Ağustos Teknoloji — Posts

How I run a PIM implementation for a lighting manufacturer

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Every implementation I’ve run has gone through the same five steps. The timing changes. The shape doesn’t.

What follows is the version I share with clients at the start of an engagement. What each step is, how long it takes, and where projects tend to stall.

Step 0: Proposal (1–2 months)

Before I write a proposal, I need to understand the project. Four inputs:

Input data. Where does it live today? Excel files? An ERP nobody trusts? A CRM with sales-side fields that don’t match engineering’s spec sheets?
Output channels. Where does the data need to land? Website is usually first. Then datasheet. Then catalogue, installation manual, brochure.
Resources. Who’s the decision maker? Who’s the data entry team? Who holds the technical info engineering won’t write down?
Variables. How many SKUs? How many languages? Is there a US-vs-international version of the same product? (For lighting, the answer is almost always yes.)

Then the proposal. The budget has three lines:

Vendor fee. The annual PIM subscription, paid to the vendor.
Coding fee. Paid to the development team that builds the integrations and the outputs (website, datasheet, anything else in Phase 1). If you have an internal coding team or a vendor you already trust, this goes to zero. They can still do the work. But a coding team without PIM experience can slow the project down. What matters is a PIM mindset. The shape of the work changes as the project moves. So it’s a dynamic process, not a standard website build where you set the scope and finish with one or two revisions.
Consultancy fee. Mine. I run the project end to end, train the internal team alongside the work, and I’m responsible for the outcome. If someone on your side with a technical background can take the project manager role, my fee can go down, or even to zero. That hasn’t happened yet. If it does, I’d support that person without crowding them out.

I separate these on purpose. The client should see what’s paid to the vendor, what’s paid to the developers, and what’s paid to me. Bundling them hides where the work sits.

This step takes 1–2 months. The variance is on the client’s side, not mine. Clear inputs, fast proposal. Vague inputs, I keep asking.

Step 1: Discovery (1–2 months)

Once the proposal is signed, I work closely with the internal team to define the project in detail.

This is the base of the building. If the base is weak, everything after compounds in the wrong direction.

My rule for Phase 1: stay close to the bare minimum. Website plus datasheet is usually right. After that, the project grows: installation manuals, brochures, distributor portals. But Phase 1 needs to be small enough to ship.

The temptation here is always to widen the scope. “While we’re at it, can we also do…” No. Phase 1 ships, then we add. A widened Phase 1 is a Phase 1 that never launches.

This step also takes 1–2 months. Same dependency on client clarity.

Step 2: Data structure and briefs (1–2 months)

This is where I turn Step 1’s inputs into a data structure and the briefs that go to the coding team.

For a normal project, no more than a month. For a complex one, usually when the client’s product ordering system itself needs a rewrite, up to two.

Most lighting catalogues have an ordering logic that was designed decades ago and has inherited every product since. At some point the logic stops carrying the product range. That has to be fixed first. PIM can’t paper over a broken ordering structure.

Step 3: Coding and data entry (3–4 months)

Once Step 2 is locked, the briefs go to the coding team.

At this stage we only enter sample data. The coding team needs the structure, not the full catalogue. Logic first, content second.

While the coding team works, the internal team starts entering the full catalogue. This is the hardest part of the project. Not technically. Mentally. The team is used to spreadsheets, and PIM asks them to think in fields, inheritance, and products as records. I stay close during this stretch because the mindset shift is where projects quietly stall.

This step is 3–4 months. Sometimes longer if the catalogue is older or messier than anyone realised in Step 1.

Step 4: Launch

After Step 3, we’re ready to launch and close Phase 1. The first outputs go live. Usually the website and the datasheet.

It’s a proud moment. A lot of work goes into it. And this is when the client first sees the ROI. Not as a number on a slide. As a website that updates when they change one field.

Then something interesting happens. With Phase 1 done and the foundation strong, the client starts looking at the next manual process to fix. Then the next.

