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Understanding Cloud PIM Systems

Cloud-based Product Information Management (PIM) systems have revolutionized the way B2B manufacturers manage and distribute product information. By centralizing all product data in one accessible platform, these systems provide a single source of truth that enhances efficiency and accuracy across various sales channels. 

Flexibility and Accessibility

One of the key advantages of cloud PIM software is its flexibility. Unlike traditional on-premise systems, cloud PIM solutions can be accessed from anywhere on any device, providing unparalleled mobility and convenience. This means that whether your team is in the office, working remotely, or on the go, they can easily update and manage product data in real-time.  

Simplified Implementation and Maintenance

Discover the Best PIM Software: Streamline Your Product Information Management

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Neurologik offers a complete Product Data Management solution designed specifically for manufacturers. Improve productivity, streamline operations, and foster creativity. Find out more!

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Consumer decision-making has evolved quite a lot from the era of salesmanship and solicitation. Now almost half the consumers decide to purchase before connecting with a salesperson in B2C businesses. At the same time, B2B buyers are facing an increasingly complex product mix, which can grow outdated quickly. 

The evolving consumer behavior and challenges demand that producers focus more on transparency and consumer experience. PIM software solutions aim to resolve and sharpen this edge of the business for enterprises. 

While large enterprises across North America and Europe already use in-house PIM solutions, SaaS PIM solutions offer the same edge to others. 

What is PIM Software? 

Product Information Management (PIM) software centralizes and optimizes product data for businesses. It consolidates information, enriches data, and ensures consistency across sales channels. PIM enhances customer experience, streamlines workflows, and provides insights for strategic decisions. Integrating with other systems, PIM drives efficiency and accuracy in managing product information. 

Key Features & Functionalities of PIM Solutions 

PIM software works as a tool for managing and distributing product data accurately. The best PIM system should offer the following features: 

Centralization: PIM software acts as a central repository for all product data and acts as a single source of truth. It consolidates information from various sources, such as suppliers, manufacturers, and internal systems. 

Data Enrichment: PIM systems allow users to enhance product data. You can add detailed descriptions, images, videos, technical specifications, pricing, and more. 

Channel Syndication: PIM software facilitates seamless distribution of product information to multiple sales channels. Changes made in the PIM system automatically reflect in connected channels whether it’s an e-commerce website, marketplace, or print catalog. 

Workflow Management: PIM tools streamline collaboration among teams. Automated workflows enable efficient data creation, approval, and publishing. For example, marketing teams can review and update product descriptions before they go live. 

Quality Control: PIM systems enforce data quality standards. They validate information, check for completeness, and flag inconsistencies ensuring accurate data to customers. 

Localization and Globalization: PIM software supports multilingual and regional variations. Businesses can manage product data for different markets, currencies, and languages. 

Analytics and Insights: PIM tools provide insights into product performance. You can track which products are popular, monitor inventory levels, and analyze customer behavior. 

Integration with Other Systems: PIM software integrates with other business applications (e.g., ERP, CRM, DAM). 

Benefits of implementing PIM software 

OEMs and corporations with manufacturing expertise need to focus on innovation and the quality of their products. That means they need to automate the communication and information sharing with external stakeholders. PIM system can take care of this need of the OEMs to a great extent. 

So, the benefits of implementing a PIM system include: 

High-Quality Product Data Always: 

PIM systems go beyond mere data management. 

They ensure accurate and consistent product data by enabling easy editing, user rights management, data validation, and version control. 

Data modeling establishes relationships and hierarchies, organizing information intelligently across product lines. 

Data quality—including completeness, enrichment, and auditing—is also a crucial aspect. 

Integration with Other Systems: 

PIM seamlessly integrates with various enterprise software. 

It fits well with legacy systems, ERPs, CRMs, and more. 

No need for existing systems to adapt; PIM adapts to them. 

Digital Asset Management: 

PIM handles digital assets like images, videos, and documents. 

It ensures consistent branding and efficient asset distribution. 

Product Data Syndication: 

PIM facilitates data distribution to multiple sales channels. 

Consistent, up-to-date information reaches eCommerce platforms, marketplaces, and catalogs. 

Supporting Vendors and Suppliers: 

PIM streamlines collaboration with external partners. 

Efficiently manage product data exchange with suppliers and vendors. 

