Often, when it comes to big data, it seems that only large companies can use it in their work. It seems that this technology is not yet applicable for ordinary business.
In fact, it can be successfully used in small businesses to optimize processes, create new products, better see the value of existing ones, understand your customer, and ultimately overtake competitors.
Many have heard of big data, but there are still those who have little understanding of what it is. I have heard some people say that this is a certain amount of data – apparently, some kind of large. Someone generally thinks that this is a blockchain.
In fact, the main criterion for big data is not volume, but the level of structure. Big data is not called data, but how it is processed.
Big data in business
Every business has a lot of different data. But they are usually not used. IDC estimates that the amount of potentially useful but unused data on company servers averages 90%.
Valuable information can be pulled from CRM and telephony (PBX). CRM systems accumulate data on sales by region, seasonality, amount and number of orders, repeat purchases. The PBX contains information about the waiting time on the line, the duration of calls, algorithms for distributing incoming calls, the number of incoming and outgoing calls, phone numbers. As for big data development, it’s rather useful for business.
But only a small part of this information is used to make management decisions. Because it is usually stored in a loosely structured form. For example, a text file where information on each call is listed, separated by commas, mixed with technical details. It is very problematic to analyze this manually, so the information just hangs like a dead weight and is not used in any way.
Moreover, most of the popular CRMs are integrated with telephony. By applying big data to information from both systems, you get convenient reports about your customers. The analysis by etl consulting can be carried out taking into account all available information, and not one or two parameters. This is the main advantage of the big data analysis methodology for small businesses.
What does Big Data Give
1. When is the best time to inform about new products? Definitely not when you contact technical support. Indeed, in this situation, the client has a problem – he is dissatisfied, he has no time for new products. However, the analysis shows that customers who often call technical support are not the most dissatisfied, but the most active. They make the most repeat purchases.
2. How does the number of items in the voice menu affect sales? Usually the answer to this question is sought by polling. If 80% of the respondents answered that they want more items on the menu, and 20% – which is less, then the number of items will be increased. Applying the methods of big data analysis, we get an explicit link to the size of the settlement: in large cities, clients want to get the necessary information from the voice menu, in small cities – to immediately hear a living person. We make two different menus, set up automatic forwarding – and everyone is happy.
3. How to improve the quality of technical support? Usually it is evaluated according to the ticket system: we solve problems on time – everything is in order, we are late – we need to push. To speed up the work, they hire additional employees, conduct trainings for existing ones, and introduce several levels of support.
To sum up
Of course, similar conclusions can be reached without using big data analysis techniques. But these will be more likely good assumptions than management decisions based on specific facts and figures.
Obviously, sooner or later, businesses will start to actively use big data. By starting to do this right now, you can gain a significant competitive advantage.