That’s where the culture starts to change.

If you’re a lighting manufacturer thinking about PIM, contact me for a 30-minute call. Or start here:

B-K Lighting PIM Case Study is out!

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

B-K Lighting PIM Case Study is out!

10x Faster Product Data Management with Catalog Automation

B-K Lighting is a California-based manufacturer that designs and engineers specification-grade architectural lighting. Founded in 1984, the company pioneered the modern landscape floodlight and is known for high-performance solutions.

With a highly configurable portfolio and a large volume of technical documentation, managing product information efficiently is essential to support sales, marketing, and engineering teams.

Before PIM (Sales Layer)

As B-K Lighting expanded its portfolio, managing product information became increasingly complex.

The website served as the primary destination for product data. Updates were handled across multiple tools and workflows. Large catalog-wide changes required significant coordination and manual effort.

Pricing updates could take weeks. ****Product changes affecting dozens or hundreds of SKUs required days or more to complete.Maintaining speed and consistency across such a technical catalog was demanding.

After PIM (Sales Layer)

Today, B-K Lighting manages more than 700 categories, 25,000 SKUs, 3,000 variants, 200,000 digital resources, and over 30 catalogs within a single environment.

Technical specifications, drawings, compliance documentation, and marketing assets are centralized and structured within the PIM.

PIM enables them to apply updates across product families instead of editing individual SKUs. Changes that previously required repetitive work are executed in bulk, ensuring consistency across related references.

Company-wide price increases that once required weeks can now be completed in a couple of days. Product updates affecting dozens or hundreds of SKUs are handled in minutes or hours.

By connecting the PIM directly to their website, approved product data is published automatically and consistently.

Overall, product data management processes are now up to 10x faster.

Sales, marketing, and engineering teams operate from the same system, reducing verification cycles and increasing confidence in published information.

As a result, they have achieved:

Centralized management of 25,000+ SKUs
Bulk updates across complex product families
Faster implementation of pricing changes

Lighting Industry Implementation Partner

The implementation was led by Emre Güneş, Ağustos Teknoloji, Sales Layer’s trusted Solution Partner, whose deep expertise in the lighting industry was critical to the rollout. Our understanding of complex product structures helped define the data model and establish a new order code system aligned with industry requirements.

We managed the initiative from initial planning through launch, coordinating vendors, structuring t he data environment, and delivering internal training. We remain actively involved as the rollout continues.

Link: https://www.saleslayer.com/saleslayer-casestudies/10x-faster-product-data-management-with-catalog-automation

PIM for lighting manufacturers

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Technical documentation automated

For a lighting manufacturer, managing the technical documentation is chaos.

Excel files, shared folders, manually updates…

We help you to fix the chaos with a single source of truth (PIM) and a connected system that will keep the website / data sheet / catalogue updated, all the time, automatically.

Product data challenges for a lighting manufacturer

Too many SKU’s
Too many attributes (CCT, CRI, Input Power…)
Too many files (Cad, IES, LDT, BIM…)
Multiple languages
Multiple markets
Component changes

Your product data strategy led by lighting experts (20+ years experience)

PIM stands for Product Information Management.

We work with Sales layer - a cloud native, user-friendly PIM solution.

With **our 20+ years of experience in the lighting industry**, offering deep knowledge of sector-specific needs and challenges.

We support you with:

Complete integration services to populate your PIM with clean, structured data
Deep expertise in lighting-specific data models
Custom workflows for managing component and specification changes
Support for multilingual content and regional compliance
Change management strategies to ensure team-wide adoption

Together, we combine the power of technology with hands-on consultancy to help lighting manufacturers succeed.

We have already helped several companies around the world (Asia, Europe, USA, Australia).

Please contact our PIM expert: **Emre Güneş** for a 30 minutes call.

Want to learn more?

