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Data Analytics in Manufacturing: Benefits and Use Cases

Posted on by Vitalii Makhov

Manufacturing businesses traditionally drive their production processes using machinery and physical assets. However, data has now become a valuable asset for organizations across industries. In particular, manufacturing firms have started leveraging data to gain a competitive edge.

Data analytics in manufacturing is becoming more and more popular nowadays. Using the power of data, businesses facilitate cost reduction and customer satisfaction improvement. Analyzing vast amounts of data, manufacturing companies can gain insights into their processes. Thus, they can simplify the process of identifying inefficiencies and increasing performance. 

In this article, we will focus on manufacturing analytics’ benefits and use cases. Discover ways to make data-driven decisions and optimize your operations with us. 

What manufacturing industry challenges can data analytics help to solve?

The importance of technologies such as AI, data analytics, and big data in manufacturing is enormous. It is because businesses in this industry face problems such as:

  • supply chain disruptions
  • quality control issues
  • changing customer preferences
  • regulatory compliance
  • cost management
  • fraud
  • expensive downtime
  • customer churn 

However, data analytics can help solve the issues listed above. This is because it provides insights for better decision-making and more efficient processes. Hence, manufacturing businesses can better plan their budget, improve their decision-making, and optimize efficiency. As a result, many organizations are now opting to utilize off-the-shelf software. Others hire Scala developers to integrate data analytics with their custom solutions.

Benefits of data analytics in manufacturing

Data analytics helps manufacturing businesses achieve more through smarter resource and asset management. Let’s review the key benefits of data analytics in manufacturing in more detail.

Cost optimization

Using data, businesses can eradicate insufficiencies and save money. One of the manufacturing analytics examples includes identifying inefficient equipment. Companies can then schedule repairs before a breakdown occurs. 

Thus, data analytics allows for avoiding costly downtime and machinery repairs or replacement. Moreover, analyzing data allows for finding areas of waste. As a result, businesses can optimize their use of resources, thus saving costs.

Better decision-making

Being well-informed is one of the main principles of the decision-making process. Analyzing  generated production data makes it easier for companies to identify improvement opportunities.

For instance, data analytics helps determine the most profitable products or production lines. After that, a company can allocate resources in a more productive way.

Increased efficiency

Areas of waste, bottlenecks, and other resource allocation issues often impact productivity. By using data analytics to identify the problem, companies can streamline the production process.

Another way to increase efficiency is to optimize equipment utilization. For example, data analytics can help monitor and replenish inventory levels to avoid overstocking.

Customer satisfaction

Customer data is yet another asset for a manufacturing company. Analyzing this data helps businesses gain insights into their clients’ preferences and behaviors. So, an organization can better meet consumers’ needs with improved products or services. As a consequence, customer loyalty grows, as well as the possibility of upselling. 

In addition, data analytics can assist in user experience monitoring and optimization. By tracking feedback, it can identify areas to improve the UX. Thus, companies may strengthen their brand reputation and retain more customers.

Manufacturing analytics use cases

The manufacturing industry can benefit from data analytics in many ways. Some prominent use cases are predicting maintenance needs and forecasting demand. Leveraging data analytics tools enables businesses to gain insights, optimize operations, and improve their bottom line.
Now let us look at manufacturing analytics use cases:

Predictive (preventive) maintenance

Imagine being able to predict when your equipment will crash or require maintenance. Sounds convenient, right? Well, predictive maintenance makes this dream a reality.

By analyzing sensor data and historical records, businesses can identify potential failure patterns.  Predictive analytics for manufacturing can help enterprises avoid costly downtime and reduce maintenance costs. 

Another way to prevent a breakdown is to find the best schedule for proper equipment upkeep. This approach involves the analysis of historical maintenance data. Thus, companies will minimize the chance of unexpected malfunctions. This can lead to machine uptime increase, productivity improvement, and budget optimization.

Demand forecasting

Data analytics in manufacturing helps predict future product or service demand. For this purpose, engineers analyze sales data, economic indicators, and other relevant factors.

Demand forecasting allows businesses to estimate how much of a product or service a firm will need to provide. Thus, companies can enhance their inventory management and streamline production schedules. As a result, they can reduce the risk of stockouts or overstocking.

Supply chain optimization

Now what about using data to improve the efficiency of the supply chain? Manufacturing analytics can benefit suppliers, transportation providers, and other supply chain partners. It allows businesses to identify cost reduction, process streamlining, and collaboration improvement opportunities. 

An example would be when a company defines the optimal order quantity. Another instance is when it reduces lead times or improves inventory management. By analyzing transportation logs and shipment data, companies can identify route planning inefficiencies.

