What is enterprise PIM software?

12 key features of enterprise PIM software

Natural growth can strain inflexible data infrastructures, resulting in fractured operations and data silos. Enterprise PIM software solves this through several key features: 

• Centralized data repository: Enterprise PIM provides a single source of data truth for the entire organization. With the ability to store, manage, and distribute accurate product information from one unified location, PIM software lays the foundation for new efficiencies across the organization.
• Dynamically adaptable data model: In addition to centralization, enterprises need a single, scalable source of truth. Flexible data models provide the adaptable architecture necessary to handle new product ranges, geographies, markets, or even acquisitions with unrivaled agility.
• Data quality and governance: Enterprise PIM software includes robust data quality and governance tools, such as automated data onboarding systems, to ensure unfailing consistency at every touchpoint. 
• Integration capabilities: To function effectively within the enterprise ecosystem, PIM software seamlessly integrates with existing systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), e-commerce platforms, and many, many more.
• Advanced search and filtering: Efficient retrieval of product information is crucial for internal users and external consumers. Enterprise PIM indexes key data points for easy searching, enabling products to be filtered down to specific attributes.

• Localization and translation: Global market expansion introduces different units of measurement, currencies, and languages. Enterprise PIM automates localization and translation, reducing otherwise monumental workloads and a barrier to new markets.
• Digital asset management (DAM): DAM functionality allows enterprises to store, organize, and distribute enriched assets (such as images or videos) in a channel-appropriate format.
• Workflow management: Whether informational handoffs from one department to the next or collecting data for regulatory compliance, enterprise PIM enables you to efficiently define, automate, and monitor key internal processes.
• Syndication: Automated distribution of product information to multiple sales channels, marketplaces, and retailers ensures content remains consistent and up-to-date across all platforms.
• Digital Shelf Analytics (DSA): Enterprise PIM offers a closed-loop platform in which you can monitor product performance across all digital sales channels, respond to real-time, actionable insights, and then optimize product listings for conversions.
• Desktop publishing: Built-in capabilities to create and manage print-ready product catalogs, datasheets, and other marketing materials directly from the PIM database.
• Always-on customer support: 24/7 technical assistance means uninterrupted access to critical enterprise PIM functions and on-hand guidance when you need it most.

By leveraging these and other features, enterprise PIM software empowers your organization to streamline operations and enhance data accuracy, enabling greater agility even amidst growth, enabling greater operational efficiency even amidst growth. The best PIM software is one that integrates seamlessly as a comprehensive PIM tool, providing robust management of your product data and optimizing your business processes.

Main beneficiaries of enterprise PIM software

So which teams benefit from enterprise PIM software? The advantages extend to various departments and verticals.

Large retailers and e-commerce enterprises

Whether stocking products on a physical shelf, a digital one, or both, you need a system that streamlines the logistics so you can focus on delivering better retail customer experiences. From updating pricing information instantly across channels to maintaining accurate stock counts, PIM delivers improved outcomes that promote sales and satisfaction in digital commerce.

Manufacturers

As industry regulations tighten, manufacturers must follow suit by providing accurate information on materials, sourcing, and other compliance data. An enterprise PIM, with its single source of data truth and flexible data model, lets you speed up product launches and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. This is especially crucial for B2B e-commerce, where precise product details are essential for business transactions.

Distributors

For distributors, PIM simplifies the task of juggling product information from dozens of vendors. An Enterprise PIM platform can be leveraged for:

• Product portfolio development
• Customer-segmented catalog creation
• Streamlined inventory management

Such efficiency, facilitated by PIM, improves customer relationships and boosts sales.

Marketing and sales teams

For marketers, enterprise PIM facilitates the creation of targeted marketing materials while ensuring consistent messaging across channels. Sales teams benefit from detailed, on-the-go access to product information, equipping them to answer customer questions and close deals more effectively. The availability of a knowledge base within the PIM system ensures that all team members have access to the same accurate and up-to-date information.

IT departments

No more system maintenance consuming your IT team’s schedules. An enterprise PIM’s streamlined flow of product data reduces the need for manual interventions and correcting data management errors. By consolidating data from disparate systems, maintenance is needed for only one system instead of several. This allows IT departments to focus on other crucial professional services.

Implementing enterprise PIM software

Advanced enterprise PIM solutions are designed for straightforward implementation. Without delving into the full implementation process, here’s how it works: 

1. Configuration: Defining data models, creating custom workflows, and overall aligning the system with your existing business processes.
2. Migration: Extracting data from legacy systems for validation and transfer into the PIM software.
3. Integration: Activating real-time data flows between existing software and the PIM system, finalizing the setup.

Each step consists of careful planning and collaboration. But the long-term benefits—better efficiency, accurate data, and market agility—make it well worth the effort.

Elevate your enterprise PIM success with inriver

While the logistics of enterprise-level product information management may change as you grow, the fundamentals remain the same. For enterprise organizations looking to take the next step, adopting a PIM that grows with you is key for long-term success.

As you navigate the PIM landscape, inriver can help. As the market-leading enterprise PIM designed for brands, manufacturers, and retailers, inriver offers all the features you need to streamline operations and curate exceptional product experiences. With pricing plans to match your ambitions and the most comprehensive PIM solution on the market, inriver is ready to power your business to reach the next level.