Modular Sales – Using Concepts of Modularity to Improve the Quotation Process for B2B Service Providers

Abstract

The current trend of individualization forces industrial service providers to search for new ways of standardizing their internal processes without diminishing the flexibility of satisfying customer demands. This conflict of interests reaches its peak in the quotation process, where suppliers are spending a considerable amount of time and effort, often preparing their quotes from the scratch. The purpose of this paper is to apply the concept of service modularity to improve the efficiency of the quotation process on both operational and strategic levels. Using methods of qualitative research, I analyze the corresponding challenges of 19 German service providers and identify possible areas of improvement with the help of the service modularity. The result of the paper are 15 requirements for the appropriate IT-support to cover these identified challenges and enable the realization of the concept in practice. I hereby contribute to the ongoing discussion on service modularity by delivering empirical insights from the new area of the quotation process.