Jürgen Bauer, Head of Data Management, Digital Business & Transformation at WAREMA Renkhoff SE, explains in an interview what contributions and added value Xtentio GmbH was able to provide during the introduction of a PIM system at WAREMA Renkhoff SE.
This interview is also available as a free PDF version. (Currently only available in German.)
Mr. Bauer, over the past few years you have worked with Xtentio to take your product information management to a new level. How did it come about?
Jürgen Bauer: Over the course of 2016, it became apparent that WAREMA would have to make efforts to stay on the ball digitally and thus continue to be perceived as the market leader for technical sun shading products. It was already apparent that customer communication needed to be reviewed and the distribution of product information to the existing application and IT landscape needed to be readjusted.
The task was to carefully but consistently align structures that had evolved and become dear to the company, both in product management and marketing as well as in internal processes, with the future in mind.
What was the situation before the project? Do you have an example?
J. B.: J. B.: WAREMA Renkhoff SE develops, produces and sells sun shading solutions and control systems at eleven locations worldwide and exports to over 45 countries. Our product portfolio, measured in print catalogs, is offered to the customer market on 2,000 pages in five main catalogs.
The catalogs were largely produced manually by external service providers in German and all required foreign languages. A very complex, time-consuming and cost-intensive process.
“"Piece by piece, Xtentio has guided us through the initial phase of transformation into the agile Projektvorgehen geführt.”
Jürgen Bauer, Head of Data Management at WAREMA Renkhoff SE
The catalog production was not yet automated at that time - but the technology to do so has been around for a long time. So it was obvious to introduce a PIM system. Were there other challenges you faced at the time?
J. B.: At WAREMA, we had set up our manual process steps in the respective departments so that everything worked. However, the effort has increased significantly in recent years, especially with each additional media channel such as apps, WEB, where product information was required and had to be redundantly maintained in the individual data silos.
So it was clear that something had to change. How did the collaboration with Xtentio come about?
J. B.: We already knew roughly where we wanted to go and that we needed a PIM system for this. But what was still missing was a partner with extensive experience, who had successfully implemented similar projects and who would ultimately take WAREMA by the hand, guide it and accompany it.
That sounds like a long-term plan. How did you then proceed together?
J. B.: The cooperation with Xtentio started with a so-called ISCM analysis and recommendation for action.
In this mandate, it was revealed to us where we stand, what needs to be done, what risks and costs are involved, and what expenditures, both internal and external, need to be made in order to implement our "PIM" project with a time horizon of approximately three years, i.e., by 2020.
You can imagine it like this: You go to the doctor because you don't feel so fit. The doctor will take your medical history and write a report diagnosing the cause of your symptoms. With the therapy suggestion, he recommends what they should do to achieve improvement.
Was it that bad?
J. B.: Well, we had already suspected it, but to read it in black and white and to hear the assessment from recognized experts is something else again.
Exciting, what happened next?
J. B.: Once the packages of measures had been identified, the first project plans were on the table and we had formed working groups, an intensive period began to identify use cases in concrete terms.
We realized very early on that it was not just a matter of introducing a PIM system and implementing catalog automation. It was much more a matter of overcoming departmental thinking, presenting successes and failures in project work, defining new target processes, establishing professional conflict management - in short, managing a change in the company.
“Xtentio hat es geschafft, agile Methoden bei uns im Haus nicht nur einzuführen, sondern auch nachhaltig zu etablieren. Seitdem arbeiten wir auch in vielen anderen Projekten agil.”
Jürgen Bauer, Head of Data Management at WAREMA Renkhoff SE
For such a large and complex project, an agile approach should have been the obvious choice?
J. B.: In retrospect, I can answer that unequivocally with "yes". At the beginning, we were far from thinking agile. At this point, I can only express my gratitude to the really competent employees of Xtentio. You have managed not only to introduce agile methods in our company, but also to establish them sustainably. Since then, we have also been working "agile" in many other projects.
And what happened after the project?
J. B.: We worked intensively with a small team from Xtentio for three years. Extensive specialist concepts were developed, a PIM/MAM system was selected and introduced, new interfaces were set up, new processes were introduced, the organizational structure was realigned, extensive seminars and workshops on modern, agile methods were organized, new technologies were introduced for this purpose, and much, much more. Bit by bit, Xtentio guided us through the initial phase of the transformation to the agile project approach.
Once we had selected, set up and implemented the PIM/MAM system, i.e. it had arrived in the line organization and the initial filling had taken place, Xtentio's assignment was successfully implemented and we were able to continue on our own. This was also the agreement from the beginning.
With the start of line operation, Xtentio deliberately pulls out again and the customer can take the helm himself. Incidentally, it has also succeeded in demonstrating a satisfactory ROI.
If you look at WAREMA today, Mr. Bauer, has the digital maturity level increased?
J. B.: I can answer that unequivocally and with full conviction with "yes".
Today, we are able to provide the most diverse customer groups with correct and complete information at the right time, quickly and reliably, according to their needs. In addition to the external presentation and perception by our customers, we have also sustainably optimized the internal value chains of the so-called information supply chain.
What do you wish for the future?
J. B.: We are in the year 2021. Many topics are still on our list. We are currently working on the expansion of our digital services.
The PIM system that is now in place, as well as other systems in our IT infrastructure, will act as an important source of data and provide benefits. In addition, we will continue to develop in line with the digitization strategy and, for example, further expand the process chains to and from the customer.
Mr. Bauer, thank you very much for the interesting interview. //
photo credit: (1) (2) Warema, (3) iStock