Technology’s Dirtiest Four-Letter word: DATA

Q: Why did the data go to the doctor?
A: Because it had a bad case of accuracy!

I first heard that joke in 2001 while working with a client setting up an ERP system. This was a major transformational project and the customer’s ‘data’ was at the heart of this project. Silo’d, scattered and for all intents and purposes, DIRTY.

That was over 20 years ago, and we’re still having the same conversation today.  What’s stopping organizations from cleaning up their data?

What is “Dirty Data”?

Dirty data, also known as bad data refers to data that is inaccurate, incomplete, inconsistent or duplicative. It can also include data that is in the wrong format or contains errors or outliers. In a technical context, dirty data can cause problems with data processing and analysis, leading to incorrect or unreliable results.

Every company has data issues to varying degrees. Data management is a complex process that requires ongoing maintenance and attention. Poor data quality, data silos, lack of data governance, and inadequate data infrastructure are common challenges.

Data issues may be exacerbated by a lack of training or resources allocated to data management. However, companies can take steps to address these issues by implementing data governance policies, investing in data management technology and tools, and providing training to employees on data management best practices.

Disparate Data Leads to Silos

It’s common for enterprise data to be spread across multiple systems and databases in a variety of formats, making it difficult to access and analyze. This can happen because of mergers and acquisitions, different departments using different systems, or lack of a centralized data management strategy.

Disparate data leads to data silos, inconsistencies, and duplication, making it difficult to get a complete and accurate view of the organization’s data. To address this issue, companies often implement data integration and data warehousing solutions to bring data together from different sources and make it more accessible and useful for analysis.

Over time, technology has made organizations more efficient, effective, and profitable. But the data that feeds these transformational technologies seems to be lagging.

Clean Data Drives Business Outcomes

Cleaning up data gives you a better understanding of your business, identify opportunities for growth, and make data-driven decisions to drive success.

1. Improved decision-making: Clean data allows for more accurate analysis, which leads to better-informed decisions.
2. Increased efficiency: By eliminating duplicate or irrelevant data, you can streamline operations and save time and resources.
3. Enhanced customer insights: With a more complete view of customer behavior and preferences, you can tailor products and services more effectively.
4. Better compliance: Meet regulatory requirements and avoid costly penalties for noncompliance.
5. Better data-driven strategies: Gain a competitive advantage by using data-driven strategies to improve customer engagement and increase revenue.
6. Cost savings: Avoid costs associated with data inaccuracies, such as rework, wasted resources, and lost revenue.

This is more important than ever with recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Using AI, companies can analyze data at scale and supersize data-driven business outcomes.

Neuron7 Uses Data to Build Resolution Intelligence

At Neuron7, we use AI to analyze disparate customer service data—such as product manuals, past cases, knowledge base articles, and more—to create a “resolution system of record” that helps your customer & field service teams resolve issues in seconds.

Neuron7’s AI-powered resolution intelligence is a game changer for service organizations, with the best path to resolve any issue at your fingertips. But most of our customers do not start the AI journey with clean data. We recognize this and incorporate “AI Data Readiness” into every engagement at Neuron7. We want to make you successful, and advising on how to prepare your data for AI is part of our process.

So, the next time you hear the word ‘data.’ Don’t run the other direction…face this antiquated issue and clean up the mess. Neuron7 is here to help. Get in touch!

‍