Customer Experience and ROI: 

Accurate, enriched product information enhances customer interactions. 

Improved customer experience leads to better sales and loyalty. 

PIM contributes to a positive return on investment (ROI). 

Faster Time-to-Market: 

PIM reduces manual tasks, automating workflows. 

Correct product information reaches downstream channels promptly. 

Types of PIM Solutions 

You can use one of the following three types of PIM systems. All three offer certain advantages and a few limitations that should help you select the best solution for your organization. 

On-premises (Proprietary) PIM 

Cloud-Based (SaaS) PIM Solutions 

Open-Source PIM 

Assessing Your Business Needs 

A standard PIM solution can offer a lot of features. Depending on the size, expanse, and business model you may need some features more than others. For example, an OEM with markets in Spain, Canada, France, and Italy, needs a high degree of localization for their product data. 

Similarly, a smaller OEM may prefer to have multiple digital channels for selling their products. Thus, outlining the need for e-commerce, cataloging, and digital asset management. Other OEMs may want to provide authentic and consistent information through their website and other channels. 

Thus, listing down your business needs will help you assess the PIM solution's suitability. 

Key Considerations for Choosing PIM Software 

You can look for a few standard parameters in the best PIM software for your business. These are the features that allow your choice to remain viable as your business grows and evolves: 

Scalability and Flexibility: SaaS PIM solutions offer superior scalability and flexibility to be used from anywhere. 

Ease of Use and User Interface: Intuitive user interface and navigation and easy-to-access properties make the PIM more productive. 

Integration Capabilities with Existing Systems: SaaS-based PIMs can integrate with existing ERPs and databases using APIs. 

Customization Options and Support: Does the PIM solution provider entertain customization requests? 

Data Security and Compliance: SaaS PIMs often use high-security certificates for safe and compliant data practices. However, check if they meet the security needs of your industry. 

Pricing and Licensing Models: On-premise and open-source PIM solutions have a high capital input cost. However, PIM SaaS solutions will offer subscription-based pricing customizable with features. 

The Final Decision – Futuristic Yet Adaptable 

In the dynamic landscape of manufacturing, digital transformation is revolutionizing the way firms market their products. As B2B businesses navigate this evolution, they must recognize the pivotal role of digital marketing in driving growth.  

Consumer behavior has evolved a lot for both B2C and B2B segments. The B2B sales process that was traditionally driven by sales teams has gradually turned to rely on digital channels. 

Role of Digital Marketing in Manufacturing Marketing  

Recent research in B2B consumer behavior showcases the strong influence of internet searches on buying decisions. 52% of the buyers rely on online searches to research the solutions before inviting the vendors. 

A few key statistics from such studies are: 

Web search, vendor websites, and review sites (i.e., social media) are the top three resources buyers look at for purchase decisions. 

More than 60% of buyers would prefer a vendor with product information, competition, and pricing transparency. 

While features and functionality are critical, most buyers would prefer a vendor with transparent pricing information. 

More than 50% of buyers would prefer a vendor with knowledge and experience in the buyer’s industry. 

Sales teams need to be well-versed with solutions customized to the buyer’s needs. 

Why Digital Marketing Matters for Manufacturers? 

B2B consumers are increasingly depending on anonymous research and online information before inviting proposals. The behavior is like the B2C consumer, where the buying decision is made before connecting with the brand. With consumers looking for solutions digitally, manufacturers must also register their presence in this landscape to remain visible. 

Visibility and Reach: Digital channels expand your reach globally. SEO, content marketing, and social media play crucial roles. 

Personalization: Tailor content to individual buyers. PIM ensures consistent, relevant product information across touchpoints. 

Lead Generation: Effective digital marketing generates quality leads. Nurture them through targeted campaigns. 

Today’s consumers value information more than advertisement, and digital marketing channels like SEO and content marketing offer the same. Even much of the advertising activities involve advertising content rather than products for the most effective B2B marketers. 

The best way of convincing your business buyers is through: 

Addressing their challenges and goals directly 

Responding to buyer queries quickly and with detailed information 

Offering high-quality and detailed information about your products 

Maintaining consistency and transparency about information and pricing 

Offering a fair competitive positioning of your offerings (superior, alternative, and inferior products) 

Ensuring authentic reviews from existing consumers 

Omnichannel Marketing Challenges for Manufacturers 

B2B marketing plays more around decision assistance rather than a more attractive offering. That is why omnichannel marketing has been a buzzword in B2B marketing and digital marketing for manufacturers. The manufacturers need to ensure that the information about their products remains updated on their website, with channel partners, and the sales teams. 

