For companies that sell complex configurable products, 3D product configurators provide an array of benefits. From improving customer engagement to reducing the number of sales reps needed, this technology can revolutionize your business model and help you stay ahead of the competition.

In this article, we’ll explore the advantages of 3D product configurators and why they should be an integral part of your tech stack. The more complex your products are, the more benefits you’ll experience and the more profit gains you should anticipate.

Onward.

What is 3D Product Configurator Software?

A 3D product configurator (3D configurator for short) is an interactive visual interface for configuring products. Most often, users are presented with a base assembly or design that they can customize for their needs. They can drag and drop to add parts, change materials, adjust dimensions, and see how they will look on the final product in real time.

3D product configurators are often a feature of 3D CPQ (configure price quote) solutions. These 3D CPQ configurators can calculate prices and adjust them in real-time as users select different options. Instant pricing feedback in conjunction with 3D visuals makes it easy for customers to optimize products without overstepping budget limitations.

Companies that sell complex configurable products are always looking for ways to make their products more accessible and easier to understand. 3D product configurators offer a unique solution–an immersive experience that helps them visualize the most complex products.

Elevate Your Complex Configurable Product Sales with a Dynamic 3D Configurator

Manufacturers that implement a 3D product configurator experience the following benefits.

1. 3D Product Configurators Increase Customer Engagement

Through interactive visuals and compelling experiences, 3D product configurators help customers explore products in a unique way that is both entertaining and informative. Customers gain a sense of ownership over their configurations, which makes them more committed to the purchase and helps build loyalty.

2. 3D Product Configurators Increase Win Rate

3D product configurators can help reduce customers’ purchase anxiety when buying complex products. Customers are often anxious about the final product they receive, especially when investing large amounts of company money. A 3D product configurator assures them that the finished products will be what they have chosen and expect—no nasty surprises.

In addition, 3D product configurators enable customers to customize products according to their exact specifications, eliminating any potential guesswork from the ordering process. This transparency means that customers do not have to worry about making mistakes or ordering something that does not meet their needs—they can guarantee that whatever they choose will be just right for them.

3. 3D product configurators help simplify the sales process

The traditional product configuration process is long and arduous: A salesperson meets with a customer. Together, they work through the hundreds or even thousands of options available. The sales rep notes the customer’s choices and perhaps makes a quick napkin sketch they can pass on to the engineering department. It’s slow, confusing and ripe for mistakes and miscommunication.

3D product configurators can help simplify the sales process. Sales reps can quickly generate custom product configurations for potential customers. With a 3D product configurator, sales reps can show customers what their final product will look like, compare different product configurations side-by-side, and generate custom presentations that include all the details of their desired design. Product logic programmed into the configurator ensures every configuration is production-ready, which brings us to our next point.

4. 3D product configurators improve accuracy and reduce errors

The use of 3D product configurators is a great way to ensure accuracy and reduce errors when selling complex products. Engineering rules and logic are automatically applied to each design, ensuring that all configurations are error-free and consistent. This automation improves downstream efficiency and cost savings and leads to fewer complaints, returns, and chargebacks. If the 3D configurator is part of a CPQ solution, pricing logic is applied automatically, eliminating expensive pricing mistakes and subsequent reputational damage.

5. 3d product configurators facilitate eCommerce and self-serve

The best 3D product configurators are so easy to use that customers can configure complex products without the support of a sales rep. This usability opens up a wealth of eCommerce opportunities for sellers. They can embed their configurator into their website and swap in-person selling for an automated online experience. All they have to do is integrate their configurator with their eCommerce platform using a straightforward API.

With a 3D configurator on your website, visitors can learn more about your products and place orders at their own pace. They can maintain control over the end-to-end “configure, price, and quote” process and place an order without leaving the comfort of their office. It’s empowering for the modern buyer who prefers to self-serve.

6. 3d product configurators reduce marketing costs

Using a 3D product configurator to create marketing visuals can drastically reduce marketing costs for companies that sell complex configurable products. Instead of spending money on expensive photo shoots or 3D renderings, companies can use a 3D product configurator to create visually appealing and realistic visuals with minimal effort.

3D product configurators also allow marketers to create multiple variations of the same image quickly and easily. This ability increases the range of visuals available for marketing campaigns, helping brands reach more potential customers and personalize ads to different customer segments without spending time or money creating them from scratch.

Marketers can track customer interactions with their products and ads, identifying the most popular features. Armed with this data, they can tailor their marketing efforts and maximize their return on investment (ROI).

7. 3d product configurators reduce the number and seniority of sales reps you need to serve customers

3D product configurators enable companies to quickly and easily generate quotes for customers, store all product information in a central database, and free up sales reps' time so that they can focus on selling more products to more customers. Greater sales productivity means fewer salaried employees are required to create the same output.

Moreover, having a 3D product configurator in place makes it much easier for companies to offer their customers eCommerce and the ability to self-serve. Fewer sales reps are needed as customers can configure their products without human assistance. Companies can offer discounts or incentives that encourage customers to take advantage of the self-service option, helping increase customer loyalty while reducing the operational costs associated with hiring additional sales staff.

8. 3d product configurators make hiring easier

As we all know, hiring is a nightmare right now. Any tool that can reduce reliance on a human workforce and ramp new hires more effectively should be welcomed. A 3D product configurator is a prime example of such a solution.

3D configurators provide a quick and easy way for new hires to understand complex products and hit the ground running with minimal training. New employees can easily navigate through the 3D product configurator with its interactive interface and become familiar with thousands of features so they can explain them more accurately to customers.

9. 3D product configurators automate slow engineering processes

Integrating 3D product configurators with CAD software can massively reduce the cost of custom engineering. Instead of the engineering department creating CAD files for each RFQ, the best 3D configurators automatically perform this task, freeing engineers to spend more time on innovation and less on transactional tasks. It doesn’t matter how often the customer goes back to the configurator to tweak their design; engineers are free to do the work that’s truly meaningful for them and your business’s future.

The Bottom Line

3D product configurators offer a range of benefits for companies that sell complex configurable products. These tools provide an immersive experience and 3D visualization that helps customers understand complex products while reducing purchase anxiety and simplifying the sales process.

3D product configurators also improve accuracy and reduce errors by ensuring that every configuration is production-ready and can help companies reduce the number of sales reps needed.

Overall, 3D product configurators can revolutionize your business model and help you stay ahead of the competition.