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5 Ways Good Data Management Helps Small Businesses

UPDATED: 
March 22, 2022
5 Ways Good Data Management Helps Small Businesses

One of the biggest misconceptions among entrepreneurs is the assumption that data management is only for mid-sized or large businesses. While it does enjoy the benefits of economies of scale in a larger corporation, the fact of the matter is that not only can small businesses use data management, but they can also benefit from it quite a bit.

Big data is complex as it deals with a lot of information. But if you can find the means to utilize that intelligence, you would be able to make informed decisions about the direction of your business. The role of data has become more important in recent years, and proper data management can help you stand out from the competition and help your company flourish. 

It's not as hard as you think

One of the most common hurdles between business owners and the adaption of data management is the learning curve. It is true that properly utilizing data in a meaningful way requires some specialized knowledge. As a small business owner/manager, you might not have the budget to hire an expert to aid you in this endeavor. However, there are alternatives to help you get started.

One of the most popular tech trends of the past few years has been the provision of apps and services that offer easy-to-use, simplified versions of a more complicated service. In the realm of photo-editing, Canva has become a quick alternative to Photoshop, as it costs much less and offers several templates that allow the user to create stunning designs without training or experience. Similarly, there are a number of great database templates that allow you to manage your data and reap the benefits of technology without a tech degree. These templates can deal with various niches, including content marketing, education, health, HR, local business, and more. It's a great place to start for any budding entrepreneur.

Trustworthy Data Lowers Your Costs

The most simplified explanation of a successful business is the fact that its profits are higher than its running costs. While you might have to invest in a data management system, this expenditure will lower your costs in the long run. One study showed that employees end up wasting up to 50% of their time double-checking untrustworthy data and searching for important information before being able to even begin a task.

With a proper data management system in place, they would not need to waste time rooting out errors or correcting mistakes. In a worst-case scenario, employees could act on faulty information, leading to a failed project or severely diminished returns. If you offer a great data management program to your employees, you can improve productivity, ensure their time is better utilized, and prevent major mistakes. Over time, you will find that sensible data management is the key factor in preventing redundant spending on accidental work duplication or goods oversupply.

Protects your data from attacks

One unfortunate trend of the recent years is the number of cyberattacks that take place against businesses. Whether the company is small or large, it is common for some malicious actor to attempt to install ransomware on your systems to extort you for money. Data management isn't simply about learning sales trends, but also about having fail-safes in place in case of such an attack. This form of management can include having a regular system of backups, sandboxing your log-in credentials to prevent any upwards or lateral hacks, and defending against identity theft.

Because small businesses assume their data is less valuable, they tend not to take the protective measures they should. However, this makes them a bigger target for cyber extortionists. Data management can not only lower your costs, but also prevent any unnecessary losses for the company.

Better tracking of sales trends

Data management software can be used in a plethora of ways, but one of the most common and useful facets is the ability to track trends. A good business always stays ahead of the curve in regard to customer trends and makes its decisions based on the most likely outcomes.

Companies like Apple have often predicted and planned years' worth of products in advance through their data management. This allows them to create products that are most likely to sell, stay ahead of the competition, register patents, and engage with their customers in a valuable way. It is unavoidable that demands for products and services change over time, but by knowing why and how that change occurs, you can ready your company for the incoming change. The identified trends tend to consider multiple aspects, including social media trends, seasonal effects, and economic conditions. Using this information, you can predict when to offer more of a particular product, when to cease production on a specific line, and when the best time for sales or targeted ads might be. 

Improved customer relations

It is an open secret that most companies are evolving into customer-centric models in an effort to drive up sales, which is why you need to focus on customer value to grow your business. Strong data management can aid you in a number of ways here, and it would do so while keeping the costs down. The management software can ensure orders are dispatched in a timely manner, delivered to the right address, and relay information to the concerned employees without hiring another person to manage the dispatch.

Moreover, this software can store data about the customer, such as their purchase history. This means that if the customer calls about an issue, your service agent would be able to see which product they bought and engage with them more directly, instead of wasting their time asking repetitive questions. Similarly, you could send information about sales or upcoming products catered to customers' tastes and buying trends. It creates a more personal shopping experience for the customer and increases the perceived value of doing business with you.

Conclusion

It might be daunting initially, but using data management provides your business with an essential boost to its operational potential. The insights offered by this technology can help you organize important information and improve the productivity of your business. It can allow you to grow your business faster and achieve a level of operation that seemed too expensive. Small businesses should look into big data and how it might help them expand and grow. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that the data can offer you more information and tools than you need. It is your job to ensure you are using it in a way that best suits your particular business model that generates the maximum amount of success.  

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