Structure and Acceptance: Your Methodological Approach to a Fast PIM Implementation
“Digital Transformation” is a topic which poses a great challenge to many companies – in particular when it comes to Product Communication. The e-commerce industry is booming. In order to stay afloat in the face of today’s fast-paced competition, online retailers must manage a large quantity of products and corresponding product data in an optimal manner. To this end, an ERP system by itself is no longer sufficient. Products are to be enriched with a great variety of data and digital assets, from text to multimedia – and, eventually, distributed into many target channels in order to address various target groups at the same time. This is what multi-channel is all about. How can you master this challenge? The solution isn’t far to seek: a Product Information Management system. In short, PIM.
A PIM system simplifies the labor you’re required to invest into your product data significantly. This is because you can edit and maintain your product data and information at a central spot, in a department-overarching manner, across your entire company. Through various intersection nodes with other systems, you can enhance your PIM system with further functions such as, for example, automated translations. To put it simply: A PIM provides you with many benefits which will facilitate your daily work life and upgrade your company’s Product Communication to the state of the art.
If this is, indeed, the case, however, how come that not every company and online shop operator is running a PIM system? Since the implementation of a PIM system involves some effort which, in turn, discourages some responsible people in charge.
This is How Your PIM Project will Become a Success
If it’s about implementing new software in a company, the expectations are usually pretty high. In particular when it comes to a Product Information Management system, your team may expect quick results thanks to better data transparency, more compact processes, and efficient management tools. At the same time, the executive board is pushing for a quick implementation with a limited project budget. To bring both worlds together, you’ll need a well-mapped-out implementation plan and, on the other hand, you’ll need to generate a high acceptance rate for changes and innovations among your coworkers.
Our experience proves: With a core team of proactive key users and with our proven software training program, a PIM system can be implemented with minimal service hours and with a short project runtime. To learn about the four essential aspects you’ll need to look out for in order to make your project a success, keep on reading.
PIM Means Teamwork: It All Comes Down to the Right Project Team
For the successful implementation of a PIM system, select your taskforce before anything else – your core team. This team forms the foundation and, consequently, the first essential success factor for a quick project implementation. Concerning team size, the rule is: as little as possible, as big as necessary. Once it’s up and running, the PIM software will enable department-overarching collaboration and data management. Which is why you should compose your core team out of different department representatives – bundling the corporate know-how, from Marketing to Product Management. These representatives are experts of your product portfolio and know exactly which product attributes are relevant to your customers. This is where the first pitfall for a successful PIM project is looming. Don’t forget to get your IT involved as early as possible. Often times, companies make the mistake of getting their IT department on board once it’s already much too late, in the middle of the implementation process. This is crucial since it’s your IT that harbors specialized expert knowledge on how to implement digital systems such as PIM. Your IT knows best when it comes to your company’s current software infrastructure. Ideally, you’ve already gotten your IT admins involved before the PIM project even started.
For the successful introduction of a PIM system, human resources is another big topic. Make sure that your project team can prioritize PIM for the runtime of the project. Without the resources required, your project may run into delays and postponements.