Having optimized supply chains with data analytics, manufacturing businesses can:

  • increase their agility 
  • improve responsiveness to customer demand
  • optimize routes
  • minimize transit times
  • reduce fuel consumption
  • improve overall delivery efficiency

Quality control

Quality control involves using manufacturing industry data analysis to improve the product. First, manufacturers receive data from sensors and inspections. After that, the ensuing examination allows them to detect and address quality issues. Thus, clients do not get defective products, resulting in higher customer satisfaction. 

Data analytics in manufacturing also helps to identify patterns that indicate potential issues. Businesses can then take action to mitigate any problems that may arise. This proactive approach allows manufacturers to address issues before they become significant challenges. In such a way, manufacturing businesses can reduce rework costs, improve customer satisfaction, and maintain brand reputation.

Price optimization

It takes much work for businesses to establish an ideal price price for their products or services. On the one hand, they strive to make the most income possible. On the other hand, customers have to feel that they pay a reasonable amount of money for what they receive.

Manufacturing data analytics facilitates the optimal price point determination for products or services. It consists of the analysis of market trends and customer behavior. This allows organizations to charge the amount that maximizes profitability while remaining competitive.

Product development

Another application of data analytics in manufacturing lies in product development and design. Manufacturing businesses can examine data on customer preferences, market trends, and product performance. Consequently, they can make informed decisions about product design and features improvement. 

Organizations can identify opportunities for new product development using data analytics. Moreover, it enables businesses to prioritize their efforts based on demand and profitability potential. This way, they can create products that better meet customer needs and preferences. Moreover, it allows for the reduction of development costs and time to market.

FAQs

Why is data important in manufacturing?

Data holds significant importance in the manufacturing industry. Through advanced analytics techniques, manufacturers can uncover hidden patterns, trends, and correlations within their data. Data analytics enables them to optimize processes and streamline operations. Thus, companies can gain a competitive edge.

What are the benefits of analytics in manufacturing?

The benefits of analytics in manufacturing include cost optimization, better decision-making, increased efficiency, reliable quality control, and improved customer experience.

How is big data analytics used in manufacturing?

Manufacturers use big data analytics to gain insights. For that, companies analyze complex data sets from various sources. Next, a team of engineers can turn raw data into actionable insights. Then, organizations can make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement and success.

Conclusion

To sum up, data analytics holds great significance in transforming the manufacturing industry. Firms can leverage this technology to make profoundly important decisions and overcome any potential challenges.

Using data science in manufacturing, an organization can implement predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, supply chain optimization, quality control, and price optimization. As a result, manufacturers can bring their business activities to the next level.

How Flexible Work Schedules Will Benefit Your Marketing Team

Posted on by Eleanor Hecks

Are you considering a more flexible work schedule for your marketing team, but unsure whether the benefits outweigh the work of making scheduling changes? While there are always drawbacks with any major change, giving your staff a flexible work schedule and allowing them to choose where they complete their tasks can benefit your team in multiple ways. 

How Does a Flexible Work Schedule Benefit Your Business?

Although there are many benefits to employees, businesses also score with a hybrid or fully remote model. Researchers at Stanford and Harvard estimated companies save around $11,000 per year on space alone when going to a hybrid schedule. They don’t need as much office space when all employees aren’t in the office at the same time. 

Finding the happy medium between flexible work and productivity isn’t always easy. No one wants to feel as though their employer is looking over their shoulder with a tracking app or something that captures screenshots. The proof is typically in the level of work they provide and the finished product. 

Tap Into Technology

Advances in technology allow companies to tap into powerful apps meant to help organize schedules and get remote teams on the same page. Run multiple functions from a single program, such as accounting, customer relationship management, scheduling and task completion. 

Artificial intelligence expands each year, making it easier to farm out repetitive tasks or reach out to customers and employees automatically. Cloud-based systems put the power of the entire database at everyone’s fingertips. Remote work has become almost like being in a physical office. 

What are some of the top benefits to your marketing team and your business when you switch to a more flexible schedule or remote and hybrid work options?

1. Attract Top Job Candidates

The marketing industry is sometimes highly competitive. If you want to attract the most qualified workers, you need to offer the things they want in a job. For example, if someone only wants to work from home, then a remote option is desirable. 

Even a hybrid situation where they go into the office a couple of days and stay home the other days might be better than their current work environment. You can compete with some of the larger corporations by offering work schedule options.

Some people have children, want to go to school or have other interests. Letting them choose to work 10 hours a day and take the fifth day off might be another way to offer a more flexible work environment. Alternatively, you could allow people to choose their off days. Some might decide to work through the weekend when they have childcare and take a few weekdays off. 

2. Increase Employee Engagement

The CEO of an estate planning services company chose to move to a four-day workweek. Perpetual Guardian saw 20% growth in employee engagement when they made the changes. 

