RIDI Group sets new standards for efficiency and product data quality

• Reliable replacement of the outdated system with a flexible PIM solution that scales with business development.
• Digitization and consolidation of all product data with Contentserv as a "single source of truth" to avoid data silos and redundant maintenance, ensuring excellent data quality.
• Connection and direct output to all relevant customer and IoT systems – adapted to the relevant data standards (e.g. ETIM in wholesale). This means faster time-to-market and direct transfer of updated product data.
• Establishment of clear and efficient workflows – especially for collaboration between teams at different locations (including translation management).
• Significant reduction in manual management efforts thanks to a high degree of automation.

After the decision was made in 2020 to implement Contentserv, there was initially a kickoff workshop with the project team from the RIDI Group and the implementation partner SQLI to define the scope of the project and plan the concrete steps. The implementation then began in three phases – accompanied by a series of workshops for input and output management. Phase one primarily involved designing a new data model, developing binding company-wide processes for data management, and migrating, consolidating, and preparing the product data from the old PIM. In phase two, the output channels were then integrated to ensure fast and efficient data exchange with customers and IoT systems. Finally, phase three was intended to prepare for the automated creation of data sheets and catalogs and to optimize translation management.

The implementation process was originally planned for approximately 12 months but was extended during the course of the project. The main reasons for this were the creation of the data model and the preparation of the existing data. The product information was very extensive but was largely embedded in free-text format rather than clearly defined attributes, making it challenging for automatic extraction and transfer. In addition, different terminologies were sometimes used for the same attributes. Managing around 13,000 products and 18,000 data records required a significant amount of manual effort for subsequent maintenance, a challenge that the project team successfully overcame. Now, this effort is paying off in the form of substantial improvements in product data management efficiency.

• The flexible configurability and simple scalability make Contentserv a future-proof software foundation – especially for efficient localization and AI-powered translations (e.g. via DeepL).
• The potential for further process optimization within the RIDI Group was already evident in the first product presentation and made a particular impression.
• Contentserv's intuitive interface offers the ideal conditions for ensuring that product data can be maintained and used by a company-wide user group without the need for extensive training.
• The cloud-based PIM solution fits perfectly into the Group's cloud-first strategy.
• In addition to its extensive feature set, the deep process understanding, communication quality, and agile approach were decisive factors during the software evaluation.
• As a market leader, Contentserv offers interfaces to all prevalent systems –simplifying many processes and emphasizing the future viability of the solution.

Since the Contentserv solution went live, many processes have become significantly simpler. Data that previously required manual entry is now transferred directly from the ERP system via CronJobs, eliminating duplicate maintenance and noticeably reducing error rates. A clear workflow has been established, guiding the management process and ensuring clean and consistent data. The optimized data structure and practical search function allow for quick access to all necessary information.

An important industry-specific improvement is the automation of technical lighting files (TLFs) for each new product series. These files describe the light distribution and previously required manual data entry. Now, thanks to a specially developed process, TLFs can be generated fully automatically via the system. With around 500 files for a new series, this is a significant time-saving.

Data sheets can now be generated at the touch of a button via the Contentserv solution. The team has received praise from customers for the well-structured data sheets, which now contain more information than before. The data output via the SAWS connector now also runs smoothly and directly. This results in a much faster time-to-market and ensures that product updates and corrections are sent directly to the connected systems, eliminating delays caused by relying on partners to make changes. Additionally, a mailbox has been set up to report errors in product data.

Overall, data quality has improved significantly since Contentserv was introduced and the project team is now working on the further development of rules and monitoring to achieve more optimizations. Initially, it was challenging to familiarize employees with the new workflows and the responsibilities for product data management. However, the benefits are now evident – especially in terms of data quality and automation, which will increasingly include AI-supported text creation. All departments now engage with the PIM system, from lighting planning to quality management. And there is a general awareness of how important high-quality and consistent data is for the company’s success.