised and accurate transaction records. For MSPs, having an order automation feature can significantly enhance operational efficiency and provide timely updates to customers.
Most sales software options in the market currently offer this feature in the US. Salesbuildr's upcoming launch of the order automation feature provides an opportunity for MSPs worldwide to leverage this powerful functionality.
It is worth noting that the benefits of order automation extend beyond mere efficiency gains. Improved order accuracy, faster turnaround times, and streamlined communication contribute to increased customer satisfaction and strengthened client relationships.
Optimising the Product Mix
The most successful MSPs have control of their portfolio management. Portfolio management features in sales software enable teams to effectively manage and bundle hardware, software, and services based on predefined rules. This provides a comprehensive view of offerings, allowing MSPs to optimise their product mix, meet customer needs more effectively, and maximise profitability.
Salesbuildr's portfolio management feature empowers MSPs to “manage what they sell” by tailoring their solutions and services to their clients' unique requirements. By optimising their product mix, MSPs can ensure they are delivering end results for their customers, not just products and services, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and retention.
The more profitable an MSP becomes, the more budget can be allocated to areas like marketing and development, further driving business growth. The portfolio management feature offered by Salesbuildr provides MSPs with a significant competitive advantage in the market; Customer focussed, centralised, connected, organised in categories, described and correctly priced.
Advanced Approval Rules
Having greater control over the sales process is crucial for businesses looking to maintain oversight and minimise costly mistakes or miscommunications. By making use of advanced approval rules, MSPs can easily set up multi-step internal and customer-specific approval workflows, ensuring that quotes, proposals, and other critical documents are reviewed and approved by the appropriate parties before reaching the customer.
Salesbuildr's advanced approval rules empower MSPs to have a more controlled sales process, executing sales activities consistently and efficiently. By automating approval workflows, teams can save valuable time and resources, enabling them to focus on other critical aspects of their operations.
For MSPs, the advantages are significant. A controlled sales process means fewer errors, improved communication, and enhanced customer satisfaction. By streamlining the approval process, MSPs can expedite sales cycles, increase productivity, and deliver a seamless experience to their clients. Salesbuildr's advanced approval rules provide MSPs with a competitive edge, enabling them to optimise their sales operations and drive business growth.
Real-Time Autotask Updates
The capability of real-time updates to Autotask opportunities and quotes is a highly advantageous feature for MSPs. Real-time updates allow MSP teams to stay informed with accurate and up-to-date information, empowering them to make informed decisions based on the latest data. This real-time update functionality ensures that sales teams can maintain a competitive edge and achieve better overall outcomes.
Salesbuildr was created specifically for Autotask MSPs. With Salesbuildr’s real-time updates, MSPs can rely on the accuracy of their dashboard information, enabling more effective decision-making and ultimately driving greater success.
Product & Price Management
In the managed services sector, proficient product management is an essential component of an efficient sales process. Central to this is the ability to effectively manage catalogues, a feature that minimises manual data entry and streamlines operations. This capability provides a comprehensive and accurate database for managing offerings, ultimately enabling an MSP to take control of what they sell.
Simultaneously, robust price management tools are indispensable in a fast-paced, competitive market. Features such as dynamic price updates ensure quotations reflect up-to-date procurement costs, maintaining competitiveness and trust among clients.
Efficient Catalogue Management
Efficient catalogue management is essential for MSPs looking to better manage what they sell. The ability to import product or service lists from any supplier/distributor into a centralised catalogue offers numerous benefits. Not only does it provide businesses with a comprehensive database for managing their offerings, but it also eliminates the need for manual data entry, saving time and reducing errors.
Salesbuildr, along with its competitors QuoteWerks, ConnectWise CPQ, and Datto Commerce, all offer catalogue management, enabling teams to easily import and manage product or service lists. By integrating information from various sources, MSPs can ensure their catalogue is up-to-date, accurate, and easily accessible. This streamlines the catalogue management process and increases efficiency for sales teams.
