Next time you’re at some sort of gathering, here’s a simple game you can play: Pick any simple household object and ask people how many facts they can state about that object. Granted, it’s not the most exciting game to play, but all the same you’ll be amazed at just how much information people can come up with about even the most basic of products. I mean, think about it—for something as simple as a coffee cup, you’ve immediately got at least the dimensions, weight, color, design, material, when it was bought, where it came from, how much it cost…I could go on and on.
Now imagine you’re looking at this from a manufacturer’s point of view (or if you’re reading this article, maybe you don’t have to imagine 👀). How much more data do you think the coffee cup’s manufacturer has to deal with? There’s not just the basic info to consider anymore, no, now you also need to think about the entire design, engineering, and manufacturing process. Where did the materials come from? How much did they cost? How many different designs did that simple coffee cup go through before it made it to the factory? Does that cup meet all the necessary requirements with regard to quality assurance and compliance?
Questions like this are why manufacturers have to handle a mind-blowing amount of data on a daily basis, and why they risk finding themselves overwhelmed if they don’t have the right tools and software in place to help. One tool that can make manufacturers’ lives a lot easier is product information management software, or PIM (for those in the know).
In this article we’re going to look at how PIM can help manage different types of manufacturing data, what the benefits of using PIM are for manufacturers, and a whole lot more besides. Let’s get started.
PIM software is designed to handle a massive range of data types that are essential for manufacturers—so many different types, in fact, that listing them all here would take far too long for you to read (and for me to write, for that matter). Let's look at 10 of the most important types instead, in no particular order.
By processing and organizing these types of data, PIM software makes operations run more smoothly, helps maintain consistency in product information across various platforms, and improves overall efficiency when manufacturers are managing their product portfolios.
Manufacturers can use PIM software when dealing with product data in numerous different ways, all of which can reduce the amount of money, time, effort, and stress involved in the process. Here are some of the most typical uses of PIM software in a manufacturing context.
By using PIM software in these ways, manufacturers can significantly step up their product information management game, which, of course, leads to more efficient operations, better market responsiveness, and even happier customers in the end.
As I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, there are countless advantages manufacturers can gain from using Product Information Management software. To avoid overdoing it, though, here are just ten of the top benefits in this handy list—see what you think!
Put simply, PIM software helps manufacturers manage their product information more effectively, which leads to improved business performance overall. Enough said.
One company that’s well aware of the benefits of PIM software is Birlea Furniture.
For 23 years, they strictly operated as a trade-only supplier and manufacturer. However, they’ve now welcomed the idea of selling products to many of the largest reseller websites in the UK.
In 2019, they expanded and purchased a second, high-end brand, Willis & Gambier. This acquisition meant they could target higher spenders alongside their mid-earning customer base—but, as you can imagine, with this audience growth came the need to scale processes.
“Before using a Product Information Management system, uploading content was taking hours and days from work. It became impractical to do it manually, and we soon realized the urgency to find software that could help us centralize data and use feeds to send this content out,” says Michael Prime, Marketing Manager at Birlea. “For years, we worked in data silos. And to be honest, we didn’t know any better.”
“Our teams would work on four different spreadsheets, with data and images located elsewhere, to get the job done. There was no alternative plan to this long-winded approach until we started receiving a ton more post-sale questions (for example, box weight and dimensions) or vendor requirements, which our client service teams weren’t able to find easily. This became very frustrating for internal teams.”
While a central source of truth was their initial requirement, Birlea Furniture also started using Brand Portals (digital, online catalogs) instead of printing brochures. “We were spending up to £12k on printing brochures. And, considering the nature of the industry, by the time we printed, it was almost time to discontinue a product or change the price again. Thankfully, the tool has been a massive saving in this regard.”
In just 9 months, Plytix PIM software has transformed the way Birlea Furniture Ltd manages and shares information.
"We're very happy with the results we’ve achieved. Before, our price lists were just on a spreadsheet, which didn't look very professional. Now, we use the catalog function to replace that, and for many other things: To separate trade and retail price lists, provide customer service with all the data they need, and then, of course, to share product feeds with retailers."
“Each function has automated and streamlined processes for us. We can store and share more assets than we had hoped for, videos and endless amounts of imagery, which is very helpful. We have also made use of the API to feed product stock into our Plytix account. What a dream!"
By implementing PIM software, Birlea have saved:
As you can see, the benefits of PIM software for manufacturers are pretty impressive. By managing data in a more efficient way, PIM users are able to improve efficiency throughout their organizations, which ultimately leads to faster processes, happier customers, and a more profitable way of doing business.
Want to learn more? Then you can download our free guide to how PIM software is giving companies the edge over their competitors just down below—enjoy!