Lindemann's fast track to a PIM system – With our Compact Analysis PIM

Robert Lindemann KG is a long-established specialist wholesaler based in Hamburg that specializes in products and materials for water sports. The company supplies both specialist retailers and the manufacturing industry and stands for reliable quality, professional expertise, and individual advice. Lindemann operates a traditional product distribution business and acts as an interface between manufacturers, retailers, and end users. Sailors, motorboat enthusiasts, and water sports enthusiasts in particular appreciate the company's diverse product range, rapid availability, and high level of service.

The challenge: product data management in digital wholesale

With the ongoing digitalization of wholesale and changes in customer buying behavior, Lindemann is increasingly reaching its limits: specialist retailers and business customers expect comprehensive digital services and convenient provision of product information for their own analog marketing materials and online stores.

Until now, data provision has been a predominantly manual process, which has severely limited time, resources, and flexibility on both sides. Although product and image information is available in internal systems, it is not optimally structured for automated and efficient further processing. Particularly in view of the growing number of channels and formats – for example, for the company's own online store, digital catalogs, partner websites, or international market activities — the previous manual product data maintenance process was increasingly becoming a bottleneck.

In order to remain future-proof, Lindemann recognized the need to provide product data for all internal and external applications in a centralized, automated, and high-quality manner. This has led to a progressive focus on issues such as product data management, data quality, timeliness, multilingualism, and integration capabilities.

The goal: more efficient processes through a central PIM system

The primary goal of Robert Lindemann KG was to increase customer satisfaction in the long term and secure its competitiveness in the digital space. Several specific objectives emerged in the process:

Product information should be provided much more quickly, in a more structured manner, and in high quality so that retailers and partners can process and market it optimally.
The transfer and updating of data should be largely automated in order to minimize manual effort and sources of error.
The centralized management and provision of all product data forms the basis for the company's future e-business and e-commerce initiatives – both in its own online store and in supplying partner markets.

A modern PIM system (Product Information Management System) provides the technological foundation for these goals. It is designed to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and enable new digital sales channels.

The solution: Compact PIM analysis as a basis for decision-making

Before introducing a PIM system, Lindemann and communicode had decided on a compact, structured PIM analysis. The aim of this analysis was to answer numerous key questions objectively and to create a sound basis for decision-making for the selection and implementation of a PIM system in wholesale.

Questions and scope of the analysis

The PIM analysis was divided into the following core areas:

Recording and visualization of the product information supply chain at Lindemann, describing all steps and systems involved in the creation, enrichment, management, and provision of product information. This includes the IT systems, business processes, user groups, and sales channels relevant to Lindemann.
Identification of potential, strengths, and weaknesses in existing product data management, both technical and organizational as well as personnel-related (e.g., data sovereignty, brand management, translation processes)
Definition of use cases and prioritization of requirements to cover the most valuable use cases
Development of a project concept including budget considerations, process description, and practical instructions for the introduction of a PIM system
Evaluation of several PIM systems in terms of technical connectivity, scalability, and future-proofing

Challenges in previous product data management

Lindemann has primarily managed its product data using a legacy ERP system that is optimized for existing processes and brick-and-mortar retail. Digital use cases and automated product data maintenance were previously only possible to a limited extent – the topic of product information management was not yet firmly established within the company.

Further challenges arose from the fact that Lindemann, as a retailer, receives large amounts of product data directly from suppliers. This data is structured differently, sometimes multilingual, and often in formats that do not allow direct digital processing.

Our goal was therefore to develop a PIM concept that could be implemented quickly and cost-effectively with Lindemann's existing personnel and financial resources. It had to reflect the company's individual priorities and core business processes, make targeted use of employees' existing expertise, and actively involve them in the change process. Particular attention was also paid to ensuring high data quality requirements across more than 15,000 products, in multiple languages, and in international markets.

The PIM analysis helped us to take a holistic view of our product data processes for the first time and develop a tangible strategy for the digital future. This enabled us to make informed decisions in a very short time and we now have a solution that fits our requirements and resources.Franz Lindemann – Managing Director Robert Lindemann KG

Approach and implementation of the analysis

The solution approach was both classic and agile: The project started with a compact, half-day workshop at Lindemann's premises in Hamburg, where the most important stakeholders came together and jointly analyzed all relevant processes, systems, and communication channels. The content supply chain along the PIM lifecycle was examined in detail and all significant weaknesses, bottlenecks, and opportunities were identified.

Lindemann had already solved the product data management process relatively well with regard to the print catalog. The print catalog is still the main ordering medium and is very well received. However, the lack of central data storage and distribution was identified as a major weakness, requiring redundant maintenance of product information. The company's own IT department still has this process under control for the online catalog, but this area is not scalable. Connecting additional channels, and in particular providing data to retailers, is too costly.

Within just four weeks, communicode's consultants coordinated the findings with other experts from leading PIM system providers. Lindemann particularly appreciated the cooperative, goal-oriented project management and the open exchange between all parties involved. Various PIM systems were systematically compared on the basis of a detailed catalog of criteria. The focus was particularly on the following questions:

How well do the systems meet Lindemann's requirements?
What are the costs for licensing, implementation, and operation?
What extensions and interfaces are possible for future use cases?

As a result, Lindemann benefits from a clearly defined basis for decision-making regarding the introduction of this PIM system. The objectives, priorities, and costs were jointly developed and agreed upon, enabling the company to implement the introduction in a targeted and efficient manner.

Ultimately, Robert Lindemann KG decided to introduce ATAMYA as its PIM system.

Basis for the project launch: Introduction of the ATAMYA PIM system

As a relatively new PIM system, ATAMYA still offers a limited range of functions in its standard version. However, with its domain model, it provides an excellent basis for data modeling, which is very well suited to Lindemann's product range. Above all, ATAMAYA offers a comprehensive workflow module that provides extensive options for process automation and the integration of AI processes. This module can be configured independently by Lindemann, offering excellent prospects for future content generation and cost savings.

With the new PIM system, Lindemann increases the quality and speed of product data provision for specialist retailers significantly – a clear competitive advantage that will expand digital sales channels and enable sustainable growth.

Our consultants enabled Lindemann to make quick and important decisions with the compact analysis. The implementation, in turn, is characterized by empowering Lindemann's project team to independently develop their processes and data quality in the future. Robert Lindemann KG can thus better support its customers, optimize its online store, and sustainably expand its own market position in wholesale and industry.

Outlook: Successfully shaping digital transformation

With the completion of the PIM analysis, Robert Lindemann KG sees the foundation laid for the rollout of the PIM system and downstream innovation projects. The modular and scalable PIM solution enables the integration of additional systems, channels, and markets in the future. Its willingness to innovate and its partnership-based project approach ensure that Robert Lindemann KG plays a pioneering role in digital product data management in its industry.