Read: B-K Lighting PIM Case Study is out!
Watch the webinar (01.12.2024): Simplifying Complexity: The Benefits of PIM for Lighting Manufacturers
Read: 3 reasons why you - definitely - need a PIM (Product Information Management) system if you are a lighting manufacturer?

How to Drive More Sales in the Lighting Industry with Better Product Data

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The global lighting industry is massive, and it’s not slowing down. By 2032, it’s expected to reach nearly $368 billion. Yet for most lighting manufacturers and distributors, growth doesn’t depend on market size, but on execution.

Execution today means meeting buyers where they are: with product information that is rich, accurate, and actionable. Whether you’re selling architectural fixtures, industrial LEDs, or connected smart lighting, your product data is what enables or blocks the sale.

That’s especially true for marketers tasked with increasing ecommerce conversions, supporting channel partners, and launching SKUs across multiple platforms.

Let’s unpack how better product data drives measurable sales outcomes, and what that means for your marketing strategy.

Lighting Market Competition and the Product Data Imperative

Lighting is no longer just about form and function. Buyers, both B2B and B2C, are looking for specificity. They want assurance on compatibility, sustainability, certifications, and performance. They expect that information to be accurate, searchable, and accessible 24/7.

In short, your buyers are acting like researchers. If your product content doesn’t answer their questions quickly, they move on. This holds true for ecommerce transactions, specifier decisions, distributor line reviews, and procurement submissions.

What Counts as “Better” Product Data in Lighting?

Better product data is not just clean data. It’s complete, contextual, and commerce-ready. For lighting manufacturers, this means capturing both technical and narrative content that drives confidence in purchase.

Technical Specifications

Lighting is inherently technical. Whether you sell high-bay warehouse fixtures or under-cabinet LEDs, customers need to see detailed data like:

Lumen output, CCT, CRI, efficacy
Dimming protocols, input voltage, lifespan
Beam angle, IP rating, IK rating
Mounting types and housing options

If these specs are missing or inconsistent, the sale stalls. For professional buyers, it’s non-negotiable.

Rich Media and Supporting Documentation

It’s not just about the data itself, but how it’s presented. Lighting products require a rich mix of visual and downloadable content to support the buyer journey, which is equal parts visual, tactile, and technical. This includes 360-degree images, in-context lifestyle shots, photometric IES files, installation manuals, wiring diagrams, exploded views, and close-ups of housing or lens details.

When this media is bundled into every product listing, it not only improves ecommerce conversion rates but also gives distributor reps the confidence to promote and specify your products with clarity.

Compatibility and System Context

Modern lighting rarely exists in isolation. A luminaire might need a specific driver, connect to a smart building protocol, or comply with dimmer brands and standards.

If your product data lacks compatibility fields or recommended accessories, you leave money on the table. Worse, you create downstream friction when the installed product doesn’t match expectations.

Compatibility data is another marketing asset. For lighting manufacturers, clearly specifying which drivers, dimmers, mounting systems, or controls work with a fixture transforms a static listing into a guided selling experience. This creates two high-value opportunities: cross-selling and upselling.

Cross-selling occurs when compatibility data highlights related parts, such as a matching dimmer or a recommended track system, encouraging the buyer to complete the setup in one purchase. Upselling becomes possible when buyers see premium options supported by the product, such as smart drivers or advanced controls, and are reassured they’ll work seamlessly.

When compatibility is clear from the start, buyers make better choices, support teams field fewer post-sale questions, and return rates drop.

Certifications and Sustainability Information

Sustainability is not a trend in lighting; it’s a prerequisite. Buyers want to know:

Is this Energy Star or DLC listed?
Does it comply with CE, RoHS, or UKCA?
Is there an EPD published?
Is the product WELL or LEED compatible?

Missing this information means your products may never appear in filtered results on a distributor portal or government RFP. Marketing teams should prioritize certification tagging and automated updates across SKUs.

Use-Case Content and Applications

This is where data becomes storytelling. Great product data doesn’t just say what a product is, it shows where and why to use it.

