Like many other companies, Uzin Utz did not have a uniform way of handling product information before the introduction of PIM. The data was distributed across different systems and maintained by the respective employees responsible, sometimes with different approaches.
For marketing-specific information, Word and Excel lists were the predominant media – which, for example, were manually forwarded to an agency that would create product data sheets and other documents. All in all, product data management-involved a lot of manual effort, which resulted in a rather mediocre data quality due to numerous errors and inconsistencies.
With a high product diversity, the strict regulations of the construction industry, a wide variety of container sizes, and a large number of different languages, Uzin Utz works under conditions where such inefficient processes cost a lot of time and money – and where a cleverly implemented PIM/DAM solution can noticeably improve data quality and time-to-market.
Requirements
With the introduction of a PIM/DAM solution, existing processes should be effectively reconsidered, made more efficient, and, above all, centralized and standardized. In this way, the company can finally eliminate potential sources of error in a targeted manner and achieve a noticeable improvement in data quality and ashorter time-to-market. Priorities included the following:
- High product data quality through PIM/DAM as a Single Source of Truth
- Automated creation of product data sheets – with preparation and subsequent adjustments via predefined workflows with clear task allocation
- Asthe implementation progresses: Further development of the system to also adapt and automatically create design templates for paper packaging bags with just a few inputs. > Smart Packaging
- Solid database and suitable interfaces for setting up the company’s own webshop, filling the websites, and forwarding product information to customers
- Simplified translation management via the PIM/DAM system
Implementation
Through coordination with SDZeCOM as an advisory body and implementation partner, the company’s requirements were precisely defined to finally select the most target-oriented PIM/DAM system for Uzin Utz. The clear choice was Contentserv – among other things because of its range of features and the numerous interfaces and extension options, but especially due to its intuitive usability. After all, the system, which is now used by more than 100 PIM users within the corporate group, is easily accessible to non-specialists and thus allows a broad use within the teams.
Following SDZeCOM’s recommendation, the focus at the beginning of the implementation in 2016 was initially on the automatic creation of product data sheets as the immediately noticeable simplification led to a faster acceptance of the change process among employees. In the years that followed, numerous other features were implemented, such as the connection to InDesign, simple data exchange with customers and agencies, and BIM access for architects. Contentserv is the Single Source of Truth for a high-quality database, which ultimately enabled the automated connection of the company’s websites and the development of its own online shop.
Results that matter
The use of Contentserv in combination with the all-round support provided by SDZeCOM paid off in full shortly after the introduction: As predicted, the generation of data sheets at the push of a button was an impressive step in terms of efficiency and speed – which is why the company later further developed the principle to also design and modify part of the packaging designs, including the product data and country- specific labels with just a few clicks.
In addition to restructuring and optimizing previously largely manual processes, the introduction of PIM has triggered numerous development steps. For example, it was only with Contentserv that the development of the company’s online shops became feasible, a floor navigator and a consumption calculator to determine the optimal order quantity were developed, and digital displays at cooperation partners allow deeper insights into the company’s product variety – with data connection via Contentserv. The actual introductory phase has long since been completed, but the expansion of the options continues on an ongoing basis. And Uzin Utz is now at a point where the team involved is using the experience gained to inspireother companies via best-case scenarios and to demonstrate the potential of a skillfully prepared PIM/DAM introduction once the change has been initiated.
