Good PLM software is undoubtedly worth its weight in gold, but it can also feel just as expensive. Deciding on a system is not as simple as shopping for the best price. In fact contrary to what you might think, choosing the right PLM system can become so daunting that many brands quickly become overwhelmed, abandoning the search & instead, falling back into the comfortable state they’ve become accustomed to, like excel and email.
Even in the best of conditions, the search for the right solution can be a 3-9 month process and that’s not even including time to implement and transition. Many factors must be considered and the longer a brand waits, or the larger the brand is, the more complex the process can become.
So when is the right time? Last month, California Apparel News asked FAN PLM and several other leading PLM providers, what needs were pointing brands towards the adoption of a product lifecycle management software solution and was there a sweet spot that a brand should consider in terms of size, growth and their target market when deciding whether or not it was time for a PLM solution?
A few key things emerged from the article and will give you a sense of where you and your brand might be, in making this critical decision. And by the way, most successful brands quickly realize that it’s really not a matter of if, but when, they will move to a PLM.
So how do you know if your brand is ready for a PLM solution? If any of the following sound familiar, consider starting a dialogue sooner than later.
Can you hear me now? If communication is becoming more and more challenging (i.e., too many emails, waiting on someone to get back to you with a latest version or price, breakdowns between departments), then a central place to house all data and info will become your holy grail.
Papers Please. If you didn’t already know, testing and compliance has become much more complex due to recent changes in the import/export process and the new requirement mean that Certificates of Compliance (CoC) must be provided on every shipment, as opposed to just upon request. If multiple state or country compliancy requirements are hampering and adding time to your ability to get product on the move, then it’s time to start looking into PLM.
Faster, better, cheaper. Margins, time-to-market, and increases in the number of lines and SKUs, quickly result in your best people spending too much of their time overwhelmed by data overload and eventually things fall through the cracks. A PLM will free them up, to focus on what they do best.
Who’s on first? Is accountability an issue? How well are you managing your relationship with your suppliers and sourcing vendors? Do you really have a handle on the price of materials? Without easily-accessible historical data to fall back on, it’s hard to place blame and/or find the source of mistakes and remedy them.
Speaking of materials, do you have a material management system? If a designer wants to use a button from 3 seasons ago, can he easily find it in the system? What if your supplier suddenly informs you that a particular fabric can no longer be produced? Can you quickly (with a few clicks) figure out what SKUs use that fabric? And once you do, and have found a replacement, can you quickly & automatically adjust costing all the way through the BOM? A PLM will allow you to do all this and more.
For more information about how a PLM solution can positively impact your bottom line, connect with us to schedule a demo.
FAN PLM offers solutions that bring absolute transparency to your entire process of product development, empowering your whole team with the right tools to allow you to communicate effectively, and consistently. For more information visit FANPLM.COM
