Who do your BIM libraries really belong to?
In case of many popular “BIM Marketplace” platforms, the answer to the headline question can be brutal: They do not belong to you.
Many construction manufacturers unknowingly fall into the trap of “renting” visibility. What does it usually look like? Manufacturers place their BIM files on external, mass distribution platforms, treating this as a market standard. The problem arises at the moment when the company's strategy changes, the marketing budget is cut, or the manufacturer wants to move to another, more modern solution.
Then comes the fear: “If I terminate a contract with a particular BIM marketplace, will my libraries disappear? Will I lose access to my download history? Will my data go to the competition?” The primary concern faced by decision makers is the question of ownership of the files themselves (BIM libraries). Creating a good quality library is an investment of the order of tens, and sometimes even hundreds of thousands of euros.
In the SaaS models of some global BIM platforms, the regulations can be ambiguous. It often turns out that after the termination of the contract, the construction manufacturer loses the opportunity to easily export or transfer the base of its products. Files are “trapped” in the software vendor ecosystem. It's a classic Vendor Lock-in mechanism (dependence on the vendor). The manufacturer is afraid to leave, not because the service is great, but because he is afraid of losing his resources.
Ownership of analytical data
An even more sensitive issue in the process of BIM library management are analytical data (Output Data). This is information about who downloads your files, from which regions, which companies and in what quantities. This is invaluable knowledge of market trends and potential sales leads.
On shared platforms like BIM Marketplace, your data is part of a giant collection (“Big Data”). When using this type of BIM library distribution:
- Are you sure that your lead history belongs only to you?
- Do you know what will happen to your download history after you leave the platform? It usually disappears irrevocably.
- Are you assured that the platform does not aggregate your data to sell trend reports... to your competition? If the platform knows that in the category of “Windows” there is a growing demand for a specific coefficient, then this knowledge can go to all players in the market, nullifying your competitive advantage.
How you can get full ownership of your data
The digital strategies of large enterprises are increasingly dominated by the approach: “Build a house on your own land”, and BIM technology should not be an exception. When choosing a technology partner, you must have Data Ownership guarantee. In our BIM library management tool — BIMStreamer — we treat this as a foundation for collaboration, not an additional option.
Our approach is based on three pillars of security:
- Dedicated database: Each producer in the BIMStreamer system has its own separate database instance. Your BIM files, descriptions and parameters are not thrown into a “common bag” with a thousand other companies. This is your private repository.
- Full portability (Exportability): Your data is your property. At any time during the contract (or after its termination), you can export all your assets and the full analytical history. We do not hold your data hostage.
- Analytical exclusivity: The statistics you generate belong exclusively to you. We do not aggregate them to create paid reports for competitors. Nobody but you knows how your products perform on your own BIM portal created with BIMStreamer. Thanks to this, based on information about how many designers will download a given BIM library, you can make strategic decisions that will differentiate your brand from the competition.
Hosting the BIM library database on your own server (On-Premise)
For companies with the most stringent security policies (e.g. listed companies, having a strict Compliance department) we offer a solution which is unique on the market.
If you do not want your BIM data to be on the servers of a third-party provider at all, BIMStreamer can be configured to use a database hosted on your infrastructure (Self-Hosted). In this model, our system is just an “engine” processing queries, but physically every bit of information rests securely on your server, under your full control. You can read more about the functionalities of our BIM content management system on the subpage: https://www.bimstreamer.com/en/modules/backoffice-admin-panel
Choose software that will give you control of your BIM files
The decision to choose a BIM platform is not just a matter of marketing. This is a decision about the safety of your intellectual capital.
Don't let the fear of data loss block the growth of your business. Choose a solution that ensures that no matter what the future holds, your assets remain in your hands.
Build your advantage on your own terms. Book free demo of BIMstreamer and see how our system guarantees you 100% Data Ownership: https://www.bimstreamer.com/en/contact
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