As Business Intelligence” (i.e., data analytics and dashboards) plays an ever-increasing role in day-to-day business, the systems for harnessing your data are increasingly accessible. Data collection is no longer the most challenging piece of the data puzzle – separating signal from noise, and communicating insights that trigger better decisions and increase focus is where the real value lies. Unless your dashboards “touch a nerve,” compelling users to adopt BI as part of their daily routine, your investment will go to waste. And according to Gartner, that goal can be elusive, with over 60% of BI initiatives failing to meet the goals of the business. 

gartnerreportsizedThe good news is that enterprise-grade BI software is becoming increasingly diverse and affordable. This recent Forbes article provides a concise rundown of the data visualization power-players. Power BI, Tableau, and Qlik are the most popular on the list (and rank highest on Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence), and we’re excited to see additional up-and-comers in the market. As a Microsoft-focused data analytics firm, we’d be remiss if we didn’t applaud the many companies increasing the availability of BI.   

BI is no longer the sole domain of enterprises. In fact, with an ever-widening field of data visualization tools on the market, we’re seeing more nimble mid-market and small companies make the biggest strides with their data. If you haven’t yet jumped on the data train or are currently using Excel, we encourage you to take a look at the latest offerings.   

Interested in real-world examples? 

Having managed businesses for decades (and having tried virtually every management tactic), we’re convinced that putting your data to work is the quickest, most affordable way to transform your business for greater efficiency, growth, and profitability. 

Watch our free webinar with Elgin Fastener Group

Take a look at our references or our watch our free Manufacturing and Supply Chain Webinar for real-world examples of the impact data can deliver.

In the webinar, we discuss with Elgin Fastener Group the process and results from optimizing data in a manufacturing environment.

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Jon Thompson

Written by Jon Thompson

Jon Thompson is co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Margin Inc. An author and speaker, Jon sheds light on how businesses can take advantage of a revolution in business intelligence to become data-driven and accelerate their success.