If you manufacture a low-glare LED panel, specify that it’s designed for office compliance and visual comfort. If a fixture is built for cold storage, add imagery and copy that shows it functioning in refrigerated environments.

This context-rich content increases engagement, time on page, and conversion rate. It’s also what separates brands that merely list products from those that win trust.

Regional Variants and Localization

One product often has multiple versions depending on voltage, mounting type, regulatory approval, or language requirements.

A commercial floodlight in the U.S. might operate on 120–277V and comply with UL standards. Its EU version runs on 220–240V and carries CE and ENEC marks.

“Better” product data includes all of these distinctions. It supports local part numbers, region-specific copy, and automated translation workflows. It ensures that every buyer, regardless of market, sees the right data.

The Cost of Poor Product Data

For manufacturers still relying on static catalogs or fragmented spreadsheets, the risks are growing.

Lost conversions: If data is incomplete or unclear, buyers hesitate or worse, abandon.
Returns and warranty costs: Mismatched specs lead to misapplications, driving up returns and damaging trust.
Channel conflict: Distributors working with outdated product feeds are less likely to prioritize your listings.
Internal inefficiency: Marketing, sales, and engineering teams waste hours reconciling spreadsheets or correcting errors after the fact.

Poor data isn’t just a marketing issue. It’s a margin issue. It affects every stage of the buyer journey and every team downstream.

Conclusion: A Better Buyer Experience Starts with Better Data

Lighting brands that win in the next decade will not only have strong products. They’ll have strong data.

Product data that performs across SKUs, markets, and channels. Data that empowers your teams and drives your sales efforts. Data that turns browsers into buyers and partners into advocates.

Ağustos Teknoloji partners with Sales Layer PIM to deliver tailored solutions for lighting manufacturers. Combining a strong user experience, advanced AI, and robust B2B integrations with deep industry expertise, Ağustos leads end-to-end PIM projects.

If you’re serious about driving revenue, start where the buyer journey begins, your product content.

Simplifying Complexity: The Benefits of PIM for Lighting Manufacturers

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Edit on 26.12.2024:

You can watch the webinar from the link:

https://www.saleslayer.com/saleslayer-webinars/the-benefits-of-pim-for-lighting-manufacturers

Join 30-minutes webinar and see how you can turn chaos to order

December 3rd, 2024

15:00 (GMT +1) / 09:00 AM (UTC-4)

Complex vs Simple

Join Ağustos and Sales Layer for an insightful 30-minutes webinar designed to transform product information management for lighting manufacturers. Here’s what you can expect:

Top 3 reasons to adopt a PIM system:

Discover the three most critical reasons why lighting manufacturers need a Product Information Management (PIM) system, focusing on essential areas like technical documentation, multi-version and multi-language support, and adapting to changing components and requirements. We’ll detail how a PIM system addresses these specific challenges.

What changes after a PIM project?

See the impact of a well-implemented PIM system through real-life examples, showcasing how a unified data source and single source of truth can revolutionize your business processes and company culture.

Our approach to PIM projects:

Uncover how Ağustos manages PIM projects with clarity and guidance to minimize uncertainties. We’ll walk you through our proven process, so you’ll know exactly what to expect at every stage.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see how PIM can transform your approach to product information management!

Emre Güneş

Co-founder - PIM Consultant

Mark Symons

International Enterprise Account Executive

3 reasons why you - definitely - need a PIM (Product Information Management) system if you are a lighting manufacturer?

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

I have been working in the lighting industry for more than 18 years (and counting). I have taken different roles such as magazine publisher, event organiser, distributor / representative and finally a consultant.

Main problem that I have seen so far with the lighting industry is the lack of updated-technical-information. For a manufacturer, updating the catalogue is often a major event for the marketing teams (mainly for the whole company as it involves many departments). Or, keeping the web site up-to-date is accepted as a time consuming and very expensive activity as well. Especially, if you have many products and want to go with multi-language.

