Bringing product data up to scratch
Consistent, digitally processed product data classified in line with ETIM standards makes a big contribution towards company performance. Safeguarding this is a major task for the Geberit team.
ETIM – the “Electro-Technical Information Model” – is a concept for
standardising product data, such as colour descriptions or the configuration
of interfaces. Whereas it used to suffice to have catalogues with pictures and
text, now the existing digital product data must be structured and extended.
These tasks involve all bodies that are responsible for the products, from the
Product Managers all the way through to logistics.
Trading companies rely on digital distribution channels and run their
own online shops for their trading partners, such as plumbers. If the data
sets provided by the manufacturers (such as Geberit) do not meet requirements,
the products are simply not included in the sales portal. As a result, the
plumbers are then unable to purchase the Geberit products. In order to
ensure smooth data transfer to the wholesaler, Geberit is standardising its
product data to comply with ETIM.
Standardise and clarify
Nico Schmid from the Master Data Management team at company headquarters
in Rapperswil-Jona (CH) is responsible for implementing the ETIM standard
at Geberit. “Geberit has expanded some of its existing product data so that
this meets the ETIM standard. In the classic Geberit product catalogue,
for example, one fitting can be described with six features used together
with images to convey the additional information. However, the ETIM standard
requires 51 features for a product to be described precisely. The description
is exclusively digital and must work without images.”
“For example, in order to prevent duplicate data entries, we have to
take the typical Geberit colour descriptions and turn them into what the
customer is looking for,” comments Nico Schmid. “In this way, white alpine
now becomes just white. We are currently adapting product data from around
20,000 items according to ETIM requirements. This is a lot of work for everyone
involved. But: no data, no sale.”
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