ASTAT is a company offering products in the electrotechnical industry. Over its 30 years of operation, it has established strong business relationships with numerous suppliers, enabling it to offer attractive prices and short delivery times to its customers. Its philosophy is described in three words: experience, support, and know-how.
Requirements and needs
A broad product range offered by suppliers across so many markets worldwide prompted the company to adopt a reliable product information management solution, which PIMCORE undoubtedly is. Working with numerous manufacturers and suppliers, often from abroad, the company needed to minimize human error as much as possible and ensure that all data remained consistent.
Product database
The product database features a tree-like structure that allows for the quick creation of appropriate data hierarchies. With the available bulk data editing function using Excel, the time required for updates is significantly reduced compared to previous methods.
Key features of the database include:
- Flexibility in creating and managing various types of objects individually: product, category, person, news, filter, training, etc.
- The ability to set dynamic relationships between all objects (e.g., product - accessories, product - similar products, category - salesperson, etc.)
- Customization of the application based on individually created scripts
- Advanced file management - DAM system
- A user interface tailored to individual requirements
Product website
Product information displayed on the website is automatically synchronized with a fully integrated product database and other website content. This solution ensures that the data presented across all mediums is consistent, up-to-date, and error-free.
The website features two of the most efficient product search methods:
- Full-text search with graphical suggestions
- Property-based filtering, displaying the number of products meeting the criteria. Currently unavailable items are grayed out.
New or updated files, PDF documents, and images are automatically uploaded to the server. This convenient solution eliminates the need to manually apply changes to the website. For tens of thousands of products, this is a crucial aspect, as manual data updates would be extremely time- and cost-intensive.
PDF data sheet
Each product sheet contains a complete set of information, including:
- Basic parameters
- Technical specifications
- Description
- Downloadable files via dynamic URLs
- Related products
- Accessories
Integration with the B2B system
A data export from PIM via a dedicated REST API has been prepared and configured. The synchronization process uses an ESB data bus architecture, is fully automated, and requires no additional user input. Technical data, descriptive information, translations, as well as images and file materials, are sourced entirely from the PIM system. To optimize processes, the API supports incremental data updates.
Summary
A company offering both products and support across so many fields needed a system that would ensure consistency in the data presented. With the implemented PIM system, we can be confident that the risk of errors is minimized, and the data displayed on the website or in PDF product sheets remains identical.