Integrated solutions vs. best-of-breed - Strategies for effective product information management

Industrial companies with products that require explanation are faced with the complex task of managing their product information efficiently and communicating it consistently across numerous channels. Given the variety of technologies and systems available, they are faced with a choice between two main approaches: an integrated solution or a best-of-breed strategy?

Both approaches offer benefits and challenges that need to be carefully weighed to make the best decision for a company's specific needs. In the following, I would therefore like to take a closer look at both approaches.

Integrated solutions: Efficiency and consistency

In addition to pure product information management (PIM), integrated solutions combine modules such as media asset management (MAM), content asset management (CMS) and solutions for e-commerce and automated production of documents in a single, coherent platform. The main advantage of this approach lies in the centralized data management. By consolidating all product information in one central location, companies can avoid redundancies and ensure that all channels are provided with consistent and current information. A significant advantage is that all information and sales documents provided are (physically) based on the same database, even for rapidly changing and complex, partially configurable products. Integration therefore ensures that the information is always correct and consistent.

An additional advantage of integrated solutions is the increase in efficiency through automated processes. These automations reduce manual effort, speed up the updating and distribution of product information and therefore save valuable time and resources. Integrated quality controls and validation mechanisms help to maintain data quality at a high level, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of the information provided. In the PIM area, the integrated approach is gaining in importance, not least due to modules such as "Business Process Modeling", as these make cross-module modeling, control and monitoring of processes much easier.

The often-mentioned keyword "single source of truth" is particularly applicable in this context (i.e. in the narrower sense), as it can be implemented most reliably in integrated systems.

The flexibility and scalability of integrated solutions make them particularly attractive for companies searching for a standardized and cost-effective solution. Integrated systems provide a unified platform that allows all data and processes to be managed in one place, ensuring consistency and accuracy of information. This reduces the need for complex interfaces between different systems, simplifying both implementation and maintenance. In addition, integrated systems enable more efficient process control and monitoring, as all modules are coordinated and work together smoothly.

Best-of-breed: specialization and adaptability

This contrasts with the best-of-breed strategy, where companies select what they view as the best available solutions for each specific function or requirement. This approach offers the advantage of deep specialization and allows companies to take advantage of the latest technological innovations in their respective fields. Best-of-breed solutions are often highly specialized and offer extensive functionality tailored to the needs of the specific area.

The flexibility that comes with choosing specialized solutions allows companies to customize their system landscape. This can be particularly beneficial for companies operating in highly regulated or rapidly changing industries where specific requirements need to be met.

One advantage of the best-of-breed strategy is the ability to select the best available solution for each specific function. This allows companies to benefit from specialized, sophisticated solutions that are tailored to their individual requirements. This strategy allows them to take advantage of the latest technological innovations and adapt quickly to changing market conditions. It also offers flexibility in system design, as companies have the freedom to combine and customize different solutions to create a tailored IT landscape that best suits their specific business processes.

However, a best-of-breed strategy can also present challenges, particularly when it comes to integrating and managing multiple systems. The need to connect and coordinate different systems can lead to complexity and often requires additional resources and expertise. The high level of flexibility is rarely used in practice and comes at a price, not only in the initial implementation, but also if one of the subsystems needs to be replaced - for whatever reason.

A hybrid approach: The best of both worlds

Some companies opt for a hybrid approach that combines the benefits of both strategies. By integrating best-of-breed solutions into an existing integrated platform, companies can benefit from both specialization and efficiency. This combination makes it possible to optimally support specific business requirements while maintaining the consistency and efficiency of a centralized solution.

crossbase offers all the advantages of an integrated solution

crossbase offers a fully integrated solution that significantly improves the efficiency and consistency of product communication. The platform combines PIM, MAM and CMS, e-commerce and document production in a single database that generates all media for all countries, languages and target groups from a single source. This integration makes it possible to meet all product information management requirements by providing a central data source that is consistent at all times. This allows companies to react more quickly to market changes and ensure the accuracy of their product information across all channels.

A key advantage of the crossbase solution is the significant reduction in interfaces. In contrast to a best-of-breed strategy, where numerous separate systems have to be integrated with each other, crossbase only requires the most necessary interfaces, such as to ERP systems. This minimizes the complexity and effort required for system integration and ensures seamless data flows within the solution. Experience shows that the topic of interfaces is often hugely underestimated when introducing extensive software projects. And one thing is clear: with every new system, the complexity increases yet again.

An essential aspect of "full integration", as we call it at crossbase, is integration at database level. This may sound technical, but it means that the integration is anchored in the core of the solution and does not have to be artificially created at higher application levels. This deep integration, which few solutions on the market offer, ensures that all modules can work together seamlessly.

The holistic approach enables crossbase to offer features that are often difficult to implement in a best-of-breed environment. These include features such as overarching proofs of use (element usage), which enable efficient reuse and tracking of content, as well as status queries and workflow integration, which ensure transparent and efficient process control. Integrated change management enables organizations to track changes efficiently, ensuring data consistency and timeliness. The effects of any data changes on the various channels can be tracked immediately.

We can make full use of these strengths in the print and e-commerce sectors in particular: here, crossbase offers functions that would not be easily possible in a fragmented solution. For example, automatically produced documents for sales documents can be generated either partially or fully automatically, which saves up to 30% of the effort and costs involved in the creation of the master language and up to 70% in the production of the derived language variants. Redundant data storage for an "external system" for the production of documents is unnecessary with this approach. In addition, for example, layout changes can only be saved back in this form with integrated solutions. And it is precisely this integration that offers great benefits: manual changes only need to be saved back once and are practically part of the reusable rule type from this point onwards.

Conclusion

By providing a central, media-neutral database, crossbase enables a consistent and quality-assured database that ensures efficient updating and distribution of product information across all channels. This comprehensive solution helps companies to optimize their product communication and position themselves successfully in today's digital landscape.