Automating Order Management with CT Orders

Automating the order taking process has been notoriously complex. Until now, no one solution was able to successfully combine field sales, call center, B2B portals, and POS channels. In fact, the process of configuring the automation was so complex that most organizations didn’t even try.  

To address this, Customertimes is releasing CT Orders on Salesforce AppExchange. This highly configurable package, designed to automate the order taking process across any channel, is the only solution of its kind, so we sat down with Anastasiya Vuevich, Product Manager for CT Orders, to learn more about it.  

Customertimes: Tell us about CT Orders. Why was now the right time to release it?  

Anastasiya Vuevich: This is something our customers have been requesting. Automating the order process is a known pain point, and it’s something most clients don’t even try because it’s too difficult. With CT Orders, they have the opportunity to create a package solution that allows them to leverage the full power of Salesforce automation. 

It’s ideal for Consumer Goods and Consumer Health clients and any organization that handles B2B selling, and it works for large and small organizations. With CT Orders, even small organizations can have a tailored, cost-efficient order processing solution.  

We released the beta version of CT Orders in May of 2020, so we’ve been updating it for nearly a year now. We’ve extended the functionality, and we’re in the process of publishing it to Salesforce App Exchange. 

CT: How does CT Orders work?  

AV: As anyone involved in B2B selling knows, order taking is not just about CRM. It’s also about ERP and BI, and CT Orders actually takes those things into account. It considers the entire IT infrastructure, which results in a much more user-friendly sales solution.  

It’s currently the only solution that can combine all channels – field sales, call center, B2B portals, etc – so it supports the order taking process wherever it’s needed.  

It handles very difficult pricing model configurations, including seasonal, volume-based, logic-based, and other discounts, and it helps manage all aspects of discount/GWP offers.  

We’ve also built in Machine Learning capabilities that facilitate order recommendations and upselling.  

CT: Are AI capabilities part of the solution? 

AV: It’s definitely part of the roadmap! We will be introducing AI-powered order recommendations that draw information from complex data models based on CRM and external market or dynamic data, like Nielsen data, commodities pricing, weather forecasts, etc. This data will be used to drive advanced order recommendations. It’s a highly anticipated feature, and we know it will offer exceptionally targeted segmentation for our users. 

CT: What if I only need a simple pricing solution?  

AV: Some of our clients that have already implemented CT Orders only require a simple solution, but others need extensive customization, and we handle that, too. CT Orders gives you the freedom and flexibility to set up any configuration that’s needed – no matter how simple or complex – while decreasing the time required to calculate new iterations. 

CT: How does CT Orders improve business results?  

AV: CT Orders saves time and eliminates mistakes. It takes time to place orders, verify inventory in the warehouse, confirm with clients, etc. With a strong automation solution like this, you don’t have to worry about pricing errors, which makes it easier for your team to implement marketing strategies and leads to more effective sales. It’s fully supported in real-time on mobile also.  

CT: Is CT Orders just for CPG and Consumer Health?  

AV: It’s perfect for CPG, Consumer Health, and B2B organizations, but it works for anyone that wants to extend online/offline order taking, including B2C and other industries.  

No matter your vertical, if you’re currently using a niche solution to handle pricing, we highly recommend moving to something like CT Orders that’s purpose-built to leverage the power of Salesforce.  

CT: How do you think CT Orders can impact the CPG market?  

AV: I read an article recently that said CPG clients are becoming more and more segmented. As a result, offers are becoming increasingly personalized, but it’s nearly impossible to manage this complexity without robust tools. 
Solutions like CT Orders will be required to provide the necessary automation for the client journey and help the sales team understand and address end-user needs proactively. CT Orders can help with this right now, and we have already planned Machine Learning and AI predictions to address advanced personalization and recommendations in the future. 

We love to solve challenges like this! The team that’s working on CT Orders now – developers, architects, QA specialists, analytics experts, etc – is so excited about this solution because we know it’s going to make life easier for our clients.  

To learn more about CT Orders, please read our white paper: Improving the Efficiency and Productivity of Field Sales Reps.  

If you’d like a personal demo, please reach out here and one of our experts will show you how automating order management can lead to major efficiency increases.