By How important is product customization and what exactly is a product configurator?
These 2 questions are one of the most trending questions today for both B2C and B2B companies. We’ve come to know that personalization is one of the most important factors in forming a buying decision.
This statement has proven to be true many times and for many years until now. Today, we’re taking personalization to a higher instance. Instead of delivering customers products personalized exactly for them – why not let them create their own personalized and unique product? If we do that, what kind of results are we going to experience?
In this week’s article, you’ll learn more about product configurator, product customization, and the pros and cons of product customization. Also, we’ve got some examples prepared for you, so be sure you don’t miss them!
And if you’re looking for a reliable partner to help you out with building a product configurator and ensuring you reap all the benefits of product customization – we’d be happy to help!
We’re experts in Pimcore development and one of the Pimcore Gold solution partners. You name it – we build it!
Now, let’s talk more about product configurators!
What is a product configurator?
Simply said, a product configurator is a piece of software that functions as a collection of all parameters and characteristics of a certain product. Solutions offered by a product configurator are previously determined by the configuration logic.
The product configurator visualizes the product rules that require input from your users to finish. Naturally, this needs to be done before the order is sent to the production team.
In essence, the product configuration is an interactive process between the product configurator and the user. The user chooses a feature, the configuration engine validates the decision, and the user can move on to making the next decision.
On the outside, this process seems simple. But it hides the complex structure of the product configurator and its vast number of product configuration rules.
Quick note here! To handle such large volumes of product information, digital products such as PIM system can help you out! Find out more about Pimcore’s PIM system and how it can stay on top of your product information!
Now when we know how a product configurator works, let’s see if it would suit your business and what kind of advantages does it bring to the table!
Does your business need a product configurator?
It’s a fair question. Not every business needs a product configurator. If your business is handling a large number of products and each product has more than 3 features – it seems you do need a product configurator.
Let’s review some common situations:
- You want to test new models and options for your products?
There’s no need to spend any resources on actually manufacturing a new product. You can create a virtual version of the product and test it out in a product configurator. If its’ a 3D configurator you’re working with – you can create 3D models of your products and gain even more insight.
- You’re struggling to find the winning product amongst your complete offering?
If you have a great number of products and you’re looking for a winner – a product configurator can be of use. By analyzing your customers’ decisions when configuring their own products, it’ll be easier to identify the most successful versions of the product and focus on manufacturing more of these winning products.
- Your sales team is spending more time recording order details, rather than selling?
Simply said, the product configurator does the job. It records all of the order details, and after your sales representative approves the order (which is already verified via the configuration logic) – the order is instantly sent to the production team.
These are some common situations you’ve already probably encountered. A product configurator can take a lot of load off your team and optimize your entire sales process.
But let’s dig deeper into the benefits of a product configurator!
