Omnichannel: success guaranteed with an editor-integrator PIM ?

It's time for a change in the way you manage your product data. PIM to better manage your product information, but the first question on your mind is: where to start? There are dozens of PIM solutions on the market, but you're not sure which one is best suited to your needs. Don't panic: this is where the key players come into play at PIM : the solution's publishers and integrators. To get you up and running quickly and with peace of mind with a PIM solution that's perfectly suited to your business, we're going to look at how the PIM publisher-integrator duo represents an excellent partnership to support you, boost your performance and your business.

How the editor-integrator duo will transform your approach to product data

This time, it's decided! You're going to use a PIM solution to transform your product information experience.

You can't wait to dive into the world of PIM but you are probably also asking yourself: in concrete terms, how can I implement a PIM (Product Information Management) solution in my company's information system (IS)?

Defining your medium- and long-term objectives is the first step in making the PIM part of a global strategic vision because the PIM has a direct impact on the company.

After defining your objectives, two partners will be able to assist you in the implementation and deployment of the solution PIM. Among the actors of PIM, there are editors of the solution and integrators:

• An editor develops and provides a solution. For example, Quable offers a solution PIM and DAM, a tool that centralizes and consolidates all your product information.

To select a publisher, take stock of the features offered with the PIM that fit your needs.

Some publishers such as Quable offer a PIM solution integrated with a DAM (Digital Asset Manager). The DAM is an option that makes it possible to manage media files (images, photos) and to associate the right media with the right products in record time. The integration of a DAM with the PIM ensures a centralisation of information and thus facilitates collaboration between the different teams.

Depending on the size of your company, you may need to combine PIM with an MDM (Master Data Management) to reference and secure complex data.

In short, the more compatible the options offered by your publisher are with your needs, the faster you will achieve your goals.

• An integrator is responsible for assisting customers in the deployment and integration of the solution. For example, our partners like Zento or Kaliop integrate PIM solutions into their customers' information systems.

There are several advantages to choosing a PIM vendor and integrator as this duo offers an omnichannel experience to customers:

1. The editor has expertise in the solution and allows a simple and efficient implementation of the solution. The PIM in SaaS offers many advantages such as a rapid implementation that does not require any specific development. At Quable, the onboarding manager takes care of the entire support phase along with a technical referent of the solution in order to accompany you throughout your transition to the PIM.

2. The integrator, with its extensive knowledge of PIM and your sector, will be able to implement, customise and deploy the PIM so that it fits perfectly with your needs:

- The integrator carries out an assessment of the problems linked to the management of product data

- It then implements the PIM solution and creates the interfaces according to your digital ecosystem

- When everything is ready, the integrator launches the deployment of the PIM in France and internationally

The integrator is at your disposal and offers assistance to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Few companies have the technical resources and business skills required to integrate a PIM solution. As soon as there is an interaction with a platform or data external to the PIM, an integrator must be called in. For example, if you want to send data to a marketplace, you need to use an application that will transform the data into the appropriate format to make it accessible. Integration requires project management skills that only a specialist integrator can offer.

By outsourcing this mission, not only will you save time but you will also benefit from the expertise of your editor and integrator who will accompany you step by step in your adventure with the PIM.

The PIM is an evolving tool that is never fixed or definitive. It is necessary to go through several iterations to implement optimisations in order to get the best out of the solution.

PIM-DAM: a multi-stage deployment

The success of a PIM deployment is achieved over time.

There is no need to rush, but by laying a solid foundation and proceeding step by step, you will succeed in making a smooth transition. When starting a PIM, it can be tempting to launch into several actions: opening new channels, being present on several marketplaces or being available in several languages.

There are many possibilities, but to build a solid foundation, it is important not to lose focus and to focus on one step at a time. To get the benefits of PIM quickly, you can start with an MVP (minimum viable product) to be deployed within two to three months, which will then allow you to conduct iterations to improve the data model.

It is common to tackle the e-commerce channel first as it requires a high level of information.

As we have seen previously, the PIM is an iterative tool that works in several stages:

1. Design: Setting up the data model. The data model is the preliminary work that will enable the PIM to be built in a logic centred on your products and the way in which they must be enriched and then distributed.

1. Development and integration: Integration of the solution.
2. Acceptance and training: Feedback from user tests is taken into account in order to carry out new designs that constitute an adaptation of the catalogue structure.

The iterative methodology is essential in a PIM DAM integration. It ensures that the PIM solution perfectly meets your needs and adapts to your uses.

The Delsey case study highlights how PIM can be customised to suit each situation. When Delsey, an international luggage brand, called on our PIM solution, the initial objective was to harmonise product information at an international level in order to roll out omnichannel opening the following year.

The speed of implementation of the PIM far exceeded their expectations and objectives. In less than three months, the PIM enabled them to centralise all multilingual product information in a single platform. The company was able to deploy four new channels in less than a year. The group was thus able to quickly optimise its data management and gain months ahead of the initial roadmap.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to get support for your PIM, we want to help you go further. Discover the keys to mastering this product data, boosting your performance and thus achieving operational excellence thanks to the replay of our webinar produced in partnership with Kaliop:

• What productivity gains can be expected from an PIM?
• How can we make the PIM a company project that revives team collaboration despite the distance?
• How can you boost your sales by optimising your omnichannel approach?

Discover the answers in video: I boost my performance