The Evolving Quote-to-Cash Technology Landscape

This week’s Quote-to-Cash viewpoint examines technology. Technology looked very different in 1989, when I began my career as a consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). I’d arrive at my client site, Pacific Bell, sit in my cubicle, and fire up my 3270-emulator to code COBOL and interact with the mainframe. Cell phones were reserved for the ultra-elite, pagers were all the rage, email didn't exist as we know it today. We communicated critical company updates through Audix voicemail on landlines (lol). I was one of the 400+ programmers rewriting a massive custom-coded billing system into another custom-coded COBOL system, handling everything from Order, Order Management, Mediation, Usage Processing, to Billing and Invoice Formatting.

The technological evolution from 1989 to 2024 has been staggering. From Audix messages to today’s wide range of communication tools, the landscape for consultants has transformed completely. The same holds true for Enterprise Applications, which have advanced through multiple stages of managing customers and revenue (see graphic below for a simplified view of this evolution).

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What Are My Options?

In 2024, enterprise clients are faced with an overwhelming array of technology options to support their Omni-channel Selling & Customer Engagement environments. The graphic below is just a glimpse of the 100+ vendors providing services across the Lead-to-Revenue process. Clients can opt for an all-in strategy with a few key vendors or assemble a best-of-breed solution, leveraging dozens of point solutions that must be integrated. Each approach offers its own advantages, but both require careful planning and orchestration.
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Now, imagine the choices in front of technology architects programming COBOL 35 years ago. This simplified diagram gives a humorous look at their options… they didn’t have many! It’s mostly “Does not exist yet – paper” or COBOL, because custom coding was the name of the game. No fancy vendor ecosystems and integration options, no SaaS, just mountains of custom code and manual processes. My, how things have changed in the world of enterprise technology!
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Selecting Enterprise Software: Finding the Right Balance

Choosing enterprise software can be challenging.  As we highlighted in our previous blog on Omni-channel Selling & Customer Engagement," individual technology decisions must align with an overarching strategy for managing customers and revenue and must fit within existing architecture framework.  Too often, I've seen clients make critical software choices based on a demo, price, or a trusted sales rep.  On the flip side, I've watched clients bog down in endless RFP processes. 

At Craton, we believe the best approach lies somewhere in between.  Our methodology is straightforward, adaptable, and ensures informed decision-making.

The Craton Approach: 4 Key Areas of Evaluation 

  1. Functional Capability - Does the software meet the client's current and future needs?
  2. Technical Fit - How well does it integrate into the client's existing architecture?
  3. Commercial Fit - Is the pricing fair, with reasonable terms?
  4. Intangibles - Does the vendor have a proven track record and financial stability?

If you'd like to discuss enterprise technology - past or present - feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected]. 

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