Every organisation has data problems. Some are ghosts from the past, others are modern-day spectres. Some problems are scarier than others, but a few data quality issues are real monsters which can spiral out of control in today’s fast-paced digital world.
Most businesses are well-aware that they have data demons, but what they often don’t know is the true extent, how deep-routed these problems are and the impact of leaving them to fester.
More often than not, they’re too scared to find out, after all, if it’s not causing a problem now, is it really a problem?
Don’t be scared of your data
Poor data quality is highly damaging to businesses in both the short and long-term. Decaying and outdated data can lead to misinformed decisions, damaged customer relationships and a lack of resource and direction for marketing and sales teams.
Tackling poor data quality is not for the faint-hearted, it is something that requires a strategy and time. It can’t be fixed overnight.
However, the longer you leave to fix your data, the more you can expect a ‘trick’ rather than a ‘treat’.
Think of data like your teeth (fangs?), it is an integral component to something much bigger but can often get overlooked and neglected through poor maintenance.
Like routine dentist appointments, checking the health of your data regularly is more effective both operationally and financially than waiting years until you require a deep clean, or even worse – the digital version of a root canal!
The key takeaway here is to tackle your data problems sooner rather than later. The longer you wait, the worse they will be.
How to clean your data
When businesses have data quality problems, data cleansing is required to bring the data back to ‘normal’.
Data cleansing can be done manually, however, it takes time, it’s tedious and can lead to more problems due to human error.
However, tools such as DQ for Dynamics work right inside Dynamics 365 and automate the process.
Using its powerful fuzzy searching logic, P&M can review duplicate records and then enrich, validate, format, and suppress data, leaving you with a single, high-quality Golden Record or Single Customer View.
The benefits of using a tool such as Perfect & Merge to automate the process are countless. On average, our customers have saved £X in man-hours.
Keeping data maintained
Once you have given your data the ‘big clean’, it is vital that you keep your data maintained to avoid the need to clean so thoroughly again.
Fortunately, DQ Studio can do just that. With the ability to integrate, migrate and replicate data through business rules, process automation and machine learning, DQ Studio is the ultimate tool for keeping your data properly maintained.
Of course, staff should be keeping data maintained as a habit. However, research by Experian shows that 58% of data inaccuracy issues come from human error.
This leaves no question as to why and how data quality can diminish so fast.
DQ Global – The Data Quality Experts
The message I wanted to convey in this blog is “don’t be scared of your data” and do not bury your head in the sand when it comes to data quality problems. It will come back to haunt you!
For over 25 years, DQ Global has been a driving force behind data quality and making data fit for business. With an array of industry-leading data improvement and management products, we have helped countless businesses eradicate poor quality data and achieve a Single Customer View.
Now in possession of great quality data, our customers make efficient business decisions, have streamlined their marketing operations, and have an advantage over their competitors.
Contact our team today and discover how we can help make your data fit for business.
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