"Could you take a look at our models and give us an idea of what it would cost to get them up to date again?"
A while ago I got a call from a project manager asking exactly that. The model still worked — but nobody dared touch it anymore. The person who had built it was gone, and their knowledge had left with them.
CPQ models grow. Products get extended, pricing structures change, exceptions get added. Each change makes sense on its own — but over the years the complexity piles up. What was once clear, nobody fully understands anymore. Documentation is missing. Decisions were never written down.
"The model still works. But nobody dares touch it anymore."
The result: new products don't get added — too risky. Price changes get handled outside the system. The CPQ system that was meant to simplify the quoting process has itself become a source of complexity.
Start with a knowledge inventory. Who still understands the model? What's documented? Which decisions were never written down anywhere? That exposes where the vulnerability sits — and where the work begins.
With extensive experience in CPQ, I can recognise structures and build patterns quickly. I read the data, spot the connections, and understand the logic someone once devised — even without documentation. Depending on the complexity, I can often make the first changes within a day, provided the desired changes are clearly defined and the product knowledge is available within your organisation.
Once the model is current again, I train the people who work with it internally. From there, they handle the smaller changes themselves. You bring me back in for advice, or when a new product needs to be added. For everything else, your own people are back in charge.
Does this sound familiar? I'm happy to talk it through — no obligation, no agenda.