Consumers want to have a
personalized experience when seeking products and services. Businesses need to
ensure that they provide tailored solutions about the products customers want.
Business owners and marketers can use product information management (PIM)
tools to help manage the information that is needed to market and sell products
via different distribution channels. PIM tools create a centralized set of
product data that is utilized to feed information to various media including
websites, ERP systems, print catalogs, and electronic data feeds. In business
environments, data may be kept scattered throughout departments where it is
held by employees or systems rather than availing it centrally where it can be
accessed by those who need it including sales representatives, storekeepers,
purchasing staff, and other workers.
PIM offers a solution by
presenting data with centralized, media-independent data maintenance. It allows
efficient collection of data, management of the garnered data and refinement as
well as output.
Here, we compare two PIM
tools - Informatica PIM and Stibo PIM
- to see how they perform in helping with product information management and
where there are any improvements that need to be made.
Informatica PIM
Informatica PIM allows you
to take control of the entire user’s internal data as well as the processes
relating to the products. This tool is intended for product distributors and
retailers. It enables retailers to garner volumes of supplier data which is channeled
to appropriate employees or departments. In addition, Informatica PIM helps
businesses to set up rules regarding the handling of data and processes.
Businesses that want to
maintain their branding features are able to take advantage of Informatica PIM
to deliver precise information to the customers when they need it – whether on
mobile devices, online, in-store, or through a catalog and social media.
Benefits of Informatica PIM
Informatica PIM offers many
benefits to the retailers and distributors including:
·
Providing rich comprehensive information management
platforms for products to help attain, manage and distribute the right
information in real-time
·
It helps retailers to close their sales, increase
revenue, and meet the expectations of customers
·
It allows retailers to take charge of their product
information supply chain including the processes involved
·
Retailers can collect and integrate various product
information garnered from different sources like CRMs, ERPs, videos, texts,
images, and data pools
·
It can help reduce time-to-market while allowing you
to launch your product faster within all channels - email, social media, SMS,
online, mobile, website, and others.
·
Because the information garnered and distributed is of
high quality, it allows retailers to satisfy their quest for product data which
allows building customer loyalty
·
It helps businesses to increase their profit margins
and conversion rates
·
Your business can increase sales through the smart
cross and up-selling techniques
·
Helps generate real-time insights into patterns of
consumers
Informatica PIM
Features
·
Pricing
Retailers can get a free
trial to help test the product to see if it works to their advantage. The
pricing of the Informatica PIM is quote-based, so you need to contact the
vendor to discuss the price options. The pricing may vary depending on whether
you need a basic plan or you need an enterprise level plan.
·
User Satisfaction
You can check information
from reviewers, the companies who have bought the tool and real people who use
the PIM tool. The information which includes reviews and comments can help you
make a wise decision regarding the product. You can find useful information on
social media sites too.
·
Devices Supported
Informatica PIM supports
different operating systems including Linux, Windows, Android, iPhone, iPad,
Mac, and web-based applications. So you can access and use it from every other
kind of device.
·
Deployment
Businesses can deploy
Informatica PIM in the cloud or they could use on-premise installation. Often,
the cloud-based deployment offers many benefits because it allows for easy
updates of the software product and reduced maintenance costs.
On-premise deployment allows
the retailers to be able to improve or make changes to the software product,
however, it may be costly to maintain since they have to cater to the updates.
·
Customers and Customer Support
The tool is designed to work
for small businesses, large enterprises, as well as medium-sized entities. When
it comes to customer support, it utilizes different media to reach out to its
customers including email, phone, training, and tickets.
Stibo PIM
Stibo
PIM is a product information management tool that is designed to help maintain consistent,
precise, accurate, and up to date information about products across multiple
channels as well as systems. For example, it maintains information across
sales, operations, customers, and marketing. It allows retailers to connect
their digital assets to products they offer in order to meet the expectations
of customers. This way, they are able to streamline the collaboration occurring
between the businesses, creative teams, and marketing teams.
Benefits of
Stibo PIM
The
benefits of Stibo PIM are:
·
The high level of product information
automation helps merge and centralize information across the businesses.
·
Different businesses and industries use
the tool including distribution, manufacturing, consumer goods, finance,
travel, automotive, fashion, and hospitality. Essentially, any kind of business
or retailer can use this tool.
·
Stibo PIM provides a robust platform
that helps eliminate errors in the product information environment.
·
It is an effective tool for selling
products and it can help drive sales and expand businesses
·
It allows enterprises to introduce new products into
the market by quickly reviewing them – it helps reduce time-to-market.
Stibo PIM
Features
·
Pricing
The
company offers a free trial to the user so that they can test the product to
see if it’s a perfect fit for them. The pricing is based on a quote plan, so
the users contact the vendor to request for the pricing information. The vendor
will then offer a quote for the product.
·
User Satisfaction
You may want to see how
customers feel about Stibo PIM by looking at the reviews, comments, and other
information found in websites and social media sites. Companies that have
purchased this master data management tool can provide their experience regarding
the use of the product. Stibo PIM tends to offer more satisfaction to users
compared to Informatica PIM.
·
Devices Supported
The tool supports different
devices including Windows, Mac, and web-based applications. However, it doesn’t
support handheld devices
·
Deployment
A retailer or business can
deploy the tool through the cloud. So, for those seeking freedom to use on-premise
software tools, they may not do well with this product.
·
Customers and Customer Support
The tool is intended for
small businesses, medium-sized businesses, and large organizations. To help
customers have a good experience when using the product, the company offers
support via live chat and phone.
The Takeaway
Both
Informatica PIM and Stibo PIM are useful tools for product information
management. They are designed to allow different kinds of businesses – large
and small – to manage their product information and present it accurately, seamlessly
and in real-time to the respective employees and departments in order to help
make the right decision in time. Businesses can improve their product launch
and marketing processes, increase sales and revenue, earn more profits and
increase the profit margin. The tools help enhance conversion rates and offer
the right products and services to customers.
When
you look at the two PIM tools, you find that Informatica offers more media for
customer support, but it doesn’t offer live support that Stibo PIM offers.
Also, Informatica offers both on-premise and cloud deployments while Stibo only
offers cloud deployment. So, based on these features and attributes, you can
consider going with Informatica or Stibo.