By leveraging a platform like Salesbuildr, MSPs can enhance their product and service management, improve productivity, and provide a seamless experience to their customers. This all comes from the MSPs taking control of what they sell.
Having a centralised and up-to-date catalogue not only saves time, and reduces errors, but also allows MSPs to showcase their offerings effectively and make informed decisions. This plays a vital role in helping MSPs stay competitive and meet customer demands in an efficient and streamlined manner.
Dynamic Price Updates
Dynamic price updates are a game-changer for MSPs. This essential feature ensures that quotes always reflect the most up-to-date procurement costs from connected distributors, enabling MSPs to stay competitive in the market. Salesbuildr and Zomentum are leading the way with dynamic distributor pricing.
By leveraging dynamic price updates, MSPs can maintain customer trust, increase deal closure rates, and focus on delivering value to their clients. Accurate and competitive pricing leads to improved revenue and profitability, making it a must-have feature for MSPs in today's dynamic business landscape.
Learn more about Dynamic Product Pricing in Salesbuildr here.
Customer Experience & Security
Customer experience is a vital differentiator in the MSP space, especially as customer behaviour is changing. Nowadays, customers are increasingly inclined towards online interactions and prefer the convenience of self-service options for managing their needs. Innovative features like a self-service storefront can revolutionise customer engagement, offering a streamlined shopping experience that boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Concurrently, security is central to how an MSP operates. Implementing protected data visibility is crucial, ensuring sensitive customer information remains confidential, enhancing customer trust, and adhering to stringent privacy regulations.
Self-Service Storefront
The self-service storefront feature is a revolutionary addition for MSPs, offering a range of advantages that transform the way they engage with customers and streamline their sales operations.
The Salesbuildr and Datto Commerce self-service storefronts set them apart from the competition. Salesbuildr's highly flexible, distributor-integrated storefront empowers MSPs to offer a streamlined buying experience, resulting in improved customer satisfaction and increased sales.
By leveraging a self-service storefront, MSPs can deliver a superior customer experience, and reduce operational costs, all whilst speeding up sales cycles. The direct-to-customer selling approach allows customers to immediately proceed with a purchase (providing they have access to your storefront of course) rather than going through lengthy negotiations or sales pitches.
It’s important to note, that a successful storefront requires careful planning and management, including maintaining up-to-date product information and carefully monitoring the availability of products that you offer through self-service, providing excellent customer service, and regularly reviewing and optimising the user experience.
Protected Data Visibility
In today's digital landscape, safeguarding sensitive customer data is of utmost importance. In MSP sales software, this translates to a valuable feature that allows users to view products sold on PSA quote line items without compromising confidential information. This ensures the privacy and security of data while maintaining transparency in the sales process.
Salesbuildr prioritises security, ensuring a safe and reliable environment for MSPs. Identity and access management standards are upheld, with unique user accounts and restricted privileged access. The platform utilises encrypted HTTPS sessions and employs Microsoft or Google SSO with MFA policies for authentication. Data is stored securely, with encryption at rest and logical data separation. Salesbuildr follows a rigorous change management process, with thorough testing and peer code review to ensure quality and identify vulnerabilities. New code is released on a regular basis, with a documented software development life cycle process in place.
Software security must be taken seriously to allow MSPs to confidently protect sensitive information without compromising their sales operations.
CRM-PSA Integrations
PSA and CRM systems are vital to MSP business operations. Sales tools must integrate seamlessly with top-tier PSA and CRM systems for MSPs to effectively manage their operations and drive growth. MSPs rely on these systems, such as Datto Autotask, Connectwise Manage, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Salesforce, ZOHO, and Pipedrive, to streamline their processes, centralise customer data, and improve collaboration across teams. By leveraging the capabilities of these CRM/PSA systems, MSPs can efficiently manage customer relationships, track sales activities, automate workflows, and gain valuable insights into their business performance.
