Sales configurators and sales-to-delivery processes of system products

This book aims to identify how industrial companies should use sales configurators in enhancing the sales-to-delivery processes of their system products. Sales configurators are needed, in particular, with highly configurable system products, as management of the numerous options would otherwise become significantly complex. Academically, the study aims to provide new insights into system product sales configuration, while managerially, the objective is to provide recommendations on how companies, and especially the case company, should use sales configurators to achieve efficient system product configuration. The main outcome of this thesis was the construction of a theoretical framework for identifying suitable actions to enhance system sales configuration with given sales configurator type. This framework suggested both short- and long-term actions for overcoming the existing sales configuration challenges, and could thus be used as both a starting point for further research on the topic. In addition, the case company was given specific short- and long-term recommendations on how to enhance system product sales configuration practices.

Autorentext

This book has been written in Aalto University (Espoo, Finland), in the Degree Programme in Industrial Engineering and Management, in October 2012. The purpose of this work is to identify how industrial companies should use sales configurators in enhancing their sales-to-delivery processes of system products.