Summary:
This article provides an overview of the AutoQuote (AQ) process within the CRM system and addresses frequently asked questions about its benefits and impact. AutoQuote automates vendor quoting by leveraging the Global Pricing and Discount Engines (GPE/GDE), enabling fast, accurate, and touchless quote generation.
Please note that the information provided includes talking points that you can discuss with your vendor. However, this should NOT be sent directly to the vendor, as it is internal only at this time. Doing so can result in disciplinary action.
Table of Contents:
What is the AutoQuote process?
What’s in it for me as an associate?
What’s in it for my customer?
What’s in it for the vendor?
How will my daily work change?
Is this feature linked to other capabilities? If so, what are the combined growth and benefits?
What is expected of the associate?
Question 1:
What is the AutoQuote process?
Answer:
The AutoQuote (AQ) flow transforms vendor deals into touchless quotes within seconds, delivering precise pricing and accurate discounts using the power of Global Pricing and Discount Engines (GP and GDE).
AutoQuote is short for automated quotes. It is a key part of Touchless Quoting. It helps limit the need for multiple iterative cycles, which sometimes last multiple days, between vendors, resellers and associates to get the correct pricing, discounts, and create SKUs. It streamlines the quoting workflow by reducing the “manual hand-offs” between associate and resellers.
To use AutoQuote flow, you first need to set up a vendor in GDE. This allows bids from the vendor to be automatically received and start the AutoQuote process. Then, a business associate can create quote template and begin the quoting journey, making full use of autoquoting.
Question 2:
What’s in it for me as an associate?
Answer:
Less work. By automating quotes and cutting down on errors and follow-ups, AutoQuote lightens your workload, freeing you to focus on strategic priorities and deeper customer engagement.
Competitive edge. Speed to quote ahead of the competition. A quote that is ready to be ordered with the correct price, cost, discount, and SKUs already created and ready for the customer to self-serve order.
Quote versioning. The AQ system automatically closes the previous quote whenever a new version of the deal
Question 3:
What’s in it for my customer?
Answer:
Speed: No more waiting for endless email chains or manual processing. AutoQuotes are generated and activated in seconds. Customers can act on opportunities faster by having a quote that can be easily turned into an order, improving the chance of closing deals.
Consistency across the globe: Whether in Washinton, Munich, or Barcelona, this is a standardized process with predictable SLAs, making global expansion seamless and reliable.
Accuracy: Quotes are sent to customers with impeccable special pricing and discounts, ensuring full confidence and consistency.
Seamless experience: View, manage, and place orders for quotes directly through the Xvantage interface – reducing miscommunication and keeping everything at your fingertips.
Question 4:
What’s in it for the vendor?
Answer:
Industry differentiation. Vendor deals are ingested and turned into quotes in less than a minute.
Increased share of wallet between vendor and Ingram Micro.
Exclusive deals with Ingram Micro with proven industry differentiation.
Question 5:
How will my daily work change?
Answer:
Before: Before AutoQuote, associates had to manually handle the quoting process – coordinating with vendors for special deals, speaking with resellers to understand their requirements, and manually creating quotes in the CRM. They also had to validate pricing, work with the catalog team to create SKUs, and coordinate with the COG team to ensure the deal was loaded and ready for ordering.
After: With zero manual effort, bids are instantly converted into quotes where SKUs are created automatically, and pricing is calculated with precision. These quotes are surfaced in the X4C, allowing customers to place orders with just one click. Once an order is placed, the quote closes automatically, and real-time tracking becomes available in Xvantage for customer, vendor and associate.
Question 6:
Is this feature linked to other capabilities? If so, what are the combined growth and benefits?
Answer:
AutoQuote is one of the key flows for Touchless Quoting. It relies on catalog ingestion to generate SKUs, which are prerequisites for Global Discount Engine (GDE) and Global Pricing Engine (GPE). These systems feed AutoQuote, enabling real-time quote visibility, seamless conversion to orderable status, and full integration with GDE, GPE, and CRM/ X4A.
Question 7:
What is expected of the associate?
Answer:
Associates are encouraged to enroll their vendors in the AutoQuote program. Set up your vendor in GDE to enable vendor bid ingestion in the AQ flow. If your product is a fixed bundle with no customization, AutoQuote is the best choice. Additionally, educating your customers about the value of AutoQuote and Customer Self-Service Quotes is essential for driving the adoption of Touchless quoting. Choose the quoting method that fits your product and customer needs.