IT managers and CIOs: why and how to implement a PIM DAM solution?

Before embarking on the implementation of a PIM or DAM SOLUTIONsolution, IT or DSI managers need to have a clear vision of their organization. PIM expert Aurélie Bensch takes a look at the challenges involved, and the example of Sun Citya manufacturer of licensed products in the fashion sector.

The first points to check on the CIO side

• The possible limitations of your current information system that hinder the fluidity of data exchanges between the different departments. 
• The blocking points in the teams that work with product data on a daily basis and that prevent them from being fully effective.
• Business difficulties that delay the sale of your products on each of your channels. 
• The risk matrix to articulate the different topics collected. 
• The situation at "T", when a company is faced with the current bottlenecks in product information management, is often the main motivation for starting a PIM project.

The main 'pain points' with the example of Sun City

Before implementing its PIM software, Sun city's main problem was centralizing information in a single tool, with all the attendant problems: 

• Reduced global visibility on the collection in preparation with each stylist and buyer working on their own files,
•  The process of modifying data is extremely time-consuming when, for example, the same modification has to be distributed to several dozen products, 
• Chaotic management of translations during the creation cycle, with no clear process and, above all, no tools, 
• Marketing and sales data enrichment for a BtoC, or rather BtoBtoC approach impossible with its current tools, 
• Manual management of all visuals and media.

What challenges do IT managers face when implementing a PIM ?

Aurélie Bensh, PIM expert at Quable, explains that one of the first challenges they face is integrating the PIM tool into their information system (IS). Often, the PIM is integrated into an ERP that is a little old, or with obsolete processes. The ERP organizes products in a way that doesn't allow them to dissociate products according to the different sites they want to supply. This is one of the reasons they turn to PIM. The aim is to reorganize data or ensure that it is in line with new uses. 

The second challenge concerns change management. Once the PIM has been installed, existing teams need to adopt the tool. This requires user guides and workshops. 

Finally, the third challenge is the management of incoming and outgoing data flows within the IS. With PIM, this is addressed via APIs or flat files/CSVs.

The benefits of PIM for business and teams 

Aurélie sees 3 major advantages to installing a PIM solution: 

• PIM centralizes data from product sheets, with exchanges, contributions and data translations taking place simultaneously on the same platform, 
• It sends the data to different platforms (marketplaces, e-commerce sites, etc.) in real time and in multiple languages. The tech, digital and marketing teams have access to up-to-date data and can contribute simultaneously, in the same place, on the same product. After this step, the translators can take action and translate the product information, 
• PIM facilitates collaboration between teams, thanks to widgets that highlight the product sheets that need attention, using tags and filters.

Want to find out more about implementing a PIM DAM solution? Download the ebook : IT managers and CIOs: 4 steps for framing and implementing your PIM