Sales Enablement: From Fragmented to Fully Aligned

Based on research from Vendavo and Copperberg, this article examines how disconnected quoting workflows, manual effort, and poor integration continue to undermine speed, accuracy, and conversion rates—and what high-performing companies are doing differently.

If pricing infrastructure is the foundation, then sales enablement is where strategy becomes action. CPQ adoption is rising, but the real gains come when quoting tools are embedded, integrated, and aligned with pricing logic and sales execution. The data shows that companies are making progress, but the biggest wins go to those that push past deployment to build a fully connected quoting process.

CPQ Adoption is Reaching a Turning Point

47% of surveyed companies now use CPQ, and another 17% are actively exploring adoption (see Figure 4). This marks a clear shift from pilot projects to broader strategic rollouts. One in five respondents report CPQ usage across multiple quoting scenarios. Others are still in earlier phases and testing how best to connect tools with day-to-day workflows.

The takeaway? The market is approaching a tipping point. CPQ is no longer a new sales tool. It’s becoming a core pillar of commercial operations. And the impact is real.

Companies that invest in more connected, well-integrated CPQ systems are seeing both measurable and material improvements in quoting outcomes. Adding CPQ is just the beginning. The real performance lift comes when it’s embedded in daily workflows, aligned with pricing strategy, and actively shaped by the teams who use it. 

Quote Accuracy and Speed Are Improving

Companies are seeing real-world benefits as CPQ adoption grows. Not just in how fast quotes are delivered, but also in how accurate and consistent they are.

Nearly one-third of the CPQ users in our survey group are already seeing improvements across key areas of the quoting process

• 29% report improved quote accuracy
• 28% report faster turnaround times
• 28% report streamlined approvals
  

These improvements reflect the early-stage value CPQ can unlock when it’s up and running, even before full integration is achieved. In many cases, just automating and standardizing basic quoting steps helps reduce delays, cut down on manual entry, and improve internal coordination.

At the same time, there’s room for growth.

Speed and accuracy are the starting line, not the ceiling.

Teams need to go further to unlock the full value of CPQ. They need to integrate it with their CRM data, pricing governance and customer-specific business rules. That’s where quote quality becomes consistent, scalable, and strategically aligned.

The opportunity ahead is more than faster quotes. It features better-informed quotes that protect margins and support smarter sales decisions.

Bottlenecks Behind the Scenes

So, what’s slowing quoting down?

CPQ adoption is rising, but many companies face persistent quoting friction. Especially when tools don’t full connect across functions or workflows haven’t been updated to match new systems. When asked about the most common obstacles in quoting:

• 38% of survey respondents cite manual effort
• 39% point to integration challenges
• 25% flag approval delays as a bottleneck

What’s notable is that these aren’t isolated issues. They often overlap (see Figure 5).

A system may look functional on paper, but the quoting process is fragile if it requires manual data re-entry, isn’t integrated with key data sources, or lacks automated approval logic. These bottlenecks add friction that slows deal velocity, frustrates sales teams, and introduces pricing inconsistencies that weaken commercial performance. 

The most common scenario? Quotes continue flowing, but teams are stitching systems together manually beneath the surface. This manual approach can mean version control risks, delayed responses, and hidden margin leaks.

The fix comes from mapping the full quoting process and redesigning it for flow, trust, and transparency. Integration is a structural task, not a technical one.

And it’s the key to unlocking both speed and scale. 

Faster Quotes, Higher Win Rates

Conversion data offers a clear look at what sets high-performing companies apart, and CPQ adoption is a major factor. Most organizations fall into the 21% to 60% quote conversion range, and nearly half still convert below 40%. That’s a wide gap and a big opportunity.

But here’s where CPQ makes a difference: Companies that use CPQ extensively are 6x more likely to achieve conversion rates above 80%, while those without CPQ are far more likely to fall below 20%. This is about alignment, not just tools.

High conversion rates follow when quoting flows are connected, pricing logic is embedded, and sales teams are equipped with consistent, real-time guidance. Errors drop, confidence increases, and forecasts become more dependable in these environments.

CPQ becomes a catalyst for commercial success when it supports the full quote-to-order lifecycle (see Figure 6).

Among surveyed organizations:

• Those focused on transactional quoting often report conversion rates above 60%.
• Those with more complex or strategic deal environments see a wider spread, most often between 21% and 40%.

Conversion lags where that connection is weak, and the effects ripple outward. Forecasting suffers, pipelines get harder to manage, and pricing progress is difficult to measure. Quote accuracy follows a similar pattern. Strong performers report more reliable forecasts, tighter pipeline confidence, and clearer pricing priorities.

These are proof points: Modernization pays off when tech, process, and people are working together.

Essential Action Points:

Turn CPQ into a competitive edge. It isn’t just about speeding up quotes. It’s how pricing guidance becomes action.

• Measure outcomes, not just implementation – Success isn’t defined by whether CPQ is live. It’s defined by how many quotes go out clearly, how quickly approvals happen, and how often pricing holds through to the win.
• Map and fix the whole flow – Bottlenecks rarely exist in isolation. Manual steps, slow approvals, and bad data are symptoms of disconnected systems. Zoom out to diagnose and solve the full process.
• Make quoting part of the customer experience – A slow or inconsistent quoting process sends a message of hesitation, not confidence. Clean, timely quoting builds trust from the first touchpoint.
• Demand full integration – If CPQ isn’t tied to pricing logic, CRM data, and governance workflows, it’s a glorified calculator and not a strategic tool. Integration unlocks real performance.