Offering such consistency with deep content such as product data requires your organization to: 

Ensure a single source of truth for all product data. 

Update the product information on all channels simultaneously or at least very quickly. Alternatively, the users must be notified if the information on the channel is not the latest. 

Updating and training the sales and solutions team with the latest data. 

Creating and sharing updated, and localized catalogs with external teams. 

Ensure faster validation and compliance for all product data. 

Ensuring a high level of accuracy and consistency with product data is only possible with automated tools like product information management (PIM) systems and other tools. 

Digital Superiority Tools for Manufacturers 

Manufacturers need tools and systems that can manage and enrich their product information after release. Product information management (PIM), and digital asset management (DAM) systems are two such tools that can help with: 

Centralized Product Information: Streamlining data management with PIM for a single source of truth for all product data. DAM ensures that digital assets like PDFs, product images, blueprints, technical files, etc. 

Consistent Brand Messaging: Ensuring uniformity across digital channels, i.e., website, e-commerce, channel partners, sales, etc. 

Enhanced Product Visibility: Optimizing product content for search and discovery. 

Personalized Customer Experiences: Tailoring content to meet B2B buyer needs. 

Streamlined Content Distribution: Integrating PIM with digital marketing platforms and CMS. 

SaaS PIM systems like Neurologik’s ProductHub offer these features by integrating the properties of both PIM and DAM systems. API integrators ensure seamless integration with the existing systems of the firm, channel partners, and website CMS. 

With tools like ProductHub, you can update your product content on all channels simultaneously as soon as it is approved by the product and marketing teams. Thus, maintaining consistency and accuracy across channels. 

The data enrichment feature allows your teams to create unlimited product attributes and metatags for digital assets. These attributes and metatags make your product information easily searchable. You can further integrate AI tools to offer user intent-based configurators to your digital users. 

Conclusion 

The role of digital marketing continues to grow in the buying decisions of today’s consumers. The best way to ride this tide of change is to adopt new digital tools and technologies to maintain a competitive edge. Manufacturers are the primary source of information about their products and thus should adopt tools like PIM and DAM systems. 

OEMs’ sales and marketing teams can benefit significantly from adopting a Product Information Management (PIM) system. A PIM acts as a centralized hub for product data, ensuring consistency and accuracy. It streamlines updates, facilitates multichannel commerce, enhances customer experiences, and supports global expansion. 

OEMs can leverage a PIM system to optimize operations, speed up information sharing, and stay competitive in today’s dynamic market. 

Table of Contents: 

Akeneo PIM 

inRiver PIM 

Neurologik’s ProductHub 

Pimcore 

Salsify 

Plytix 

Contentserv 

Riversand 

Perfion 

Stibo Systems 

Catsy 

Upcoming PIM Solution 

Here’s a list of the best PIM software known for their robust features, scalability, and suitability for manufacturers' needs. 

Akeneo PIM 

Akeneo PIM is an open-source product information management platform designed to centralize and manage product data across multiple channels. 

Top five features: 

Intuitive user interface for easy product data management. 

Customizable product attributes and catalogs to suit diverse business needs. 

Support for multi-channel and multi-language product information. 

Automated data enrichment and validation to ensure data accuracy. 

Integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms and marketplaces. 

inRiver PIM 

inRiver PIM is a cloud-based product information management solution known for its flexibility and scalability in managing complex product data. 

Top five features: 

Dynamic product data modeling for creating rich and structured product information. 

Workflow automation for streamlining the product data creation and approval process. 

Syndication and distribution capabilities for publishing product information across various channels. 

Real-time analytics and insights to track product performance and customer engagement. 

API-driven architecture for seamless integration with other business systems. 

Neurologik’s ProductHub 

ProductHub is a futuristic SaaS PIM solution that integrates the properties of PIM, DAM, MDM, CMS, and ProductDB, to provide seamless assistance to your marketing and sales teams. 

Top five features of ProductHub: 

Seamless integration with existing ERP and product databases through APIs. 

Automates data validation and completion workflows to enrich product attributes and supports multi-level data enrichment. 

Configure unlimited solution bundles using existing and upcoming products. 

