PIM 360°

Companies need a 360-degree view of their product data


Not all companies today establish a consistent and transparent process in the Product Information Supply Chain. This starts at the data acquisition stage. In particular, the benefits of internal use in different areas are often underestimated. In sales, such companies and their product managers today often think and work in a more channel-specific manner, both within the corporate organization and in their daily activities.


The catalog department in marketing asks: "How do I best place my items in the print catalog?" The e-commerce team worries about making the best presentation possible in the webshop conversion. This, however, obstructs successful multichannel commerce. Print catalog data are maintained for online searches, for example, but because of the lack of synonymous keywords they are never found. Revenue potential goes wasted.


Successful multichannel commerce and e-commerce need perfect product data. Between data integration and the increasing number of different marketing and distribution channels, however, there still lies a great deal more. This is right where PIM 360° comes in.


Following the motto "Integrate - Manage - Sell", PIM 360 begins with the integration of product information, takes in corporate data management and ends with multichannel commerce.


What exactly does PIM 360° mean?


Data integration: Dealers must be able to assimilate into their product range even large amounts of supplier data through automated professional workflow and verification mechanisms. Many suppliers provide product information in different formats, whether this be CSV, Excel, Data Standards or BMEcat. Modern solutions can merge these formats in one step during importation.PIM 360°, however, also ensures deep ERP data integration. Making PIM the leading system for product-related master data is recommended.



Data management: The issue of product data governance within companies is still often neglected, and yet precisely here lies a great business value. Getting access to and working with consistent, centralized product and master data is of immense importance not just for marketing and distribution channels. PIM 360° ensures complete transparency and rapid work processes in purchasing, research and development, product management, logistics and finance. With each new product or company acquisition, decentralized data storage multiplies the information chaos. Poor data quality leads to inefficient internal processes and also to inaccurate analysis on the basis of which decisions - possibly the wrong ones - are made. PIM 360° ensures the right information ends up with the right employees and departments. Especially for large, international companies, there slumbers here an enormous potential in terms of efficiency. Knowing which resources are linked to all departments, branches or regional companies through the continuous harmonization of different data silos or through complex searches, one can increase productivity across all areas with PIM 360°.




Multichannel business: In e-commerce, PIM 360 °means that Enterprise PIM systems can seamlessly operate the world's leading e-commerce solutions via standard interfaces: ATG, IBM and Intershop rank among the global players here. However, customized punchout catalogs or direct integration with e-procurement systems of large customers can also be served in this way.


Through the integration with a media asset management solution (MAM), the PIM checks which product images are placed in advertising media. Deletion of an image and video that is still being used in other places is thus avoided. Various derivatives such as pictures in high or low resolutions can also be automatically created and stored for print and online media, and linked with the PIM.


In sales, PIM 360° helps sell more. In inside sales, field service or call center. As an internal information portal on all available products, it helps all sales staff make optimal use of up- and cross-selling potential. No more leafing manually through catalogs and price lists. The sales department always has the right offer at hand at the right time. This increases customer loyalty, making retailers and manufacturers No. 1 with their customers.


Consulting and Implementation: The panoramic view is also needed in the introduction of PIM solutions. A successful project methodology encompasses all facets of product data management: Not just sales, but data acquisition and data management too.