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Basics of product information management

Basics of product information management

Commercial product information management, i.e. product information management (PIM), refers to the management of information that supports the sale and marketing of products and services in different channels. At the center of product information management is a good customer experience that is present throughout the customer's purchase path.

Commercial product information management, i.e. product information management (PIM), refers to the management of information that supports the sale and marketing of products and services in different channels. At the center of product information management is a good customer experience that is present throughout the customer's purchase path.

Multichannel customer experience

The customer encounters product-related information in many different channels and meeting points. Consequently, high-quality, relevant and uniform product content has a significant impact on the customer's overall product experience.

PRODUCT information along the customer's purchase path

Product information along the customer's purchase path

In terms of multi-channel marketing and sales, product information management enables a consistent product experience. The goal is for the customer to find, recognize and understand the product in the way it is presented in different contexts, channels and meeting points.

Without a centralized place where marketing and sales information is managed, the information is often fragmented into numerous different locations and systems, where it is managed by several different people without knowing each other. Ownership of the information is also often unclear and searching for information takes extra time. Before a good product experience can be developed in sales channels, product information management must be in order internally.

Implementation of product information management

Adeona PIM is a centralized product information management platform that helps create better, multi-channel product experiences and streamlines product processes. Different departments and people have clear roles in maintaining the software, so that updated product information is always available and systematically managed.

However, PIM does not replace everything, such as ERP and CRM systems, which manage core business processes and take care of logistics and sales. When Product Information Management is implemented, the process usually has three clear steps:

1. Combining and analyzing product information

The starting situation is not optimal, because the information is in numerous different places. Canter's experts start with the customer with an analysis phase, which maps the customer's data reserves and methods of operation. The analysis gives a good idea of ​​how much information there is, where it is located, and which part of it is of high quality.

2. Organization and enrichment of information

Integrations play a key role in how information is made to flow automatically - always striving for the principle of one input. At this stage, you need to understand what the customers' needs are, and what kind of technical and content requirements apply to the different channels. Organizing information requires analyzing sales and marketing channels so that we understand what requirements systems, media or files have. Based on the analysis, a good, flexible product information model can be built in the middle of the PIM system, which in turn scales and always develops according to business needs.

3. Channeling and publication of information

In order for us to be able to sell and serve with information in a multi-channel manner, the last phase focuses on channeling and publishing information, as well as transferring information and synchronizing electronic services.

Information flow in the value chain

Typically, the structure and operating method in the trade sector is that a brand or manufacturer uses the Adeona PIM system as an extension of its own ERP or PDM system. In a wholesale or retail trade, these two interfaces must be managed extremely well - how information is received, how it is integrated into one's own process and how end customers are served.

Supply chains often have different tools and ways of working, so the company should find out which are the best and most efficient operating methods in terms of product information management. For example, when the market in Finland is still small, a global company should think about how product flows can be technically automated, and whether the company's potential for influence is large enough.

In terms of effective product information management, you have to think about how to develop the whole and whether the right things are done with smart solutions. The biggest challenges of international companies often concern translations of product information or the flexibility of the principal's brand portal. When, after sufficient analysis, the product information has been centrally received in the PIM system, a great opportunity for publication automation and process automation opens up.

What does product information management include?

1. Collection of product information

There are many possibilities and options for collecting product information, the most popular of which is the familiar Excel. However, if there is an opportunity to build integration between the two systems, data transfer is automated, for example, with the help of information system architecture. Already in the initial phase of data collection, it is good to ensure the quality of the data in order to avoid unnecessary cleaning tasks of product information and data later.

2. Classification of products and product information

The PIM system offers many different classification possibilities, for example for models specific to product type. In the system, the product structure must be thought out smartly and the right information connected to the right level. Detailed classification is particularly relevant for sales and marketing, so that relevant and necessary product information can be quickly found in the system.

3. Enrichment of product information

The focus of enriching product information is relevant content for customers and whether there are resources for it. Enrichment focuses on customer-oriented production of product content, but especially in international trade, managing language translations and taking into account different cultures is also relevant.

4. Quality of product information

The varying quality of product information limits the possibilities of utilizing the information, and weakens its discoverability. Good product information management tools help to ensure the high quality of product information in all publication channels.

5. Distribution of product information

With the help of electronic services and integration interfaces, the goal is always clear - the right information is synchronized with the right connection and service. Information is no longer copied from one place to another, but is published automatically both in online services and in sales materials.

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