Customer story:

From Excel nightmares to brand-ready proposals: Clark Hall’s transformation with XaitCPQ 

Known for bespoke luxury steel doors and windows, Clark Hall needed a quoting process that reflected the same care and quality as its products. However, their spreadsheets were a nightmare to handle, and a drag on its brand.

By partnering with Xait and adopting XaitCPQ, the Charlotte-based company has turned a clunky, error-prone system into a streamlined process that produces beautiful, accurate proposals and laid the foundation for its digital future.

Clark-Hall-Doors-and-Windows-logo-c-cropped

Region
United States

Company size
50+

Industry
Manufacturing

Solution
XaitCPQ

A luxury customer journey with a missing piece

Lyndie and Kaitlyn Collins, a mother-daughter team at Clark Hall Doors & Windows in Charlotte, NC, know that selling custom luxury doors is about precision delivered with a personal touch. In Clark Hall’s showrooms, visitors are welcomed with coffee, water, or even a glass of wine as they explore door designs, glass types, and hardware options, guided through an experience as refined as the products themselves.

“We pride ourselves on being a luxury service company,” says Kaitlyn, who joined Clark Hall part-time during high school before taking on a full-time role as Technical Analyst. “Throughout every step, we really try to take care of our customers however we can.”

That care extends beyond the sale. Many clients come back repeatedly, starting with a single front door, then commissioning wine rooms, patio doors, and custom windows. The brand’s reputation rests on detail, service, and the ability to bring a homeowner’s vision to life.

But until recently, the company’s quoting system was out of step with the premium experience. Proposals, often for projects costing tens of thousands of dollars, were produced in an Excel workbook with more than 20 tabs of formulas.

“It was an absolute nightmare,” recalls Lyndie, who manages finance, IT, and operations at Clark Hall. “Updating prices took weeks, and getting the sales team to use the latest file was always a challenge. Everyone had their own version saved somewhere.”

Beyond being cumbersome, the spreadsheets looked nothing like the refined, luxury brand Clark Hall had built. “When you print out a grid from Excel, it’s just a basic document,” Lyndie says. “We wanted proposals that included pictures, explanations, and that aligned with our brand. It adds to the whole experience.”

About Clark Hall Doors and Windows

Founded over 50 years ago, Clark Hall Doors & Windows specializes in custom-designed steel and wrought-iron doors, delivering an end-to-end “white glove” experience from design through installation.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with design studios across the Southeast, Clark Hall has built its reputation on uncompromising craftsmanship and service.

Every door or window is individually tailored to the client’s vision – reflecting the company’s core value that “every client deserves a unique door… without compromise”.

“We wanted a system that simplified pricing and reflected who we are. With Xait, we got that and a partner we trust.”

– Lyndie Collins, Office Manager, Clark Hall Doors & Windows

Deciding it was time for something better

As Clark Hall expanded into new markets beyond Charlotte, such as Atlanta and Nashville, the strain of manual quoting became more obvious. The spreadsheet system couldn’t scale, and accuracy was hard to guarantee as new salespeople joined the team.

“Our two seasoned reps knew the system, but as we grew, things got lost in translation,” Lyndie explains. “We needed controls that made sure quotes were done right, with accurate pricing every time.”

She knew the company needed more than just a digital price list. Success meant two things: first, a system that simplified updates and eliminated errors; second, a proposal tool that matched Clark Hall’s luxury positioning.

“Having a beautiful, branded proposal shows we pay attention to the finer things,” she says. “It’s part of what customers expect from us.”

CPQ_Mockup-03

“The team was phenomenal - patient, thorough, and it felt like a perfect fit”

– Lyndie Collins, Office Manager, Clark Hall Doors & Windows

Why XaitCPQ stood out

With the help of an external consultant, Lyndie evaluated five CPQ vendors. Xait quickly stood out.

