M.H. EBY envisions a more consumer-friendly future with Configure One

Farm equipment retailer M.H. EBY has already reported a favorable introduction to a host of features for improving internal efficiency.

Farm equipment retailer M.H. EBY licensed Configure One CPQ (configure-price-quote) software in September and has already reported a favorable introduction to a host of features for improving internal efficiency.

The Blue Ball, Pennsylvania-based business specializes in livestock trailers and semis, farm and ranch equipment, utility and horse trailers, and truck bodies. As a third-generation family business in operation since 1938, it partners with over 100 U.S. and Canadian dealers.

Engineering manager and spokesperson Andy Derr affirmed that EBY plans to distribute Configure One’s CPQ solution “to as many departments of our company as it makes sense to do.”

“Our initial goal is to get our in-house users using the software,” he said. “We also plan to make the tool available to the general public via a link on our website so that our customers can configure our product online before they ever need to call a sales person.”

Full implementation has just begun, as the company completed administrative training in November and is hoping to have the application live with its first CPQ capable product by February.

“Initially, we are targeting our retail trailer sales department, but will hopefully be extending Configure One to our dealer network in the near future,” adding that the system will launch in the online ordering system and then eventually extend to their entire dealer network.

What won EBY over to Configure One’s products during the planning phase? Derr cited Configure One’s ease of configurator creation and distinctive “code-free” entry process as key to the firm’s decision.

EBY had previously used a different configurator software product; but found that it was too limited visually and relied heavily on computer coding. Derr stated it was, “difficult to keep up to date and maintain ‘simple’ things like pricing, discounts or adding/removing options,” in their previous configurator software.

Acknowledging that hurdles can crop up in the industrial equipment field, Derr expressed full confidence in the capability of Configure One’s team to collaborate on solutions.

“There are some challenges with our industry,” he said. “So far the things that we’ve asked of Configure One have been things they’ve worked through before, and they are confident they will find a solution that works for us.”

EBY also plans to incorporate Configure One’s e-commerce solutions with an e-catalog, credit card checkout, and integration to Avalara for tax calculation and address validation.

Derr described the planned integration of EBY’s Configure One CPQ software with Epicor, an existing customizable, cloud-compatible business management software system with enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions.

“We are considering (and quoting) a solution from a vendor … who would assist us with the technical side of connecting it to Epicor,” Derr said.