Managing a product’s lifecycle—from ideation to market—is no easy feat. As businesses grow, outdated tools like spreadsheets and email chains often lead to chaos: missed deadlines, errors, and miscommunication. That’s where Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software steps in.
PLM software isn’t just a tool; it’s the foundation for better collaboration, faster processes, and higher-quality results. But with so many options available, how do you choose the right one?
Disconnected tools lead to data silos, making it difficult for teams to collaborate. PLM software brings everything into one platform, ensuring data is accessible and actionable. Surefront bridges the gap between design, sourcing, and sales, enabling all teams to work from a single source of truth, reducing delays and driving better decision-making.
1. Breaking Down Silos
Disconnected tools lead to data silos, making it difficult for teams to collaborate. PLM software brings everything into one platform, ensuring data is accessible and actionable.
2. Accelerating Time-to-Market
With automated workflows and streamlined communication, PLM software helps you get products to market faster, staying ahead of competitors.
3. Reducing Errors
Centralized data ensures consistency, minimizing costly mistakes in design, production, and delivery.
|
Streamlining Collaboration Across Teams |
|
|
Ensuring Global Consistency |
|
|
Accelerating Product Development |
|
|
Cutting Time-to-Market with Centralized Data |
While every business has unique needs, some features are universally important: centralized data storage, real-time collaboration tools, and customizable workflows. Surefront excels in these areas, offering highly customizable workflows that adapt to your business processes, ensuring seamless integration into your operations.
Step 1: Identify Your Goals
Before exploring solutions, define what you want to achieve:
Step 2: Focus on Scalability
Your PLM software should grow with your business. Whether expanding product lines or entering new markets, your system needs to adapt.
Step 3: Prioritize Must-Have Features
While every business has unique needs, some features are universally important:
A well-crafted RFP ensures you identify the features and functionalities most important to your business. Surefront not only provides a free RFP template but also offers tailored guidance to help businesses select the most impactful features for their PLM needs.
Expert Tip: Use a template to ensure your RFP covers all essential areas. Surefront offers a free RFP template to get you started.
Seeing the software in action is essential. Pay attention to how well it aligns with your workflows and whether it feels intuitive for your team. Surefront’s user-friendly interface ensures rapid adoption, empowering teams to streamline their processes without a steep learning curve.
Assign weighted scores to criteria like functionality, user experience, and price. This ensures you compare vendors objectively.
Seeing the software in action is essential. Pay attention to how well it aligns with your workflows and whether it feels intuitive for your team.
Speak with other businesses that use the software to understand their experience and results.
When you choose the right PLM software, the benefits extend beyond operational efficiency.
Enhanced Collaboration
Teams can work together seamlessly, whether in the same office or across the globe.
Faster Decision-Making
Real-time data and automated workflows enable quicker, more informed decisions.
Higher-Quality Products
Early error detection and better communication lead to products that meet or exceed expectations.
Increased ROI
Efficiencies gained from PLM software translate into measurable financial benefits over time.
Even with the best intentions, choosing the wrong PLM software can lead to wasted resources and frustration. Avoid these common mistakes:
Ignoring Scalability: Ensure the system can adapt to your business’s growth.
Overlooking Usability: A complicated system can deter adoption, limiting ROI.
Skipping Training: Without proper onboarding, teams may struggle to use the system effectively.
The right PLM software transforms your operations and improves team efficiency. Surefront’s free RFP template and comprehensive solutions are designed to help you confidently choose the best PLM system while transforming your Product Lifecycle management.
Surefront is flexible. It works seamlessly when the buyer and vendor are meeting in-person or discussing products remotely.
You don’t want your data to be siloed. Your company’s CRM, PIM and PLM solutions shouldn’t operate in a vacuum, either. Surefront is a unified product collaboration platform to power growth and ROI. Our patented PIM, CRM, and PLM solutions streamline the omni channel sales, merchandising and product development processes. By combining these essential functionalities, Surefront creates a single source of truth throughout your Product Lifecycle, sales and listing processes.
The results? Up to 150% more revenue per employee and a 40% shorter product development cycle is just the beginning. Try our 10x ROI calculator to see your company’s potential profits. Or, skip the noise and book a custom demo with one of our unified product collaboration management experts today. The retail industry evolves quickly and has a lot of moving parts. We do all of the research, so you don’t have to. Stay ahead of market fluctuations, trends and new features by subscribing to our Unified Product Collaboration Management Blog.
Concurrent Engineering PLM Case Study: Adidas