To stand out in the B2B manufacturing industry, it is no longer sufficient to offer a good product. Success now hinges on being fast, precise, and responsive. The market rewards those who can promptly respond to customer needs with technically sound and immediately actionable proposals.

This is where a strategic metric comes into play: Time To Quote (TTQ) — the time elapsed between a customer’s request and the submission of the corresponding quotation.

In a market where profit margins are often tight and time-to-market is shrinking, the ability to generate quotations swiftly and efficiently can make the difference between winning or losing a deal.

Time To Quote as a New Commercial KPI

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are critical metrics used to measure business performance. In B2B sales, alongside traditional indicators such as lead-to-close and customer acquisition cost, Time To Quote is emerging as a decisive KPI.

It measures the average time needed to process and deliver a commercial offer. The longer this time, the greater the risk that the customer will turn to a competitor. Reducing it means enhancing brand perception, increasing conversion rates, and shortening the sales cycle.

According to a study by Altavi (2017), shortening Time-to-Quote significantly improves the customer experience and increases the likelihood of deal closure. For many companies, it has become a strategic metric on par with cost per unit or defect rate.

Being responsive today means more than being fast — it means relying on tools that intelligently connect technical, economic, and commercial data, while automating repetitive, error-prone stages.

The Benefits of Time To Quote Management

The most successful companies have already integrated TTQ among their core commercial KPIs, alongside lead-to-close and customer acquisition cost. Reducing it allows companies to:

• Enhance the customer experience, increasing satisfaction and trust;

• Improve conversion rates by turning more opportunities into concrete orders;

• Shorten the sales cycle, reducing the time between first contact and signed contract;

• Position themselves as reliable, responsive partners, setting themselves apart from the competition;

• Free up internal resources by optimising the time and cost of offer management.

In a market where customers are increasingly informed and demanding, response speed becomes a genuine competitive advantage. Managing Time-to-Quote effectively means seizing more opportunities and improving profitability.

How Hyperlean Helps Reduce Time-to-Quote

Hyperlean supports manufacturing companies with two integrated solutions that digitise and streamline the technical quotation process:

• LeanCOST: Automates quote generation from 3D CAD models by analysing geometries, production processes, and materials. It provides real-time, detailed cost estimates.

• LeanDESIGNER: Assists designers in making informed decisions during the concept phase, highlighting cost-critical areas and suggesting improvements for early-stage optimisation.

Thanks to these solutions, companies can:

• Drastically shorten Time-to-Quote;

• Generate technically viable offers with clear margins;

• Foster collaboration between technical and commercial departments;

• Scale the sales process even in highly customised markets.

With Hyperlean, new horizons open up for generating accurate quotations quickly — delivering a tangible competitive edge.

Hyperlean positions itself as a strategic partner for all manufacturing companies seeking to turn Time-to-Quote into a concrete driver of growth.

Sources:
Increase Customer Responsiveness by Reducing Time-to-Quote – ALTAVI