Custom network design and pricing tools

Selling national and international data networking solutions (WAN and LAN) is an essential parr of the BT solutions business. In this highly competiti ve sector the technology is evolving fast and consequently there are freque nt enhancements of the product and service offerings. With this goes a tend ency to increase the complexity of the pricing and discount schemes as comp etitors jostle to differentiate their products in the market-place. The BT data network sales organisation has to keep up with all these market changes. To assist with this, BT has invested heavily in a range of bespok e sales tools to support mass customisation of this range of solutions, in order to help improve their turnover, market reach and win rate. One of the se tools is an application called SPEED (system pricing and end-to-end desi gn) which is used at the consultative selling and design stages. SPEED is i nstalled on the portable computers used by the account management teams. If aims to incorporate the 'mind of rite expert designer' - best practice des ign principles and a compendium of the latest product and service offerings with up-to-date tariff and discount structures. It enables customers' requ irements to be modelled and priced both accurately and quickly. SPEED provides a considerable advantage to the sales force in terms of redu ced sales cycle, flexibility and accuracy of response to the customer. It a lso eliminates errors and omissions in the design and order-entry processes . This paper will focus on how SPEED delivers real business value to the cust omer and to BT.