Are You Still Using PDFs For Digital Product Information?

NBS has published new research revealing the specification gap holding construction product manufacturers back from winning more business.

67% say digital product information is critical to their business, yet 77% still rely on PDFs.

Meanwhile, 98% say customer data is important, yet 11% admit they do not use it.

The research also says that construction product manufacturers are investing in sales and marketing but many are doing so in ways that don't reflect how specification decisions actually develop.

The new research is published as a guide called 'Closing the Specification Gap’.

Demand generation vs lead generation

A prominent theme is the distinction between demand generation and lead generation. Eighty-five per cent of product manufacturers say they are targeting architects and specifiers with the intention of influencing specification. Yet 72% still rely on referrals and existing relationships as their primary lead source.

Referrals matter, yet they are reactive. Specification decisions develop over time, through research, product discovery, comparison and ongoing engagement. Consistent visibility, accessible product data, BIM content and technical support create trust long before a final decision is made.

By the time a referral arrives, the decision is often already well advanced. Manufacturers who aren't visible earlier in that process are competing for opportunities they've already missed, according to NBS.

Recognition vs delivery

The same pattern plays out in how product information is delivered. Two thirds (67%) say that digital product information is critical, however, over three quarters (77%) still rely on PDFs. Static documents can't be searched, filtered or compared inside the digital workflows specifiers now use, creating friction at exactly the moment manufacturers need to be easy to find and evaluate.

Moving from static documents to digitally accessible product data is a key step in reducing risk for specifiers.

Turning data into actionable insight

Almost all manufacturers (98%) say customer data is important, yet 11% admit they don't use it. Understanding what content influences consideration, where specification opportunities are created or lost and which activity connects to commercial outcomes is what allows manufacturers to focus limited resource where it will actually make a difference.

Strengthening be specified

Jo Keit, Commercial President, Hubexo UKI told Fabrication & Glazing Eye: "The findings from this research highlight a clear opportunity for manufacturers to strengthen how they influence specification. Relationships remain critical. But the way they are supported is changing. Earlier visibility, structured product data and consistent engagement are becoming essential to staying relevant throughout the design process."

For manufacturers operating with limited resources, the opportunity lies in focusing investment where it is most likely to influence a specification decision. That means being present on the platforms specifiers already use to research and evaluate products, providing technical information in a format that works inside digital workflows and using data to understand where decisions are being made.

Platforms such as NBS Source allow manufacturers to list structured product data, BIM objects and sustainability information in one place, accessible to over 275,000 construction professionals at the point of specification.

Picture: The NBS guide draws on a survey of construction product manufacturers across the UK setting out where manufacturers should focus their efforts to close the gap between activity and specification influence, with practical guidance on digital presence, product data, and channel strategy.

The guide is available to download now – Click Here

www.thenbs.com