WinMetrics®/IQ is a product configurator and sales quote web application. If your sales channel generates 1,000 quotes per year for configured products, IQ can pay for itself in its first year and provide over 200% ROI in 2 years. Jupiter Systems, the display wall technology company (more), wanted a faster, easier way to communicate product configuration and pricing to its direct sales reps and world-wide network of dealers. To satisfy Jupiter's requirements, we developed the Jupiter Online Quotes System (JOQS). JOQS enables Jupiter sales reps and dealers to configure a display wall controller and get a sales quote in seconds via the Internet. Since January 2002, JOQS has generated over 70,000 sales quotes for over 500 users. With Jupiter's blessing, we generalized the JOQS code to create the product we call WinMetrics® IQ^TM, for Internet Quotes. To follow is the IQ Product Description.

--	Marc Porlier, Sales Rep, CTS - France

	Internet-ready product configurator and sales quote software.
	Customized to fit your organization, channel and products
	Can be customized and deployed in 8 weeks.
	Uses industry-standard XML and XSL to encode configuration rules and presentation.
	Runs in the cloud supported by Windows Azure so that you pay as you go for platform expenses.

Speed	Accuracy	Control

--	Mark Dustan, Regional Sales Manager, Jupiter Systems 2-Mar-2009

For example:
$100,000	savings = 1,000 configured product quotes per year * 0.2 hours (12 minutes) saved per quote * $1,000,000 average annual sales quota / 2,000 hours sales effort to make quota
(6,000)	Estimated Windows Azure platform services
(45,000)	IQ software license and customization(1)
Break Even	First Year and over 200% ROI in 2 years
	(1) For a product line as complex as Jupiter Systems

IQ accelerates revenue by decreasing time to market. (click to zoom in)

Minor pricing and product configurator software changes can be made in a matter of hours. Major pricing and product configurator software changes can be rolled out in days instead of weeks. And most of that time is waiting for online reviews. When the channel starts selling a new product faster, its lifespan is extended and its revenue arrives sooner. These benefits are in addition to the ROI based on sales productivity alone.

Jupiter's sales distribution channel consists of over 50 dealers world-wide. There are over 500 direct and indirect sales people that represent Jupiter's products. Display wall technology, like most audio-visual equipment, is a fast-moving technology. In their highly competitive niche, Jupiter must roll out new pricing and new products quickly. The rub is that their products must be configured. Some products have dozens of options and all products have spare parts that must be quoted.

--	John Stark, Director, Product Development, Jupiter Systems

1. Select a product
2. Specify you configuration requirements
3. See the quote and, optionally, download it in PDF format

--	James Cooney, Regional Sales Manager, Jupiter Systems

	Plenty of online help
	Document-style, print-worthy quote format with a printable display option
	Supports both MSIE 4+ and Firefox 1+
	Secure access
	Robust channel organization model and privileges
	Reseller login support with restricted quote visibility.
	Email notification broadcast and web alerts to communicate with channel.
	Prospect tracking
	Everything about the configuration and pricing dialog is controlled by industry-standard XML/XSL text files that can be easily changed without interrupting online service
	Extensible database schema
	Flexible configuration rules graphically defined in an XSD schema file

Product configuration rules in XSD schema (click to zoom in)

Time Frame	Events and Deliverables
Week 0	WinMetrics agreement executed.
Week 3	Product configuration dialog specification accepted.
Week 6	Prototype on Windows Azure staging server accepted.
Week 7	Production application deployed on multiple Windows Azure servers for 99.9% up-time. On-site training conducted.
Week 8	Email “Getting Started” document to users. Go live!