Automate product solutions based on consumer preferences and intent. 

Localize your product data and catalogs for any region and language before sharing them with distribution channels or consumers. 

Pimcore 

Pimcore is an open-source digital experience platform that includes robust PIM capabilities, enabling businesses to manage product data, digital assets, and content. 

Top five features of Pimcore PIM: 

Unified platform for managing product information, digital assets, and content in one place. 

Customizable data models and workflows to adapt to unique business requirements. 

Digital asset management features for organizing and distributing media assets. 

Multi-language and multi-channel support for global product information management. 

Integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms, CMS, and ERP systems. 

Salsify 

Salsify is a cloud-based product experience management platform designed to empower brands to deliver compelling product experiences across digital channels. 

Top five features: 

Dynamic product information management with real-time updates and syndication. 

Digital asset management capabilities for organizing and distributing rich media assets. 

Workflow automation to streamline product content creation and approval processes. 

Syndication to major retailers and marketplaces for seamless product content distribution. 

Analytics and insights for measuring product content performance and optimizing strategies. 

Plytix 

Plytix is a cloud-based product information management and digital asset management platform (DAM) tailored for small and medium-sized businesses. 

Top five features: 

User-friendly interface for easy product data management and enrichment. 

Flexible data modeling and attribute management to accommodate diverse product catalogs. 

Digital asset management capabilities for organizing and sharing media assets. 

Batch editing and automation tools to streamline bulk updates and data processes. 

Integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms and marketing channels for seamless data exchange. 

Contentserv 

Contentserv is one of the best product information management systems and MDM solution providers, empowering businesses to create and deliver engaging product experiences. 

Top five features: 

Comprehensive product data modeling and management capabilities. 

Advanced workflow automation for efficient content creation and approval processes. 

Multichannel publishing and syndication to deliver consistent product information across various touchpoints. 

Digital asset management (DAM) functionality for organizing and distributing media assets. 

Dynamic product data enrichment tools for enhancing product information quality and relevance. 

Riversand 

Riversand offers a cloud-native master data management (MDM) and PIM platform designed to help enterprises manage their data assets effectively. 

Top five features: 

Flexible data modeling and attribute management to support complex product hierarchies. 

Advanced data governance and quality management capabilities for ensuring data accuracy and compliance. 

Real-time data synchronization and integration with external systems and channels. 

AI-driven insights and analytics for data-driven decision-making and optimization. 

Scalable architecture to support the growing needs of large enterprises across industries. 

Perfion 

Perfion provides a flexible and scalable PIM solution tailored for businesses of all sizes to centralize and manage product data efficiently. 

Top five features: 

Intuitive user interface and customizable data models for easy product data management. 

Workflow automation to streamline product content creation, enrichment, and approval processes. 

Multi-language and multi-channel support for global product information management. 

Integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms, ERP systems, and other business applications. 

Advanced search and filtering functionalities for quickly finding and accessing product information. 

Stibo Systems 

Stibo Systems offers a master data management (MDM) and PIM for manufacturers to help them create a single, trusted view of their data assets. 

Top five features: 

Unified data modeling and governance framework for managing complex data domains. 

Flexible data integration capabilities to connect with internal and external data sources. 

Data quality management tools to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance. 

Workflow automation for managing data processes and collaboration across teams. 

Real-time data synchronization and distribution for delivering up-to-date information across channels. 

Catsy 

Catsy provides a user-friendly PIM software for manufacturing designed to streamline the creation, enrichment, and distribution of product content across channels. 

Top five features: 

Easy-to-use interface and customizable data templates for efficient product data management. 

Batch editing and import/export functionalities for bulk updates and data exchange. 

Integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and other systems. 

Role-based access control and permission management for data security. 

Analytics and reporting tools to track product content performance and identify optimization opportunities. 

Upcoming PIM Solution 

Future PIM solutions like Neurologik’s ProductHub pack a punch with integrated features and a highly scalable structure. These SaaS PIM solutions aim to cut the data validation and management time for your sales and marketing teams. Studies show that presale teams may spend up to 80% of their time validating and verifying available product data rather than drafting actual solutions. 

The impact of the increasing complexity of products and lack of confidence in product data often fails proposals. Future PIM solutions can break the status quo in B2B business and help your teams focus on solution designs to help the consumers. 

References: 

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