If you are a business owner or a marketer who sells products online, you may have heard about the significant value of PIM systems. But how do you successfully implement a PIM platform? Below are some PIM best practices to follow.
What is a PIM system?
PIM stands for Product Information Management. A PIM system is a software solution that helps businesses manage and optimize their product information. There is a lot of information accompanying a given product, from size and color, through pricing and technical details, to descriptions and photos. Any time any of this information changes as a result of various business processes, customer feedback, etc., it needs to be distributed effectively throughout the whole sales network and to multiple systems, including multiple sales and marketing departments (those both of the producer and of retailers); people handling SEO, marketing and enterprise resource planning; and all external sales channels.
Creating a centralized repository and single source of truth for all this information, a PIM system centralizes and distributes product data across multiple channels and platforms. It allows companies to improve the quality and consistency of their product data, reduce errors and duplication, and increase customer satisfaction and conversion rates. A PIM system also enables businesses to better adapt to evolving market conditions and customer expectations, as well as to comply with industry standards and regulations, which is crucial for heavily regulated industries like, for example, the pharmaceutical industry.
Product data management in a B2B context
In general, PIM systems are used to manage product information for both B2B and B2C businesses. However, there are some differences in how PIM systems are used in B2B contexts. B2B companies tend to have more complex product data sets than B2C companies. For example, they may have different sales channels and more complex pricing structures, since unit price often depends on order size, as well as other factors. In addition, B2B companies may have more complex workflows and approval processes for changes in the product information.
PIM systems—benefits
A Product Information Management (PIM) system is a powerful tool that helps organizations manage their product data in a consistent and efficient way. Product Information Management (PIM) software:
- allows suppliers to upload their product data through a user-friendly interface, reducing the manual work and errors involved in data storage;
- parses the product descriptions and extracts relevant attributes such as size, weight, color, etc., making it easier to categorize and search for products;
- eliminates duplicate products from different suppliers by consolidating them into a single product record, avoiding confusion and inconsistency;
- enables users to analyze and validate product data quality using data profiling features, ensuring that the data meets the standards and requirements of the organization;
- stores the product data in a centralized catalog that can be accessed and updated by various stakeholders across the organization;
- connects the product catalog to all sales channels, ensuring that the product information is accurate and up to date across all platforms.
Product Information Management best practices: successful PIM implementation in enterprise systems
Product Information Management (PIM) implementation is a crucial endeavor for modern enterprises seeking to streamline their product data management and improve operational efficiency. However, the process requires careful planning and consideration of various factors to ensure a successful deployment.
Pre-implementation prowess: understanding the business context
Implementation of new PIM solutions must be preceded by comprehensive pre-implementation analysis. This involves delving into the specifics of the client’s industry and understanding the context in which the PIM software will be deployed. In some industries, products consist of components that also need to be represented in the PIM system. In other industries, like the pharmaceutical sector, a single product may have multiple identifiers: a blister pack of 6 tablets should be identified separately from a blister pack of 12 tablets, and so on.
Envisioning brilliance: the power of business and technical analysis
The cornerstone of any successful PIM software implementation is a detailed business and technical analysis. This step involves collaborating with stakeholders from various departments to identify pressure points, product data sources, and workflows. By understanding the existing processes and systems, the implementation team can devise a strategy that optimally integrates the PIM software into the company’s ecosystem.
During the technical analysis phase, it is crucial to assess the client’s existing infrastructure for compatibility with the chosen PIM solution, such as PimCore or PIM Akeneo. This assessment ensures that the system will seamlessly integrate with different systems in the client’s IT infrastructure, minimizing disruptions and enhancing overall performance.
Navigating regulatory waters: compliance mastery
For companies operating in regulated industries, compliance with industry-specific regulations is paramount. For instance, there are additional reporting and data governance obligations for companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Understanding the regulations imposed on a given sector is crucial. Ensuring that the Product Information Management system aligns with these regulations will prevent compliance issues and potential legal ramifications.
A majestic tapestry unfolds: the art of UX design
A well-designed user experience is vital for ensuring user adoption and maximizing the system’s effectiveness. During the design phase, the implementation team creates a prototype that illustrates the UX concept. This allows stakeholders to visualize the system’s functionalities and the intended user interface, allowing for valuable feedback and refinement before development.
Data migration mastery: ensuring quality and integrity
One of the most critical and challenging aspects of PIM implementation is data integration during the migration of existing product data into the new system. Thorough testing and quality assurance procedures must be conducted to ensure data correctness, consistency, and integrity. Additionally, this presents an excellent opportunity to clean and update product information, ensuring the system’s foundation is built on accurate data.
Conflict resolution: ensuring data accuracy
Companies often deal with product data maintenance conflicts arising from different product data sources and import processes. To ensure product data accuracy and consistency, it is essential to establish robust procedures for managing such conflicts. By defining clear protocols and responsibilities for product data management, the implementation team can avoid discrepancies and maintain product data integrity.
The architect’s proficiency: configuring data structure and dependencies
The successful configuration of product data structure, categories, product attributes, and dependencies is critical for the PIM system’s functionality. This step requires meticulous planning and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the system aligns with the company’s specific needs and improves overall data management. Flexibility is also important here: a PIM platform should not be locked into a specific product data structure but instead allow for even fundamental changes to be introduced.