It's encouraging to see that all MSP sales software options actively develop robust integration capabilities with these vital CRM/PSA tools. The integration of Datto Autotask is already available across all MSP sales tools, while Connectwise Manage integration is either available or currently being developed by all software vendors. Salesbuildr has also developed an integration with Dynamics 365, to support Microsoft-centric MSPs.
These integrations ensure that MSPs can seamlessly synchronise sales software with their preferred CRM/PSA system, creating a unified ecosystem that optimises data synergy, reduces admin time, improves operational efficiency, and enables informed decision-making.
With such integrations in place, MSPs can leverage the power of their CRM/PSA systems within their sales software, enabling a seamless flow of information, eliminating data silos, and providing a holistic view of their sales and customer management processes. This empowers MSPs to focus on exceptional customer experiences, drive revenue growth, and stay ahead in this competitive landscape.
Distributor Integrations
In the world of MSP sales software, establishing robust connections with distributors is paramount. These connections enable MSPs to easily access up-to-date pricing, product information, and availability directly within their sales platform. By integrating with multiple distributors, a sales software vendor demonstrates its commitment to providing a comprehensive and dynamic solution that meets the evolving needs of MSPs.
Furthermore, the number and variety of integrations offered by a sales software vendor serve as a testament to their dedication to staying at the forefront of industry advancements. A wide range of integrations signifies that the vendor actively invests in developing and updating their software to ensure compatibility with the latest technologies and distributor platforms. MSPs can rely on such vendors to provide them with a flexible and future-proof solution that adapts to their changing requirements, allowing them to navigate the competitive sales landscape with confidence.
Distributor Connections:
As the table above shows, Salesbuildr offers unparalleled access to a wide range of integrations. With an extensive network of integrated distributors, Salesbuildr demonstrates its commitment to providing one of the leading sales software platforms.
Pricing & Trials
When selecting a sales proposal software, it's important to ensure it is the right fit for your business. One way to determine this is by taking advantage of a trial period. It is a perfect way to test the software and evaluate its suitability before making a long-term commitment.
Salesbuildr now offers an unlimited free trial of our platform, and so does QuoteWerks. MSPs who take advantage of Salesbuildr’s trial can immediately pick up where the trial ends if they decide the platform is right for them.
Pricing is an important consideration when selecting software, and MSPs need to weigh the features and benefits against the cost to ensure they make an informed and cost-effective decision. When evaluating software options, MSPs should take into account the pricing variations among vendors. However, price alone should not be the sole deciding factor.
It is essential for MSPs to carefully assess the features, integrations, and overall value that each software offers. By considering these factors holistically, MSPs can make a well-informed decision that aligns with their specific needs and objectives.
Leading MSP sales software (starting) pricing per user per month:
Salesbuildr - €149
QuoteWerks - €99
Zomentum - €59
ConnectWise CPQ - €150
Datto Commerce - €199
The Verdict
In conclusion, the sales automation platform landscape offers a range of solutions catering to the diverse needs of MSPs. These platforms provide essential features to streamline the sales process and drive business growth. Key features include customer-specific pricing books, comprehensive product and service catalogues, seamless importation of quotes and proposals, real-time updates to opportunities and quotes, and more.
QuoteWerks, Zomentum, ConnectWise CPQ and Datto Commerce are all exceptional MSP sales tools. Each software platform has a vast number of happy MSP customers that are finding sales success.
Salesbuildr is “the new kid on the block.” Our leadership team brings over 50 years of collective experience in the MSP landscape. With deep industry knowledge and insights, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities you face as an MSP. We believe this experience enables us to craft a tool that provides MSPs with a competitive advantage by leveraging automation features, advanced capabilities, and customisation options.
By streamlining their sales processes, MSPs can enhance efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and drive success in the highly competitive market.
To discover how Salesbuildr can help you take control of your sales process by managing what you sell, who you sell to, and how you sell, start your free trial today.
