At Adeona, we work every day to make product information management (PIM) as easy as possible. As in many other things, those who are able to make the complex simple are successful in product information management.
Although product information management is not complicated.
In our opinion, it doesn't always have to be. Following a few basic principles will go a long way. The basic idea is the same in every company, although there are industry and company-specific differences.
PIM is not an information system project.
It is the introduction of a new operating method, which involves change management and the automation of manual processes. The PIM system does not do everything automatically, but it acts as an enabler. In order to make product information management as easy as possible in our customer companies, we have paid particular attention to the following issues and actively developed them.
1. Easy acquisition
In our opinion, the acquisition of an information system should not be complicated, but one should think about how to make use and processes as efficient as possible. The starting point is usually how the PIM system supports the current systems, unless you are doing an all-encompassing IT system reform. The more our customer uses the PIM system and utilizes the data it contains, the greater the benefits our customer receives.
Ease of acquisition is also affected by:
- length of contract period (we believe in the added value we produce, not long contract periods)
- the possibility to start with a simple definition
- what kind of training does the implementation include
- how to support the customer in change management
- delivery of the system as a SaaS service or installed in your own infrastructure
2. Easy deployment
The ease of commissioning helps to get the system into efficient use. When the background is in order, managing the change is easier.
Easy implementation means many things:
- well led and prepared specification and specification
- refined operating methods and industry-specific productization
- ease of system installation and parameterization
- functional application interfaces (API) facilitate integration
- productized operating methods and connectors to the most common systems
3. Ease of use
The easy-to-use interface motivates users to maintain product information and get the most out of the data.
A good user experience consists of many things, for example:
- a logical, reliable user interface
- search functions that work like thought, only faster
- smart suggestions
- mass editing functions, import and export (highlighted especially with large item quantities)
4. Easy integration
A PIM system rarely works by itself. Typically it is integrated with at least one other system, but most often there are more systems, for example ERP and online store.
System integration should also be easy. A well-documented API that follows common standards makes everything easier and faster for everyone. Information can be moved between different systems efficiently without massive integration projects.
5. Easy expansion and utilization of data
We want to help our customers use product information more efficiently. When the interfaces of the PIM system are functional and open, you can easily build data-oriented applications on top of the product information. This way, our customer can make use of the expertise and partner he deems best at any given time.