Some of those arguments are true for similar industries, where technical documentation is critical, like Building Materials or Chemical but in this article, I will focus on the lighting manufacturers (where my expertise is) and I will lay out 3 main reasons why, as a lighting manufacturer, you need a PIM (Product Information Management) system in order to stay competitive in today’s fast-changing environment.

1- Technical documentation

If you check PIM (Product Information Management) market today, you often see a big push over multi-channel marketing and e-commerce capabilities. (Mainly B2C approaches.)

But as a consultant, my experience with PIM so far has been on the B2B part and PIM was often the main problem solving mechanism for the technical documentation.

Too many files

Customers expect detailed and accurate product information. Each Product in the lighting industry (or even each Variant) requires many different files to be generated or shared.

Let’s see an important player’s product page:

https://www.erco.com/en/?specsheet=A4000689

13 different files to download! These needs to be generated as well, manually or automatically. PIM can also help to do that. Of course, not out of the box, but combining with proper coding, it’s very easy to automate some of the file generations.

Too many details

Same goes with product details, let’s check same player’s page:

26 data points to handle!

With thousands of products, it becomes - very quickly - an impossible job to handle.

Excel files, shared folders can only take you to a certain level with basic details, beyond that, a PIM system is an essential tool.

2- Multi-version & Multi-language

Multi-version

To make things more difficult, you need to take into account that each product will have small differences depending on the market, like for US, Input Voltage will be 120-277V whereas for the rest of the world, you will end up with 220-240V version.

Some components like Driver, Power Supply or Accessories will be different as well which will effect the marketing details of that specific product for this specific market.

Multi-language

We live in a super-connected world where global markets are easy to reach if you have the capacity and the talent. So technical documentation, depending on your target markets, will need to be multi-language as well.

Imagine all of those documents, versions and data points to be prepared / generated in not only one but two or (like one of my clients) 13 languages?

What a nightmare!

I would argue that especially for data points, if you work carefully on the data structure planning, you can work it out to have less translations for technical things. But again, this doesn’t change the fact that you still need a PIM system but having a good & experienced consultant (like me) might help more to deal with the problem in an efficient way.

FREE HINT: Keep things to be translated on the higher level of the data hierarchy (Like Family and Product) and the technical data points with universal outputs (no translation needed) can stay on low levels. (like Variant).

3- Changing components and requirements

Changing components

In a standard lighting product (luminaire or fixture as you might call), there are several critical components which defines the performance like LED Chip, Reflector / Lens, Driver, Connector, Cable etc.

And those components, especially after the invention of LED, became a regularly changing items. 2 examples might be: LED chips getting efficiency upgrade every 6 months or drivers being discontinued regularly.

So changing those will change the technical documentation for all the related products on every version and every language!

Changing requirements

This doesn’t stop only with components. There are new data requirements coming up regularly as well. Less than the component maybe, but still, you might need to add a new data point to any of the level in any time.

Like a WELL standard which will require to declare the Flicker of your products: https://www.wellcertified.com/

Or recently, Environmental Product Declaration is becoming a must have document and without a PIM and a very detailed component hierarchy, it’s impossible to prepare.

Conclusion

Being a lighting manufacturer is not easy these days. Especially, with the invention of LED, there are new players joining regularly, like the California gold rush (1848–1855). Profit margins are getting lower constantly. Any new high-technology product are becoming a commodity very quickly.

In order to fight this, your time to market is more critical than ever. As I tried to explain in this article, without a PIM system, it’s nearly impossible to manage it properly.

If you are still dealing with Excel’s and shared folders, please reach out to us so that we show you how life could have been. Believe me, once you see this side of the world, there is no going back.

Emre Güneş

Who am I? Please see: https://agustos.com/en/who-are-we
What I do as a PIM consultant? Please see: https://agustos.com/en/consultancy/product-information-management-pim-consultancy-sales-layer-turkey