What Does PIM Do?

What Does PIM Do?

Product Information Management (PIM) is the process of managing every piece of product information in your company that’s needed for you to be able to market, sell, and service your products. With a PIM, all of your product data is stored in one place to make it far easier to manage and control. That way, you can ensure that every piece of data issued is the most accurate and up-to-date version.

You have complete control over every version of every bit of product information in your company. No more sending out inaccurate or outdated product data or information by accident, simply because someone wasn’t manually handed the latest update. Instead, you can be sure that your data has been checked and updated by your product experts and that only the latest, most accurate version is able to be accessed by the people who need it. Everyone from your marketing team to your sales team will be certain they have the right information at their fingertips.

While control of the information stays in your product expert’s hands, you can also set controls on which employees can access your data, adding to company security and helping to ensure that any sensitive product information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

What Is a PIM Tool?

PIM software is used to bring together all of your product information in one place. Your product data might include SKUs, features, benefits, product descriptions, dimensions, weight, functionality, and more. If your PIM solution also includes Digital Asset Management (DAM) functionality, like Lumavate’s PIM solution, then you can also store and manage other digital assets, such as product videos, 3D models, product images, written or video instructions, owner’s manuals, product safety data sheets, specification sheets, and other needed assets.

You can then have a solution that allows your product experts to control and update every piece of data relating to their area of expertise. Instead of randomly updating whatever document comes across their desk, with this software solution, there will be a process where your experts can take the time to check and correct any information both before uploading it to your PIM and once it is in place, with proper version control. They will then be able to allocate access only to the people and/or departments that need it, ensuring smooth and an accurate information flow.

Once your product experts are certain they have the final, most up-to-date versions of your data, your marketing department, for example, can then add someone from their team to control all pieces of product marketing information and all digital assets, ensuring that what the marketing team issues is correct, up-to-date, and free from errors.

This follows throughout the company so that every department, including sales, customer service, after sales, and others are all working from the exact same version of your checked and verified, accurate product information.

With quality PIM software, multiple authorized users can log in and update any product record in real time, keeping everything up-to-date, and letting the software act as a single, verified source for all of your product information.

What Is an Example of a PIM?

There are numerous PIM software companies, offering numerous PIM solutions, including Akeneo PIM, Catsy, Acquia PIM, Pimcore, Salsify, Plytix PIM, Inriver, and Lumavate.

From all of those options, how can you choose the best PIM? 

Well, many of them would make a top 10 PIM software list. These are some of the best PIM tools in market. Every PIM solution listed gives you the ability to collate your product information and digital assets centrally, all in one place, and to manage your data, including controlling who has access to what data, who can update it, and who can only view it. You can ensure that you give updating access only to the people who should have it, including your product experts, and block access to specific data for anyone who doesn’t need it and shouldn’t even be able to see it. You can ensure that data flows smoothly to the right people, empowering your teams to have full confidence in the information they are sending out to current and potential customers. And, obviously, with fully accurate information, you’ll reduce the number of complaints from unhappy customers who may have previously been given the wrong information simply because there was no central control over your product data.

Some of these solutions also have additional functionality which you may find helpful. However, Lumavate stands out as the top PIM, and the preferred solution because, not only does it have highly robust functionality as a Product Information Management solution, but it also comes with a Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution, and a full Digital Experience Platform (DXP).

A DAM adds extra functionality to your PIM and gives you a central place to store your digital assets, including images, videos, GIFs, memes, graphics, logos, infographics, charts, graphs, and more. Just as your PIM manages your product information and keeps everything up-to-date and available to the right people, Lumavate’s DAM does that for your digital assets. This can help you keep your branding consistent and ensure that only the latest versions of your logo and branding are used. It also allows your marketing team to quickly find your digital assets and deploy them in marketing campaigns. Marketers can also use your digital assets to quickly create personalized experiences for your customers. Every team in your business can work easily together by being able to share the right information, streamlining processes and operations, and improving collaboration.

With Lumavate’s DXP, you can quickly create digital experiences for your customers, both internal and external, including forms, mobile apps, landing pages, microsites, digital product catalogs, and secure portals. You need something that’s straightforward to use because, ideally, you need to create digital experiences that meet your customers where they are at any stage of the buyer’s journey. You want your experiences to drive in-store sales, capture leads, provide the right information at the right time, recommend related products or accessories, create a guided shopping experience, and more. These high-quality experiences can increase brand loyalty and awareness, intrigue and convert leads, and provide a tailored product onboarding experience for exceptional customer service. That’s what Lumavate’s software solution can help you accomplish.

What Does a PIM Specialist Do?

When using a PIM to manage your product information, you will need either a full-time employee known as a product information specialist, or you might prefer to have multiple people who are specific product experts. These people are responsible for collecting and updating every piece of product information in your company. Your product information specialist would be solely responsible for all of your data or, if you prefer to have product experts manage your information, they would only be responsible for updating information on the product(s) that they are an expert in. When recruiting for a product information specialist, a search under product information management jobs should bring you what you’re looking for.

Whichever way you choose to manage your data, these jobs may also include collecting, managing, and updating digital assets too, such as product videos and images, 3D models, how-to instructions and videos, installation instructions, owner’s manuals, marketing materials, and product specification sheets.