Streamlining Medical Device Configuration with a Salesforce 3D Visual Configurator
Smartbridge collaborated with a leading medical device manufacturer to enhance their Lead-to-Order process by developing a Salesforce-based visual configurator. This solution aimed to simplify the configuration of complex heart-lung machines (HLMs), ensure manufacturability, and provide accurate pricing.
The Client
The client is a medical device manufacturing company that creates breakthrough treatments to improve the quality of life for patients affected by many conditions related to the head and heart. They have developed the world’s leading perfusion system which has contributed significantly to their stature and reinforced their pioneering presence in the medical device technology sector.
Key Challenges
The heart-lung machine (HLM) is a complex medical device that contains hundreds of sub-components. Designing a fully functional perfusion system involves selecting up to a hundred individual SKUs out of hundreds of available options. Final product pricing varies significantly based on the parts included in the design.
The complex nature of the product design and pricing made the Lead-to-Order process extremely complex and tedious for the end-user. Product configurations designed during the sales process sometimes resulted in a product configuration being impossible to manufacture. This resulted in poor customer experience and a long sales cycle, which led to lost sales.
The Smartbridge Solution
The Smartbridge team worked closely with the client’s subject matter experts to review and streamline their Lead-to-Order process. We developed a couple of technical solutions to help improve the customer experience in the following process areas:
| Process Area | Key Steps | Smartbridge Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Lead-to-Quote |
| A visual configurator to complete step-by-step product configuration |
| Quote-to-Order |
| Custom CPQ solution for product pricing and discount management (view the case study) |
A Visual Product Configurator built on Salesforce
Smartbridge developed a Salesforce-based visual configurator, which allows end-users to complete the product configuration in a step-by-step wizard-style user interface.
The visual product configurator transforms how complex products are assembled and quoted. With a user-friendly interface featuring drag-and-drop 2D/3D visualization, users, whether customers or sales teams—can interactively build product configurations and receive real-time feedback.
Business rules are embedded throughout the process to ensure that only valid, manufacturable products can be assembled, reducing errors and engineering rework.
Beyond configuration, the platform captures valuable data to support analytics into customer preferences and product demand. These capabilities greatly improve the configuration capabilities and accelerate the Sales Process.
A key differentiator of this solution is its seamless integration with CPQ systems. While the configurator functions independently as the central point for product assembly, it communicates effortlessly with CPQ platforms to ensure consistency in pricing and quoting. All configuration data remains synchronized between the configurator and CPQ, creating a unified, streamlined experience across the sales ecosystem.
Success Through a Modernized Implementation
The custom CPQ solution with 3D product configurator helped the client in the following ways:
The sales teams’ alliance with a health care provider is integral to the client’s sales process. The new visual configurator allowed the sales teams to work closely with the health care professionals as they built the HLM machine. This process improved the camaraderie between their sales team and their customers. The solution positioned the client for long-term success.
Keep Reading: HubSpot Integration with Salesforce Case Study
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