The introduction of PIM has positive effects on several levels at once: The linking of ERP and PIM ensures efficiency and a high level of process reliability. The establishment of a “single source of truth” for all product information and template-based catalog creation ensure enormous time savings with significantly improved data quality. And the modern browser-based solution supports employees with optimum usability and intuitive operation.
Quick to market with price list automation
1. Single source of truth for all product information
Products are first created in the ERP system. Once the basic article data has been imported from there, the product data is enriched in the PIM. The intuitive user interface supports those responsible for marketing and product management in their work. Not only is the price list created from this central information pool, but all other communication channels are also automatically supplied with product information.
2. Automated catalog production for print and web
The initially created publication structure specifies which product groups appear in which order in the catalog. The stored template controls the layout and design. The employees only have to define which products are released. The catalog is then created at the touch of a button: all product data is always up to date, the solution automatically fills the template with approved products in the correct order, then creates the finished print PDF and transfers the data to iPaper to create the flip page catalog. This means that the catalog can now be republished once a day instead of once a year.
3. Up-to-date product data for all output channels
The central Contentserv PIM also supplies the other communication channels with information so that the product data only has to be maintained and kept up to date in one place. Contenserv feeds the company’s web store via an interface and also transfers web store links to the daily flip page catalogs: a combination that has contributed significantly to the success of the web store. And even the BIM platform buildup is automatically supplied with approved product data by Contentserv.
3
automatic exports for print, store and BIM
28000
items
9000
digital assets
Efficiency, time savings and process reliability
The central production, trading and service company in the Swiss timber industry offers a comprehensive range of timber, wood-based materials and products from other manufacturers. More than 28,000 items have to be kept up to date and communicated by the marketing department and product managers. The printed price list, which appeared as a catalog with over 500 pages, served as the central sales tool. Before the support of a system, the catalog could only be created once a year and tied up a lot of available resources.
This has changed dramatically with the introduction of a PIM system: As the central “single source of truth”, the PIM holds all product data – linked to the ERP system and continuously updated. Once all the product data has been fully recorded, the price list is created within a few minutes using an integrated template. Today, the company also publishes a digital flip catalog that is updated daily. Whereas changes and updates used to be communicated to the market once a year, this now happens daily. The web store is also supplied with up-to-date and consistent product information directly from Contentserv. The PIM solution now even plays out store links in the flip catalog so that both sales tools work together perfectly.
The company has leaner processes, is faster to market and can use all channels at the touch of a button. And that’s not all: all product data is available centrally, the processes are fully system-supported and this means that there are always further optimization opportunities for the company. The next step will be to evaluate the support provided by AI in the creation and management of product data.
”Contentserv's PIM simplifies the maintenance of product information across different sales channels, which massively increases the ability to react to market changes.
Sandro SteinerMarketing, OLWO AG
Requirements
Before the introduction of a PIM solution, the price list was laboriously compiled and printed by hand. Changes and price adjustments could only be made once a year in the market and the process was error-prone and resource-intensive. With an initial PIM solution, the process could already be partially automated, but the tool then reached its end-of-life.
Contentserv was to replace the previous PIM and serve as a single source of truth for all OLWO product data, while also supplying new channels such as the flip catalog and the web store with product data, further automating the process and offering better usability.
The solution was implemented by Stämpfli Kommunikation for OLWO and has been supported and further developed by aclevion since 2023.
System Solution
Contentserv
Contentserv’s Product Experience Cloud makes it easy for brands, manufacturers and retailers to manage and optimize product content – thanks to a central, easy-to-use cloud solution. Optimized product content makes it possible: instead of struggling with incomplete data, teams use the time gained to create comprehensive, relevant and emotional product experiences. This strengthens their brand and ultimately inspires their customers.
Learn more about Contentserv
About OLWO
The name OLWO stands for trust. The company is part of an independent family holding company and is now managed by the fourth generation. Since 1926, OLWO has developed into a central production, trading and service company in the Swiss timber industry. In addition to its own sawmill and planing mill, the company has a huge range of wood-based materials and an attractive exhibition for craftsmen, architects and builders. OLWO employs over 200 people in Worb and at the two other production sites in Stalden and Erlenbach.