In this article, you will learn how one of UK's top five supermarket chains have modernised its PIM systems to improve efficiency, scalability and customer experience across its iconic product catalogue.
Problem Overview: The Limitations of SAP Hybris
The company was using SAP Hybris as its product information management (PIM) solution, but this system lacked the advanced features needed to efficiently manage complex product data. It also struggled to support the company's strategic goals, which limited their ability to innovate and expand.
Number of SKUs: Over 500,000.
Key Challenges: Overcoming Operational Hurdles
The company faced several operational challenges with its existing PIM solution:
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Limited on-premise PIM: The legacy system lacked functionality and inhibited innovation. Therefore, they needed to move to a SaaS PIM with a composable architecture that could integrate with both legacy and new systems.
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Complex requirements: The company needed robust PIM capabilities to manage diverse products with unique data models and accommodate intricate supplier access due to the large number of suppliers.
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Scalability: With yearly product growth, a scalable PIM was needed to maintain performance and support continuous expansion.
Tailored Solutions: Customising PIM for Specific Needs
Thanks to its robust, composable commerce architecture, the company opted for Bluestone PIM to overcome the aforementioned challenges. Our PIM solution was customised to meet the specific requirements:
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Daily reports: Bluestone PIM created an automated daily product reporting feature to ensure internal teams were informed in a timely and accurate manner.
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Automatic synchronisation: A custom synchronisation feature that automates product updates for external channels, reducing manual work and ensuring data consistency.
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Digital Asset Importer: A tool that simplifies the uploading of images and categorisation by file name, making it easier to manage digital assets.
Bluestone PIM also supported different PIM environments for each brand, ensuring accurate data modelling. With a true multi-tenant solution, teams can easily switch between different environments.
Advancing to a Composable Architecture
As one of the UK's largest supermarket chains, the company is committed to improving the lives of its customers by continually expanding its digital offering, especially as a significant proportion of its sales are generated online.
Adopting a composable architecture, specifically built on MACH principles (microservices, API-first, cloud-native, and headless), was key to strengthening the company's digital scale and capabilities.
Composable architecture allows organisations to break their systems into smaller, modular components. This modularity provides flexibility and allows the organisation to adapt to business requirements by adding, removing or changing components without disrupting the overall system. By switching to this architecture, the company gained the agility, scalability and flexibility required for digital operations and was able to future-proof its infrastructure to adapt to market trends.
With a composable architecture, the possibilities for innovation are endless. The innovative company can now easily utilise new technologies such as AI to further improve product data management and the customer experience.
Strategic Benefits: PIM Enhancements Driving Business Outcomes
The implementation of Bluestone PIM with its customised features led to several significant positive results for the company:
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Customer experience: Seamless integrations and a flexible architecture enabled quick updates and improved product experience and customer satisfaction.
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Growth and innovation: Bluestone PIM's scalability supported the expansion and adaptation of new technologies.
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Efficiency: Automation and centralised data management streamlined operations and supported scalability.
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User-friendly interface with low learning curve: Bluestone PIM's intuitive user interface makes navigation easy, with clear labelling and menus that guide users efficiently.
Conclusion: Building a Foundation for Future Innovation
The company's successful transition to Bluestone PIM, with its customised features, underlines the importance of a tailored approach to unique business challenges and the benefits of adopting a composable architecture. By modernising its PIM system, the company has been able to improve operational efficiency and customer experience, creating a solid foundation for future growth and innovation.
Choose Bluestone PIM and lay the foundation for strong performance and unlimited growth. Get in touch with us to position your business for innovation and revolutionise your digital position, or book a demo to find out how Bluestone PIM can help your business grow.
