By Dixie Somers
Data is a company’s vital resource that requires proper management. When data needed in a company cannot be retrieved in real time, the situation can turn chaotic and the company can lose time, opportunity and sustainability. That is why your company needs to be ingenious about the whole aspect of its management
The internet has been instrumental in making data accessible to employees remotely even while on travel. That online accessibility has ensured continual work flow in spite of geographical locations. Let’s explore some techniques you can employ in managing your data.
Data capture
As a technique, it is important you ensure that the original data is collected and captured correctly into the system. When a customer calls to make a correction on their address, you need to get it right and pen it down. Repeat it back to the customer just to confirm that you heard them right, and then edit the database as appropriate.
Data backup
It is a logistical nightmare for you to try to recover or reconstruct lost data. It will cost money and untold resources, not to mention business opportunities. Even if you assign one of your staff members to do reconstruction, their morale will be down due to the laborious nature of the process. Yet, it is necessary. To save yourself, backing up data either in the server or other external devices should resonate with your daily routines.
Data cleaning
Data cleaning involves editing incorrect data, deleting obsolete data and merging data as appropriate. It may use automated software or physical intervention by your administrator. You want to have data that is free of error, has integrity and optimizes the storage space.
Online customer data entry
For your company, you may opt to create a website with online forms where customers can log on and fill out their information. This direct data capture saves your company by not having to employ someone to enter the data. Your customers will also edit their data as required. You will only need to intervene where some of your customers are not tech-savvy so they cannot go to online databases.
Checking twice
Just to be sure that data has integrity you need to see to it that it is reviewed by a different person. You can use a different color on a segment of data that you have edited to highlight the focus of review. The reviewer will then check to confirm that the intended correction has actually been recorded.
Outsourcing data management consultants
These are specialists in their field. After you do all these things suggested above, it is critical to hire the services of data management consultants so they can verify that you have done it right. They may also suggest ways you can improve on your techniques and offer you support during that process.
Business intelligence and software
There are a host of business intelligence programs you can procure to help you manage your data. You may opt for the browser-based data management platforms. These will be easy to navigate with interactive dashboards where you can do self-service. They also have data analytics and reporting tools.
They will provide you with the ability to manipulate data, run ad-hoc and other customized reports. These platforms are compatible with many devices so you won’t have to worry about replacing your hardware. You simply plug and play.
They are flexible and they allow you to connect with any data in real time. With the touch-based interface, they offer you versatility during data manipulation which you can view from any device from a desktop to a mobile phone.
You need to embrace data management techniques that are suited to your specific needs. They should make it easy for you to access and manipulate your data in real time as and when you need to. Whether it is a web-based platform or hardware-based, you have to see which gives optimum results for the unique needs of your business.
Dixie Somers is an Arizona-based freelance writer. Follow her @DixieSomers.
