communicode realizes new internet presence for OBO-Bettermann

OBO Bettermann GmbH & Co. KG decided to renew its marketing site and introduce an online catalog. This allows customers to research the product variety from around 30,000 products offered worldwide with as little effort as possible on the Internet as well.

Over the years, OBO Bettermann has established itself as a full-range supplier for future-oriented building installation technology and is represented in more than 50 countries worldwide. The e-business service provider communicode was responsible for the consulting of the company as well as for the project conception and the technical realization.

The marketing site was implemented with the Enterprise Web Content Management System by Open Text. It is currently available in two languages (German and English). In the course of the international roll-out, further languages will follow successively from 2011. The online catalog has been integrated into the marketing site and will be available in the same language in the future. With the intention of developing an optimal navigation structure for the product catalog, the layout of the catalog was developed.

First of all, a classic hierarchically controlled navigation is used, which represents a basic information structure. In addition, it is possible to navigate through the product range using intelligent search functions. While the product search is based on the respective properties of the products searched for, the OBO Construct application search locates products on the basis of the respective application areas. The search result is automatically updated according to the filters set.

At the same time, the current point at which the user is located is always displayed in the hierarchical navigation as an additional orientation aid. Visual elements for the individual products as well as descriptive assembly examples provide additional support. In this way, every user can quickly and easily find their way around the entire OBO product world - from experienced installers, architects and major project planners, to inexperienced prospective customers.

"It was very important to us that our customers do not have to search forever to find a suitable product. With communicode's software solution, we offer them a high degree of convenience. With just a few clicks they will be guided to their goal", Ralf Geyer, Project Manager at OBO Bettermann, is pleased to say. Once the right product has been found, it can be recorded on a notepad. In this way, the user can create a list of all desired products and then have it printed in PDF format.

The online catalog is based on a Product Information Management System, which is already used to manage the product data for the print catalog. Publication in the online catalog is handled by infuniq from infuniq systems.

For more information on agile Product Information Management and the infuniq PIM solution, please also visit the infuniq website.