SIP

SIP, d.d. is an established name in the world of agricultural machinery. Its innovative and robust machines are sold on more than 55 markets while the company itself will celebrate its 70th birthday this year. To properly mark the big anniversary, SIP has decided to upgrade its internal processes with a solution that would make the jobs of its employees a lot easier.
The reasons for this decision were clear: SIP noticed that creating price lists for their products was time-consuming while the company also lacked a system for processing and storing data. At Optiweb, we solved these problems by enriching the client’s digital world with the Pimcore technology.

Project phases:

Discovery phase with workshops, interviews and prototyping
Preparation of the technical specification
Pimcore implementation
Implementation of custom PIM solutions
Automated generation of the entire price list

Project baseline

The main goal of the project was the development of a solution that enables SIP to simply and efficiently generate or export price lists.

Before this project, the client’s product and pricing data was decentralised.
Issues with conflicting information were common as the data was stored in different locations (on a cloud, on employees’ computers etc.).
The data could only be exported manually.

Methodology

Once more, we were led by the agile philosophy. We took the iterative approach and made sure that the client was involved in the process from the very start. This enabled them to track our progress, provide feedback and make quick decisions regarding project changes. What is more, SIP employees had the opportunity to get familiar with PIM (Product Information Management) use when the project was still in the development phase.

As part of the research phase of the project, we made a prototype that indicated the client’s data model. This prototype was based on real data, showing all the relations and the tree structure of the data. The prototype was iterated until the end of the project, which ensured the high added value of the solution.

Project results

With the implementation of a customised Pimcore solution, we achieved the following improvements:

The data for the price list generation is now properly structured, stored in a central location and available to all team members.
Product identifiers were transferred from the client’s ERP to PIM and were enriched with relevant descriptions, information, images and icons.
All product data is up-to-date (product descriptions, technical specs, standard and optional equipment, current prices …).
Exporting the price list is a piece of cake as one click is enough to create a digital or printed version – depending on the customer’s preferences.

PIM as the basis for custom solutions

Due to the complexity of the project, the implementation of PIM alone wasn’t sufficient. Therefore, we added the following custom solutions:

synchronisation with the client’s ERP and
the functionality that enables the client to independently tailor the design of price list parts.

Having thoroughly explored the available solutions for the appropriate generation of all design styles, tables and photos in PDF format, we’ve also decided on the implementation and configuration of PDF Reactor, a tool that ensures the client’s price lists are properly generated in PDF.

Project challenge – maintaining the price list design

We have ensured that the required design of the price list is generated automatically with Pimcore. This approach offers significant time savings compared to the previous manual exports, without any major changes within the graphic design of the price list. Yet another client’s specific requirement: checked.

The price list was just the starting point for more procedural changes

Optimising the price lists started a wave of other optimisations and procedural changes at SIP. Some processes have already been upgraded while new ones are being developed. What they all have in common is that they rely on PIM. The client has recognised the added value of this tool and now sees it as an effective means of saving time as well as generating new content or data.

This has enabled us to also create a catalogue of accessories, a billboard for a fair, and a flyer. Additionally, we are just finishing even more exciting projects.

As chief of marketing at SIP I’m beyond satisfied with the implementation of the Pimcore solution by Optiweb. Working together with Optiweb’s team was an immensely positive experience and a true showcase of professionalism. Their experts met all our expectations and requirements that were crucial for our business operations.

We were impressed by both Optiweb’s thorough understanding of our company, processes and products as well as by their flexibility and speed. Thanks to their solution, our team can now efficiently manage all the data in several languages and across multiple channels (price lists, catalogues, etc.).

I look forward to future collaborations with Optiweb’s team and can recommend their services to anyone looking for a reliable and innovative partner.