Customer Spotlight: Yamaha

Yamaha Corporation, founded in 1887 in Japan, is a globally renowned B2B manufacturing brand known for its diverse range of products and services. Initially focusing on musical instruments, over the decades Yamaha has expanded its product catalog considerably. Today, the world-renowned brand sells a range of goods, including audio equipment, electronics, motorcycles, marine products, and more. With a commitment to innovation and quality, Yamaha has established itself as a leader in multiple industries, providing exceptional experiences to customers the world over. 

However, with such a large global presence and mature affiliate network, Yamaha faced significant challenges when managing complex product information using a system of spreadsheets and other internal databases. Seeking to automate the storage and distribution of their product information, they turned to Product Information Management (PIM) software.

Yamaha’s PIM journey with inriver

Yamaha’s journey to a unified global affiliate network followed these steps:

1. The need for automation

Struggling with spreadsheet chaos, Yamaha pursued efficiency. They needed a PIM platform that offered the most scalable data model on the market, with no limits placed on data volume. They saw this as the only way to effectively centralize and automate the storage and distribution of their product information. 

2. Selecting inriver

After a rigorous evaluation of multiple PIM vendors, Yamaha chose inriver for the capability of its PIM platform to manage the entire product journey, from onboarding and enriching complex product data to data syndication and prompt, actionable analysis on data performance. 

3. Implementation + expansion

PIM implementation began through a European affiliate that already had an inriver installation. After that, the PIM’s reach widened across the Atlantic to North America, combining the US and Canada into a Yamaha North America instance of inriver, bringing diverse business units under a single, cohesive PIM system.

4. A single source of truth

By implementing the inriver platform, Yamaha was able to elevate efficiency by reducing manual errors and enhancing customer satisfaction. It did this through swift, curated, and targeted product information distribution to dealers while facilitating rapid updates and insightful analytics. 

5. Cross-border cohesion

With the successful implementation of a single source of truth, Yamaha could achieve a level of cross-border cohesion that would have been impossible in their old workflows of manually updated spreadsheets. Now, the ambition is to go worldwide and synchronize operations globally thanks to consistent product information.

6. Empowered dealers

Thanks to Inriver, Yamaha’s complex network of dealers and distributors can now access timely and accurate product information from a single, centralized touchpoint. This has empowered them to elevate their sales and marketing endeavors.

inriver x Yamaha: The key takeaway

Yamaha’s collaboration with inriver signifies a digital evolution for the brand, consolidating operations across affiliates under a unified PIM framework. By augmenting efficiency and making cross-border operations cohesive, Yamaha can promptly and accurately serve their complex dealer network, shape the future of seamless connectivity, and ultimately increase customer satisfaction across multiple markets.