Data curation and management forms the building blocks of almost all industries and organizations in 2023. Although there are multiple tools that allow organizations to do the same, Content Management System (CMS) software applications or platforms enable businesses to create, manage, and publish digital content on their websites or other digital channels all at one place. Providing a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of acquiring and positioning information, sorting, and organization without extensive technical knowledge.
One of the biggest names in the field of IT and CMS software applications, having worked with numerous ‘Fortune 500’ (the largest companies in the U.S. by revenue) clients across USA, Europe and India, Mr. Bhargav Reddy talked to us on the subject of Proprietary Enterprise Content Management Systems and their evolving functionality in the industry. He was formerly an Adobe (CMS) Architect at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
Bhargav is behind one of the leading and most talked about solutions in the CMS space as of today. He developed solutions for 50,000 Agents and 400 franchisees on a single platform to generate leads for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. Whenever a franchisee or agent joins the network, they are taken through a pre-built, automated website used by the organization’s network of franchisees. Every agent on their network can log in to either Salesforce or Adobe’s content authoring platform to author their content and customize their market presence. On top of that, various third-party integrations are added to websites to improve customer engagement. This is all in all, one of the most well-defined and innovative Proprietary Enterprise CMS out there, today.
In our conversation, Reddy focused on the benefits of CMS as it serves as a centralized hub where businesses can store, retrieve, and update various types of owned or outsourced content, such as text, images, videos, and documents whenever required, allowing multiple users to collaborate on content creation, review, and approval, streamlining the workflow and enhancing productivity in comparison to the conventional processes of doing the same.
He further explained that these CMS systems are divided into 2 domains, Proprietary CMS and Open Source CMS. Though the functions that they carry out are similar in nature, the ownership of both differs. In an Open Source CMS, though modifications are allowed, the system isn’t exclusively tailored to serve the varied requirements of different organizations functioning at various scales. It’s a one size fits all approach, catering to a wide range of general users. Whereas, Proprietary CMS solutions are developed and owned by specific vendors.
Unlike open-source alternatives, proprietary ECMS software is licensed and sold to enterprises for use within their organizations exclusively. It becomes the legal property of an organization, group, or individual that created it. Several widely recognized proprietary CMS solutions are available in the market such as Adobe Experience Manager, Microsoft SharePoint, Tridion, Oracle WebCenter among others. These well-established platforms offer robust features and functionalities for efficient content management within enterprises.
“Proprietary CMS solutions consist of several core components and modules that work together to enable efficient content management. While the exact architecture and feature sets may vary between different proprietary ECMS providers, there are a few fundamental elements that are synonymous on both sides” he stated.
He highlighted multiple elements such as content creation and editing, data storage and optimization, workflow and collaborations, version control and audit trails, publishing and distribution along with security and access control that are settled at the core of CMS systems irrespective of the ownership structure that it curtails.
“As a CMS specialist, my primary objective has been to provide outstanding customer experiences for both internal business users and end consumers. A crucial aspect of my approach has been the implementation of a multi-lingual architecture, enabling organizations to broaden their reach and effectively engage a global audience, facilitating seamless communication on a global scale.” he stated emphasizing the need to have a unique approach to stand apart from the crowd.
Having successfully implemented proprietary CMS solutions that have exponentially empowered different business units to create their microsites, Mr. Reddy established an enterprise initiative in the form of a common framework by utilizing reusable content editing tools, implementing a standardized content structure, and streamlining workflow processes. This approach has not only increased the speed of microsite creation significantly, but also delivered cost savings for his organization at large, and acted as a push for other players in the industry to level up.