The art of integration: synchronizing with other systems
In today’s interconnected business landscape, seamless data synchronization between PIM platforms and other enterprise systems (such as an e-commerce, CRM, or ERP system) and mobile apps is critical. Careful planning and consideration are necessary to define the mechanisms and processes for product data exchange, ensuring data consistency across all systems. For example, you can imagine a workflow where the current stock status or information on stock replenishment date are retrieved from the ERP system while discount levels correlated with order volumes can be individually assigned to each buyer based on records from the CRM system.
Proving resilience: performance testing and scalability
Before final implementation, rigorous performance testing is vital to assess the PIM system’s capacity to handle substantial traffic and high workloads, which are an integral feature of PIM solutions. This step guarantees a smooth customer experience and system stability during peak usage periods.
Illuminating insights: the art of reporting and analytics
A successful PIM implementation should include a robust reporting and analytics framework. This allows companies to aggregate data for insightful reports on product performance, customer behavior, sales trends, and other essential metrics. Moreover, automated report generation streamlines data analysis, providing real-time insights for informed decision-making.
Empowering the vanguard: training and documentation
A well-prepared team is critical for a successful PIM platform implementation. Regular training and updates for system administrators ensure they can effectively support end users and troubleshoot issues. Additionally, comprehensive documentation should be prepared detailing system functionalities and user guidelines, promoting efficient system utilization and digital asset management.
Product Information Management best practices: implementation
To ensure the seamless and efficient functioning of Product Information Management (PIM) solutions, several key features and considerations must be taken into account during PIM software configuration and implementation.
First, careful thought must be given to how the PIM software will ultimately be utilized within the organization. This involves configuring it to enable effective management across multiple distribution channels, such as e-commerce, retail, and promotional materials.
Additionally, if feasible, automating the product data enrichment process can significantly enhance the quality of product information. The desired outcome is leveraging external sources, such as manufacturer databases and data analysis tools to automatically supplement and enrich product data while ensuring its accuracy and completeness.
Quality control mechanisms are equally critical for maintaining the consistency and accuracy of product information in accordance with business requirements and legal regulations. By configuring data quality checks within the application, organizations can detect and rectify any discrepancies or errors promptly, safeguarding the reliability of their data.
Scalability is another crucial aspect that should not be overlooked. Anticipating future changes, such as the introduction of new product categories or expansion into new markets, ensures that the PIM software can seamlessly adapt and grow with the organization.
Finally, establishing a well-defined schedule and procedures for regular product data updates is essential to keep the system up t -date and relevant. Ensuring the timely updating of product data guarantees that users have access to the most current and accurate information, enabling better decision-making, operational efficiency, customer loyalty, and customer experience.
Product Information Management—best practices: maintenance and development
In the realm of Product Information Management (PIM), ensuring the seamless operation and continuous growth of the system is a never-ending endeavor. The ongoing process of maintenance and development plays a pivotal role in maintaining the PIM platform’s efficacy and adapting it to evolving business needs.
In essence, the maintenance and development of a PIM platform is like tending to a living entity—a process of constant nourishment, protection, and growth. By dedicating attention to these essential facets, a company can ensure that its PIM system remains a sturdy foundation for efficient data management and an ever-advancing force in the pursuit of organizational excellence.
Responding to change
As with any critical component of a company’s ecosystem, a PIM platform should come with a robust plan for data archiving and business continuity. By outlining guidelines for backups, emergency procedures, and system recovery, you can safeguard the integrity of valuable product data even in the face of unforeseen challenges.
Providing technical support and configuring notifications and alerts is imperative to uphold the system’s vital importance. Such measures ensure that important events, such as data changes or product expiry dates, are promptly communicated to relevant stakeholders, enabling timely actions and decision-making.
Watching out
The watchful eye of the business owner should be attuned to the system’s compliance with legal regulations and industry standards, such as GDPR in the EU or GMP in the manufacturing sector. Staying abreast of these requirements guarantees the PIM system’s alignment with legal frameworks, mitigating potential risks.
Moreover, continuous monitoring and analysis of the system’s performance are essential. Examining response times, resource utilization, and availability post-implementation empowers the company to identify areas for optimization and efficiency enhancement.
Embracing automation becomes indispensable in the pursuit of perpetual improvement. The business owner must identify opportunities for process automation within the PIM system as it not only boosts productivity but also reduces the time needed to manage product information, propelling the company forward.
Decision-making
The treasure trove of data aggregated within the PIM system serves as a valuable resource for strategic decision-making by marketing teams and business leaders. Properly harnessed, this data not only informs analysis and reporting, but also influences critical business choices concerning product attributes, product management, market expansion, business growth, market research, and product marketing channels.
Conclusions
PIM solutions can greatly benefit B2B enterprises by streamlining product data collection, validation, consolidation, storage, management, and distribution. PIM systems can also improve the customer experience and satisfaction by providing accurate and up-to-date product data across multiple sales channels. By following our Product Information Management best practices, a PIM implementation plan can be created and followed to ensure a great customer experience and successful Product Information Management in the long term.
