The Product Configurator is software that serves as an integral part of the Epicor Kinetic ERP system. It enables the creation of an optimal configuration for the individual components that make up a product in any specific case. It takes into account all options available to the customer while simultaneously eliminating impossible combinations. While primarily viewed as a tool to support customer collaboration, it provides much more than that.
The configurator not only allows for the configuration of a custom product but also checks stock levels in real-time and determines whether all necessary components are available for quick production. If not, it indicates the approximate lead time for that specific configuration. The configurator also calculates the price of such a product. This significantly accelerates and streamlines the work of customer advisors who collect orders. During the very first conversation with a customer, it is possible to tailor the product to their expectations, answer all key questions, and, if they decide to purchase, initiate the production process.
Traditionally, a salesperson would first have to interview the customer regarding the product and individual options such as colors, dimensions, or manufacturing standards, record all the answers, and then pass them on to the technologist responsible for production. The technologist would then prepare a bill of materials and define all technological operations, such as noting that something needs to be cut or that a non-standard type of glue or paint must be used in a given case. Only after some time could the salesperson return to the customer with a complete offer.
Meanwhile, thanks to the configurator, everything happens automatically in real-time. And it does so without errors. Furthermore, the person taking the order does not need to be an expert in all aspects of production technology. They have a questionnaire in front of them, ask the necessary questions, and enter the answers, while the configurator creates a virtual product, checks the availability of required components, prepares a quote, and determines an approximate production date.
The customer immediately knows that they will pay a certain price for a red product and that they will have to wait a week longer for a blue one. Similarly, they immediately know if they can count on fast delivery if they request additional product elements, as well as how much they will pay for additional services like assembly or transport. The configurator also calculates the price of these services instantly, taking into account the delivery location to determine transport costs. Upon accepting the order, the software creates a set of instructions for the employees responsible for production.
As a result, the entire order-taking process is significantly shortened, allowing for a higher volume of customers to be served. At the same time, errors that naturally occur during manual or semi-automatic work are avoided. A salesperson might simply misunderstand a customer’s requirements or convey them inaccurately to the technologist, leading the latter to prepare a faulty bill of materials or select the wrong production technology.
Ultimately, the configurator increases service quality and customer satisfaction. The customer instantly learns whether they can receive a product in a specific configuration, when they will receive it, and how much it will cost. They can make a purchase decision immediately.
The configurator is a godsend for all companies specializing in non-standard, unique products, i.e., MTO (make-to-order). From the perspective of such companies, collecting orders has always been a challenge. Unfortunately, especially in large companies with a high volume of orders, it happened that a customer ordered square, green products and received yellow, round ones. That is why configurators have long been used by the automotive industry. Today, however, thanks to tools like Epicor Kinetic, they are also used by manufacturers of doors, windows, furniture, various industrial machines and equipment, industrial packaging lines, restaurant kitchens, and many, many other MTO products. If a product needs to be tailored to a customer’s dreams or the specific dimensions of the rooms where it will be used, the configurator is the perfect solution.
Some modern ERP systems, like Epicor Kinetic, have built-in configurators—some more advanced than others. If we choose a system that lacks one, a complex integration project will be necessary to enrich the ERP system with an external configurator.
In the case of Epicor Kinetic, an advanced Product Configurator is integrated into the system. Its use does not require any additional work or the creation of special interfaces. You simply need to purchase an additional license to start using it. We create product definitions and define manufacturing technologies. After completing a few additional steps, we will have everything described above at our disposal. The configurator can be launched not only during requirement gathering but also on orders and production jobs, and configuration changes can be made at any stage of the process—quickly, easily, and simply, leading to greater customer satisfaction and better financial results.
