3Q3M — What, Why, How of DPQ Software with Ken Auer — Episode 5
In the fifth episode of our video series 3 Questions in 3 Minutes (or 3Q3M), RoleModel Software’s marketing director, Jamey Meeker, and RoleModel’s CPO Ken Auer break down what design price quote (DPQ) software is, why it is useful and how we implement it for our clients' success.
Join Ken and Jamey as they answer these questions and provide insight to help you understand the strengths of DPQ software and if it’s right for you.
What is DPQ?
Many people are familiar with configure price quote (CPQ) systems. They’re used commonly in many different applications. A couple of examples would be:
- Ordering a t-shirt — selecting color, style, size and more
- Buying a tractor — selecting attachments, trim, engine and more
Based on configurations like these, a customer is able to get a quote with a price based on the modifications they’ve selected.
DPQ is the same idea in general, but the difference is that you’re designing, not just configuring. From decks to docks to railings (we’ve worked with all of these), a DPQ system can be ideal when you’re working with anything that has geometric variability. It allows you to design powerfully while staying within the boundaries of your system constraints.
Why is DPQ important?
Ken replies “The industry demands it!” RoleModel Software has received countless calls over the years from people who have a system they are trying to sell and want to scale while doing that. But, they’re running into problems with their sales team not getting the correct data from sloppy, inaccurate design, which then requires them to go back and do rework.
The DPQ solution is a constrained design tool that knows your product engineering rules, with only a fraction of CAD’s complexity. The result is a design that is exactly what the customer wants and contains all the information you need to know how to build it. The pricing and quoting is then easily calculated based on accurate calculations.
How does DPQ work?
With years of experience in custom software and a well-established base framework called LightningCAD, RoleModel Software has been able to put together a platform that understands the workflow of a DPQ system intrinsically, and all that we have to do is build in your engineering constraints to personalize your system.
It’s changed the game for many of our clients. Tasks that used to take days and were error-prone now can take mere minutes while being error-free.
You can deploy your DPQ system externally and allow customers to design on their own, with the peace of mind that their designs will fall into your constraints. With very little training, your team is able to harness the diversity of your product lines with a tool that will help them design and estimate faster and more accurately.
Check out the last episode of 3Q3M where Caleb Woods answers three questions a client may ask before starting a custom software project and stay tuned for more episodes in the coming days!
