What Does a PIM Specialist Do?

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by Lumavate | Last Updated: Mar 5, 2024

Product information management is a critical function of any business that manufactures or sells products. The person responsible for the everyday tasks and upkeep of a product information management system, or PIM system, is a PIM specialist.

A product information specialist is responsible for obtaining and updating all applicable product information. That can include product data such as product descriptions, benefits, features, pricing, dimensions, and other relevant details. Each business will have its own standards for what information is relevant and should be included in the product information system.

Product information can also include product-related digital assets, such as product images, owner’s manuals, troubleshooting videos, installation videos, product spec sheets, or other digital documents and assets that are related to the specific product in question. Product information management jobs are responsible for ensuring that these assets are attached to the product they reference, so there is an easy way to find and access those assets.

Businesses approach the role of a product information management specialist differently. Some companies have a full-time role dedicated to product information management, while other companies may have multiple people in the organization responsible for it, such as different product managers who oversee different projects. Typically, product information specialists are seen as subject matter experts for the product data they oversee. They are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all product information is accurate, updated, and organized.

What Is the Function of PIM?

Product information management, or PIM, allows companies to move away from outdated spreadsheets and inferior tools to manage all product data in one location. Product information management is the process of managing all types of product data required to market, sell, and service products, and can include a wide range of different documents, videos, experiences, and assets.

Rather than having this information spread out across different spreadsheets and servers, PIM brings all of these different files together in one place. When product information lives in a single location, it can be efficiently managed and accessed by multiple people in the organization. This saves time and stress from trying to track down wayward files that only live on one person’s computer, or emailing the organization trying to see who has ownership of a sales sheet. PIM gives companies the power to organize and control their data, rather than letting the data control them.

What Is PIM Software Used For?

Product information management software, or PIM software, is used to centrally store and manage all types of product data. This product data can include:

Product information can also include any related digital assets. Digital assets refer to additional files or documents beyond the basic facts listed above that still help organizations market, sell, and service their products. Examples of digital assets include:

However, these assets can only be included in the PIM solution if it has built-in Digital Asset Management (DAM) functionality. DAM functionality allows companies to bolster their product information by including these important files in the same single source of truth, avoiding further confusion about where things are located. The DAM gives easy organization to all related assets and supplies companies with a library of their digital assets for when they are needed in marketing, sales, or customer service processes.

A PIM solution typically allows multiple authorized users to log into the software and update product data in real-time. While the main responsibility of product information management will fall to the product information specialist, it is still accessible by more than one person in the organization. That means it provides a single source of truth for all product information, making companies more agile and efficient.

What Is an Example of PIM?

Finding the best PIM solution can seem overwhelming at first. There are many PIM software companies available today, including these top 10 PIM software solutions:

These different PIM software examples all offer the ability to centralize the management of product data, which is the core functionality of product information management. However, some solutions offer more than just a single source of truth and use additional built-in functionality to make product information management even more in-depth and functional.

Lumavate is the preferred solution for PIM specialists and others who use product information management systems. Lumavate has robust functionality as a PIM, Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution, and Digital Experience Platform (DXP). A DXP allows businesses to create and build digital product experiences that are tied to product data and digital assets. Using the Lumavate platform, you can craft these experiences, including product catalogs, landing pagesmicrositeslabels, packaging, portals, product sheetscampaigns, and events, within minutes. You can even make reusable templates for these experiences and further optimize your approach to product information management for marketing, sales, and service.

See Lumavate in Action

Meet with one of our experts to see how easy it is to centralize your product data, manage digital assets, and create digital product experiences. Trust us…you’re going to be wowed.