Buyers expect quick, seamless, and informed purchasing experiences. We all know from firsthand experience that’s not always how it goes.

For sales teams, that means providing accurate pricing, on-the-fly product configurations, and personalized proposals that eliminate confusion and boost confidence in purchasing decisions.

The challenge with the consumer buying process? Simplifying this complex process to reduce bottlenecks and errors while meeting customer expectations, and taking into account consumer behavior to better plan the customer journey map.

This is where Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software comes in. By leveraging CPQ technology, sales teams can simplify the consumer buying decision process, helping customers close the gap between indecision and purchase.

This article will explore how CPQ empowers sales teams to use data and automation to deliver interactive pricing, bespoke proposals, and real-time updates — resulting in shorter sales cycles and more successful deals through testimonials.

What is buying decision process?

It’s fairly self-explanatory, the buying decision process, is, well, the process of the customer’s journey as they go through deciding what to buy.

But it’s more complicated than that when you break down how it works, and how to sharpen your marketing campaigns and marketing efforts for your sales teams to increase efficacy, productivity, conversions and repeat purchases.

Understanding the buyer’s decision process

To simplify the buying journey, it’s essential to understand the stages and challenges buyers face when making a decision.

This can be affected by anything from gender and age to culture, circumstances, and beliefs.

The customer experience relies on the functionality of the product you’re offering and how the information is delivered to them.

This is why it’s imperative to optimize the stages of the consumer decision making process for your target audience.

What are the four types of buying decisions?

Before addressing customer needs, you need to understand the different types of buying decisions. Buyers typically fall into one of these categories:

• Routine purchases: Everyday items with minimal deliberation.
• Limited decision-making: Slightly more thought, such as comparing brands for a mid-level purchase.
• Extensive decision-making: High-stakes decisions requiring significant research and evaluation.
• Impulse buying: Spontaneous decisions influenced by emotions or convenience.

For businesses offering complex products or services, CPQ shines in the extensive decision-making category by reducing complexity, providing clarity, and instilling confidence in customers.

What are the steps in decision-making?

The buyer’s journey often follows these stages:

1. Problem recognition: the first stage is when the buyer identifies a problem they have and begin to narrow down what they need to solve it.
2. Information search: the buyer starts to research online or speak to family, friends, even business referrals for potential solutions, likely coming across a few specific brands and products that could be their match. Also known as the information search stage, or market research.
3. Evaluation of alternatives: the buyer uses their information to compare a few of their top choices to other similar products and offerings. This is where reviews, word of mouth, and clear offerings will come into play for a buyer’s decision.
4. Purchase decision: the buyer has made their choice on what to purchase. When a business is able to help a customer understand their options and close the gap from decision to purchase, their likelihood of a sale increases.
5. Post-purchase evaluation: the buyer has had some time with their purchase. They have determined whether or not it fits their needs and are able to recommend it to others, leave a review, and provide the business with feedback.

P.S.: New to sales funnels? Take a look at our video to get a more in-depth look.

Sales teams can simplify and accelerate these steps of the purchase decision process by delivering tailored information and actionable insights — two areas where CPQ excels.

According to a study from Market Blender, 70% of buyers fully define their needs on their own before engaging with a sales representative, and 44% identify specific solutions before reaching out to a seller.

Marketing strategies geared towards helping the consumer decision-making process are vital at the early stages.

What is the purchase decision stage?

The purchase decision stage is the moment of truth. Buyers weigh their options and commit to a solution. Hesitation at this stage often stems from uncertainty, lack of clear pricing, or missing information.

CPQ addresses these issues by equipping buyers with accurate quotes, real-time configurations, and interactive proposals that close the confidence gap for potential customers and build brand loyalty.

Data-driven decision making

Data is the backbone of informed decision-making. CPQ technology equips sales teams with real-time data, including:

• Pricing trends
• Customer preferences
• Historical sales performance

By presenting buyers with up-to-date, actionable insights, CPQ shortens the sales cycle and eliminates the frustration of waiting for quotes or clarifications. For example:

• Interactive Pricing: Buyers can see pricing adjustments instantly based on their configurations or added discounts.
• Bundling Options: Offer dynamic packages tailored to the buyer’s needs, supported by clear data on savings and value.

This real-time interactivity builds trust and ensures buyers have all the information they need to make faster, more confident decisions.

Automate approval workflows

In traditional sales processes, delays often occur during the approval stage for quotes, discounts, or configurations. CPQ solves this problem by:

• Automating approval workflows with predefined thresholds
• Notifying decision-makers instantly for faster action

For example, with sales proposals you can add people to a group by name and email, and give approver permissions and in any order you’d like.

With CPQ, sales teams can provide bespoke proposals without bottlenecks, ensuring buyers never lose momentum in their decision-making process.

For instance, if a customer requests an additional discount, the system can automatically calculate approval requirements, route the request to the right person, and notify the buyer — all in record time.

“Upgrading our subscription to take advantage of PandaDoc CPQ for HubSpot has been well worth it. I had tried other CPQ options and they were all subpar. I’m super happy with our choice and can’t stress enough how much we needed this solution.” Emerson McCuinDirector of Revenue Operations at HAAS Alert

Most B2B buyers are already 57%¹ of the way through the buying process before the first meeting with a representative.

Reducing human error

Manual pricing and quoting can lead to errors that create confusion for buyers, forcing them to second-guess the deal — or worse, walk away. CPQ eliminates this risk by:

• Automating the calculation of configurations, prices, and discounts
• Ensuring accuracy and consistency across all proposals

This level of precision gives buyers confidence in their choices while freeing up sales teams to focus on relationship-building rather than manual corrections.

With CPQ, every quote and proposal reflects optimal pricing and error-free configurations, ensuring the buyer journey remains smooth and professional.

Interactive pricing and bespoke proposals

Today’s buyers demand personalized experiences. CPQ empowers sales teams to meet these expectations by:

• Offering dynamic pricing adjustments: Let customers see how changing quantities, bundling products, or applying discounts impacts their bottom line in real time.
• Delivering tailored proposals: Create highly customized, visually appealing proposals that align with each customer’s unique needs and preferences.
• Providing real-time product information: Ensure buyers have up-to-date insights about product features, availability, and benefits.

This interactivity not only simplifies the buying decision but also demonstrates your team’s commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction, making it easier for buyers to say yes.

There may be up to 6-10 people involved² in any given B2B purchasing decision.

The ability for buyers to make quick, accurate, and informed decisions is key to closing deals and building lasting relationships. PandaDoc’s CPQ feature simplifies this process by:

• Leveraging real-time data to guide decisions
• Automating workflows to eliminate delays
• Reducing errors for greater accuracy
• Delivering interactive, personalized proposals that resonate with customers

By integrating CPQ into your sales operations, your team can help buyers navigate their decision-making journey with ease, confidence, and clarity — resulting in shorter sales cycles, improved efficiency, and greater profitability.

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