Effective product information management (PIM) is essential for firms dealing with large catalogs. Maintaining data consistency and upkeep across internal systems and sales channels can be challenging, often leading to inefficiencies and errors. However, these difficulties can be addressed with a robust Product Information Management (PIM) system.
A strong PIM system can streamline product information management, ensuring data consistency and accuracy across multiple platforms. For instance, companies implementing PIM systems report up to a 40% increase in data accuracy and a 30% reduction in time spent managing product data.
PIM systems facilitate the creation of compelling product narratives by integrating data from various sources and presenting it cohesively across different customer touchpoints.
The adoption of PIM systems is growing across various categories, including retail, manufacturing, and distribution. To fully leverage the benefits of PIM, businesses must adhere to best practices such as ensuring data completeness, maintaining data quality, and regular system audits. Adhering to these guidelines can help businesses unlock the full potential of their PIM systems, resulting in better product stories and improved customer engagement.
PIM Best Practices To Follow
PIM needs to be viewed from three main perspectives:
- A technical platform
- Manner of working
- Business enabler
This is in addition to delving deeply into the scope, business needs, the impact of implementation on vendors, partners, and other external organizations, and how it cascades to the end customer. Businesses risk becoming lost if they overlook any one of these viewpoints. Product Information Management is a strategic choice that requires financial commitment to adhere to the growth and progress concept of continuous improvement.
1. Establish your requirements and implementation plans
If you intend to alter how you handle your product information, present a compelling business case, raise awareness of the need for improvement, and secure funding and resources to support the change.
Create a list of PIM criteria, such as the following, before thinking about PIM software:
- Operating on the cloud
- Providing mass editing capabilities
- Real collaboration
- Robust digital asset management system
- Using AI and machine learning
2. Define roles and responsibilities
Working together on product content directly within the PIM system can greatly accelerate operations and remove content issues. Depending on your company's needs, the creation of product content may benefit from the involvement of the marketing department, eCommerce management, or even outside partners.
Because of this, you must select a PIM system that allows you to create many roles with varying levels of access without taking unneeded risks. These consist of the read-only, admin, product manager, and publisher access levels, each with default rights.
3. Standardizing Product Data with a Centralized PIM System
Businesses can streamline and standardize data management by establishing a single, centralized repository for product information. This approach provides a unified view for searching, updating, and publishing product material across multiple channels. Such a system allows the creation of validation rules, ensuring a uniform, industry-standard format for product attributes and categories.
Moreover, using a centralized PIM system helps eliminate the fragmentation of product data across various tools and platforms. According to Ventana Research, 56% of businesses maintain more than five systems holding product data, often resulting in inconsistent data formats and disjointed metadata. A streamlined approach minimizes human error and optimizes time to market, offering a competitive edge in product management and enhancing cross-sell and upsell potential.
4. Data integration is crucial
The majority of businesses utilize more than five systems that hold product data. They must all be integrated to create a single, unified set of data. Given these conditions, it is not unexpected that one of the main justifications for centrally handling product material in a PIM system is data integration.
The greatest PIM supplier currently offers dozens of connectors that are easily accessible. Sources of incoming data may include:
- ERP system
- Excel files/Spreadsheets
- Custom-built systems and platforms
5. Enhancing customer experience with PIM
By integrating PIM capabilities, businesses can significantly enhance customer experience. A B2B Marketing/Earnest poll revealed that 83% of participants would recommend a company to others after a positive experience, and 96% of respondents stated customer experience would impact whether they would make another purchase. With a PIM platform, companies can develop and manage a comprehensive body of material for each product at various customer journey stages. This facilitates multichannel sales and addresses potential obstacles, allowing businesses to connect with customers directly and ensure accurate and compelling product information. By prioritizing product information, PIM helps create a more customer-centric experience, aligning with placing the customer at the center of marketing and sales decisions.
6. Fostering Cultural Transformation and Capturing Your PIM Vision
Business evolution lies at the heart of Product Information Management (PIM), which involves scaling, adjusting, and growing the organization, along with making bold decisions like data quality improvement and process revamping. A PIM vision should include initiatives such as modernizing outdated processes, rethinking business procedures, implementing new assortment strategies, and exploring new syndication channels.
Additionally, fostering cultural transformation within the organization is essential. Employees, contractors, and vendors may not be fully aware of the impact of modernizing antiquated processes and improving collaboration on productivity, accuracy, and work speed. Leaders should prioritize ongoing workshops, inductions, and training to encourage understanding and commitment to the organization’s evolving business vision.
Conclusion
Whether you're a high-volume shop or just starting your online business, implementing these PIM best practices can give you a competitive edge, increase efficiency, and increase online sales. Understanding that your product knowledge is your genuine "asset," and sales channels serve as the asset's ultimate test. To put it another way, knowledge about your products is just as helpful as the actual products. PIM best practices also ensure that.