By Sanjay Khatnani, Managing Partner, J2 Solutions
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I like to talk about data. That’s because data has tremendous power to transform a business, yet many aren’t using their data the way they could be to inform profitable decisions. I am passionate about this topic, and even more passionate about spreading the word.
As we continue to face the ripple effects of the now two-year-old pandemic, many businesses continue to be in a state of flux as they face things like staffing shortages, supply chain issues, and ever-changing regulations. As business leaders, we all need to be on our toes, ready to pivot (yes, I said pivot—again) as needed to accommodate the challenges or jump on new opportunities. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: our ability to maintain business continuity and resilience is largely defined by how well we use data to make informed decisions.
Where are you on your data journey? Over the past year, did you tap into the power of your data to support business success? Is there more you can be doing as you head further into 2022? The start of a new year is a great time to ask questions like these, take stock, and commit to making positive changes.
Need a push in the right direction when it comes to your data? I’ve got you covered. Here are four core areas you should be thinking about:
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- Data objectives: Start by looking at your goals for the year and your accompanying data objectives. Create a well-defined plan around those objectives and commit to them for the year. Be sure to align your data plan to your overall business strategy—and as you do, keep the customer at the forefront.
- Backup and Security: By now, we’re all aware of the tremendous opportunity the pandemic created for cybercriminals to do what they do best. In what continues to be a predominantly remote workplace, securing and preserving the integrity of your data is not a nice-to-have—it’s essential, and so is backup and recovery. If you don’t have a robust data security strategy in place, what are you waiting for? And if you do, time to revisit it to ensure the protocols and practices you have in place are still relevant to the current security landscape.
- Collaboration: Is your data siloed by department, or is it organized holistically across the organization? Your data is only as good as how well it’s gathered, stored, and used. When done in a disparate fashion, you’re missing significant opportunities to improve efficiency, cut costs, and support growth.
- Platform: If you don’t have one already, consider implementing an integrated technology solution that gives users a cohesive view of the data from multiple sources, with functionality that supports easy, permission-based access. Be sure it includes analytics capabilities that inform smart business decisions across the organization.
January 28th is Data Privacy Day. There’s no better time than now to look at your data to ensure it’s secure, protected, and being used optimally to support powerful business decisions.
Let’s talk data! Share your successes, challenges, questions, or concerns below.