Assuming That Your Current BI Solution (Or Lack Of) Is Working
The needs of your business will change over time. Are your BI tools changing with you?
Previously, we learned how a one-size-fits-all solution would cause you more harm than good in your business.
Business intelligence is not a “set it and forget it” type of investment. Just because you’ve got a solution in place doesn’t mean that it meets your users’ needs or your business. Think about how much your business has changed over the last five years. Now, think about how your BI solutions or BI tool has changed in that same time frame. If the answer is “not at all,” it’s likely that your teams are struggling with their data. You are not using the best business intelligence solution for your company.
On the other hand, it is also a mistake to buy for the future, when you cannot predict what those needs will be. Unless you have a crystal ball, you can’t assume that your organization will grow into a tool the way you expect it to. The best approach is to choose an affordable solution that fits your current needs but allows for growth and modification over time.
If you haven’t spoken with your managers about the usefulness and accuracy of their data, you can’t know how well your current solution is working. Are your teams experiencing information backlogs?
Do managers have the information they need to make decisions? Is the tool far too complicated for the average user? The needs of your business will change over time.
There are times that your actionable insights might change, and it might require a better BI platform to do the best-advanced analytics for your needs.
Even if your BI solution worked well after implementation, it’s important to revisit the subject every so often to ensure that things are still running smoothly. That is how you should see the BI software you are using or any business intelligence tool for that matter.
Is Your BI Solution Driving Profits or Eating at the Bottom Line?
In the face of ever-changing economic realities, leadership can’t successfully pilot an organization without a full and robust understanding of BI needs. Managers and employees at all levels must have access to the big data and data and Business Intelligence tools they need to make the best decisions possible day in and day out.
When evaluating your current BI solution, it is critical to pause and gather as much information as possible from users, department heads, and other key stakeholders so that a decision can be reached that will meet the organization’s needs and goals to complete the supply chain.
Leaders must know who their users are, what types of data they need access to, how they should access it, and how to keep that information flowing freely. That way, their BI strategy will work in their favor with any business user.
When you put the organization’s needs ahead of “data for data’s sake,” you can drive real and lasting improvements in business performance.
If you are unhappy with your current BI solution, BI application, or your BI system for that matter, and you’re looking for flexibility, affordability, and agility, the last chapter will provide you with next steps (and a potential solution).