Xait’s mid-range pricing was attractive, but the decisive factor was trust and flexibility. Unlike other providers, Xait gave Clark Hall’s own team back-end access.“

They trained Kaitlyn on their setup and allowed her to manage changes herself. Most software companies won’t do that. For us, it meant long-term maintenance would be easier—we wouldn’t have to pay for every small update,” Lyndie explains.

That openness reflected Clark Hall’s own culture. “Xait gives us the feel that, like us, they’re constantly growing and not stagnant,” she adds. “It felt like a partnership.”

For Kaitlyn, who works on software innovations inside the company, the collaboration was energizing. “We didn’t know what we were doing at first,” she admits with a laugh. “But with Xait’s support, we ended up with a CPQ that works.”

Rolling out change

Despite leadership’s enthusiasm, rolling out XaitCPQ was no small feat. In May 2023, Clark Hall mandated its use across the sales team. The reaction was predictable.

“Initially, they were all very resistant. Nobody likes change,” says Lyndie. “They didn’t want to touch it.”

Kaitlyn took the lead on training, working closely with each rep and making small adjustments to fit the workflow. The resistance wasn’t about the tool itself, it was about learning something new. “Once they got over that hump, they realized it was easier and more straightforward,” she says.

Today, complaints have faded. The sales team now uses XaitCPQ consistently and some have even become fans.

“Xait will support our growth… it’ll keep growing with us and adapt to new workflows we need.”

– Kaitlyn Collins, Sales Enablement Consultant, Clark Hall Doors & Windows

Early results: Better quotes, happier teams

While it will take a full sales cycle to measure ROI in detail, Clark Hall is already seeing tangible improvements.

  • Proposals that match the brand: Customers notice the difference immediately. “Repeat clients have said, ‘We’ve seen your old quotes and your new ones, these are great. They’re easy to read, they look beautiful,’” Kaitlyn says.
  • Consistency and fewer errors: The system enforces rules that prevent incompatible configurations. “With Excel, sales reps could pick options that didn’t go together,” Lyndie explains. “Now they can’t, which means fewer mistakes.”
  • Empowered new hires: Training rookies on the old spreadsheet was daunting. With XaitCPQ, it’s fast and intuitive. “New hires tell me, ‘Oh, this is easy to understand, even for custom products,’” says Kaitlyn.
  • Less stress for leadership: Lyndie no longer dreads updating the pricing tool or checking every detail. “I see a light at the end of the tunnel,” she says. “It’s easier now, and only going to get better.”

The impact extends beyond efficiency. For Clark Hall’s leadership, it’s about peace of mind and confidence. “We know the quotes are accurate and professional, which frees us to focus on growing the business,” says Lyndie.

Looking ahead: Integration and self-service

For Clark Hall, adopting XaitCPQ is just the beginning of a digital transformation. The next step is integration with the company’s CRM, so quotes and customer data flow seamlessly together.

“When they quote something in Xait, that data will transfer into our CRM. Everything stays neat and tidy,” Kaitlyn explains.

Beyond internal efficiency, Clark Hall envisions opening the system to external partners. Builders and dealers could one day log in and configure their own quotes, without waiting on a salesperson. Even customers may eventually approve proposals online.

“Dealers could pull pricing right then and there,” Lyndie says. “That’s where we want to go, step by step.”

Both Collinses are confident that Xait will be a partner in this ongoing journey. “Xait will support our growth… it’ll keep growing with us and adapt to new workflows we need,” says Kaitlyn.

From craftsmanship to digital confidence

For Clark Hall, the shift from spreadsheets to XaitCPQ is about more than technology. It’s about aligning every touchpoint of the customer experience with the company’s brand: premium, personal, and detail-oriented.

The Collins duo, one seasoned in finance and strategy, the other bringing fresh technical insight, have steered Clark Hall through a transformation that makes the business stronger, employees more confident, and customers even more impressed.

By combining craftsmanship with Nordic software precision, Clark Hall is proving that even in industries rooted in tradition, digital transformation can feel just as bespoke as the product itself.

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