WhichPLM Blog 09 Feb, 2009: Innovation is key to success…

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…not only for technology suppliers, but also for technology users!

In recent weeks I’ve had the opportunity to talk and meet with several of the world’s leading PLM suppliers and I’m pleased to be able to report that I have been pleasantly surprised to see the increased amount of innovation coming out of the R&D camps. It’s all about survival and smart companies do some incredible things when times get tough when there’s no real choice but to innovate and thrive. You all know who you are and congratulations, I am certain you will be rewarded with new sales.

So now is the time for the rest of the PLM suppliers to get moving by fixing the basics or by advancing with solutions to support new processes. I’m certain that the latest economic situation has given PLM suppliers the impetus to push their development teams to move up a gear and push on with new process design and in some cases going back to basics to improve their current PLM offering. Whichever the case, the net result is that these suppliers have decided to get off their backsides and do something to help improve their product offerings rather than holding back and reducing cost and I’m certain their customers will vote by continuing to invest.

So what about innovation for customers..? Well it’s the same message: focus on becoming lean and delivering up the minute FAST fashion and, like the PLM suppliers, you can’t afford to sit back and wait until things get better. There is no better time than now to start improving your development process and coming up with new ways to beat your competition and stay in business. Think long and hard about putting off investing in PLM, otherwise you will find that by the time the market changes you won’t be able to react to the demands and your competitors will leave you behind.

Contact me

Please free to share your experience in assessing and selecting a PLM solution. Email me at mark@whichplm.com I look forward to your feedback.

Mark

Mark Harrop is a leading Apparel PLM expert with more than 34 years experience in the industry. Mark co-founded the Product Development Partnership Ltd, the team of experts behind WhichPLM.

Ben Hanson Ben Hanson is one of WhichPLM’s top contributors. Ben has worked for magazines, newspapers, local government agencies, multi-million pound conservation projects, museums and creative publications before his eventual migration to the Retail, Footwear and Apparel industry.Having previously served as WhichPLM’s Editor, Ben knows the WhichPLM style, and has been responsible for many of our on-the-ground reports and interviews over the last few years. With a background in literature, marketing and communications, Ben has more than a decade’s worth of experience, and is now viewed as one of the industry’s best-known writers.