Prior to the introduction of Contentserv, product information at Spectrum Brands was maintained via a content management system that was specifically adapted for this purpose but was soon unable to meet growing demands. Many key features like tagging and the system-supported conversion of image formats needed to be programmed first, which was a time-consuming process. It soon became clear that the next step would be to switch to professional PIM software that was already prepared to handle all essential application scenarios by default.
The goal was to standardize and streamline existing processes, minimize errors during data entry with the help of fixed workflows and clear access management, and create a basis for the efficient localization of product information. Another essential task was the preparation of a magazine-like print catalog, published approximately every two years, and requiring a great amount of manual effort to date. To this end, a highly automated process was needed - to significantly reduce workload and achieve a faster time-to-market.
Requirements
- PIM/DAM as a single source of truth for all product information, in combination with SAP’s ERP system
- Easy data enrichment, supported by automated workflows and role and rights management to ensure data quality
- Practical features for daily work, such as mass data processing, channel-optimized format adaptations, and WYSIWYG editor
- Flexible data models to meet the exact requirements of the various brands and product categories
- Catalog creation directly via the system with all responsible teams such as product managers, content writers, and graphic artists able to enter or update content elements simultaneously and, for the most part, independently of one another
Implementation
Realizing that switching to robust PIM software was the only way to meet market requirements and the company’s own standards, the team extensively researched available solutions. Three providers finally made it onto the shortlist, and in 2012, after a detailed selection process, Spectrum Brands chose Contentserv.
Supported by Contentserv’s partner SDZeCOM, the implementation was carried out gradually over the course of about a year and was a process of intense collaboration between everyone involved. Hundreds of attributes were reviewed to ensure their relevancy and the workflows were set up to facilitate the team’s daily work.
Results that matter
With Contentserv, Spectrum Brands was able to greatly improve its internal processes and thus its cost-efficiency while also tapping into new opportunities. Today, the company manages around 25,000 products and well over 370,000 media assets of more than 12 brands in the system. About 80% of the creation of the product catalog is fully automated, and the content can be reviewed much more quickly via the system. This makes quality assurance for technical articles, in particular, much easier. What previously took about a year to complete can today be done in a week.
In addition, the system-supported translation management facilitates the timely publication of the catalogs in up to 27 languages, which would have been unthinkable before the implementation. Thanks to customized workflows, the costs of preparing product descriptions have been reduced to one-fifth of what they were.
The adoption rate also speaks for itself: The PIM software is used by up to 50 people daily at all locations worldwide. To further streamline collaboration across different locations and take advantage of Contentserv’s ongoing enhancements without wasting any time, the business is now assessing the switch from the on-premises solution to the highly standardized cloud solution.
