End-to-End Systems Architecture for Contextual Pricing

The capstone to an enabling contextual pricing systems architecture is the holistic integration of sales and pricing processes and technology—from upstream opportunity and negotiation management to pricing and further order execution and financial accounting. Figure 16-2 illustrates such an integrated architecture:

Figure 16-2 End-to-end systems architecture

If we step through the architecture from a data-flow perspective, we begin with a sales management application (e.g., CRM or SalesForce. com) that provides the backbone to compile and integrate the institutional knowledge and other contextual details that will inform the price-setting function. Should your company not have a robust sales management system, incorporating some of this functionality into the pricing system itself could be a first step. This is the key interface point with the sales force, so mobile update capabilities are important in this architecture to ensure ease of use and adoption by this key user group. Additionally, reporting on this pipeline of information is crucial to proactively drive the best deal and pricing constructs. Finally, implementing an approval process and workflow that optimizes efficiency in negotiations and cycle time to respond to customers within this system ensures that the right deal context is available to make an informed, profitable business decision.