It might seem surprising that employees working at different times or locations would be more engaged rather than less engaged. However, they often have better focus when working during their alert hours and without the stress and worry a nine to five job can bring.

They’ll also be more inclined to join in on virtual meetings and stay updated on employee news through the company communication channels. Flexible employees don’t want to be left out. They just want the ability to move things around so it better suits their lives. 

3. Improve Productivity

Offering flexible work schedules can also improve productivity. It’s no secret that some folks are early birds and others are night owls. Those who stay up late have a hard time adjusting to early morning tasks. Their brains don’t kick into gear. By the same token, early risers may not like starting their day as late as nine in the morning.

When you let workers choose start and stop times, you also give them the ability to work when they have the greatest focus and mental clarity. 

Add remote options into the mix and you remove distractions common at a typical office. Instead of stopping in the middle of tasks multiple times a day as co-workers stop to ask questions or chat, employees will be in the quiet space of their home office with few interruptions. 

Some workers may even decide to work a split day, where they start in the early morning, break while the family has their busy time and return to work in the evening when all is quiet again. Parents with kids in school may find it easier to start a bit later and wrap up while everyone is out for the day. Flexibility lets your workers choose how they function best, and because of that, productivity will naturally rise. 

4. Balance Work/Life

You’ve likely heard the buzz in recent years about the importance of a work/life balance. People don’t want to be so career driven that they miss out on time with family and friends. By the same token, they don’t want to be so focused on their personal lives that their work suffers.

Offering some flexibility takes off the pressure of trying to juggle it all and reduces stress. Happier workers are going to be more creative and less likely to burn out. 

For example, John’s brother is getting married on Saturday and he wants to go to the rehearsal Friday. He can shift his work and finish a day early without missing any pay. The extra day off gives him the time to enjoy his family event and not stress about finishing projects that day.

Talk to your workers about what type of flexibility would be most beneficial to them at this point in their lives. A flexible schedule for one staff member might look completely different than the ideal schedule for another. 

5. Retain Top Employees

What is the magic ingredient that allows you to retain top employees while every business around you loses them en masse? More workers want remote options. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of remote jobs hovered around 4%. The virus caused an uptick in the number of people working from home and increased the timing of how fast remote jobs grew.

Currently, the number of remote positions is around 25%, but experts think it will continue to grow in industries where work doesn’t have to be done in person. Factories and food services, for example, aren’t likely to go remote. 

Chat with your current employees about their expectations for going remote. If someone is thinking about leaving because they’re tired of coming into the office, you can easily offer more flexibility and hopefully keep a valued worker instead of losing them to the competition. 

6. Develop Talent

When your workers can put in 40 hours or even work 30-hour weeks rather than the typical 40 hours, you open up the opportunity for them to take courses and expand their education. You may attract top graduates who want to go on for their master’s or doctoral degrees. 

Put learning as a high priority. If anyone on your team wants to learn new skills or go back to school, find a way to work with their schedule. You’ll reduce stress, and the entire team will benefit from bringing new skills into the company. 

7. Show You Value Them

In a recent poll about why people leave their positions, around 57% of workers said it was because they didn’t feel valued at their current jobs or felt disrespected. Approximately 45% pointed to lack of flexibility. The combination of trying to juggle work with their lives and feeling unappreciated was the perfect storm that led many to resign from their positions.

When you offer a flexible work schedule, you show your employees that you care about them as individuals. It matters to you that they have to figure out when to drop the kids off at daycare or pick the dog up from the groomer. You understand their schedules sometimes change on a dime and it’s okay if they need to shift their hours a bit here and there. 

8. Decrease Absenteeism

Every employee has days when they don’t feel their best. Perhaps they feel a cold coming on or just stayed up too late the night before. Whatever the reason, when people have flex time,they can take a few hours or a full day off and not worry about losing their jobs.

Offering a flexible work schedule may decrease absenteeism because employees know they can just complete the work the next day or even that evening when they’re feeling better. You can also reduce office illness when you don’t force people to come in even when they’re under the weather. There’s no sense in spreading all those germs around and every employee growing ill and unable to do their daily tasks. 

Will a Flexible Work Schedule Benefit Your Company?

Not every marketing team benefits from a flexible work schedule. Many find the freedom to work from home and swap around days and times benefits everyone on the team. Unfortunately, a few employees not pulling their weight can ruin the perk for everyone. Set some firm policies for how your flexibility works and let your team members chime in if something isn’t playing out the way they’d like.

A flexible work schedule is something every company should try. You never know just how much it might increase your team’s productivity and employee morale.

Top Software Features to Manage Your Small Business

Posted on by John Fay

It’s no secret our post-COVID economy is troubled, and this growing uncertainty in the marketplace may feel like huge dark waves threatening to overtake the ship of your small business. Fortunately, there is a light in the dark: a rich array of business management software platforms designed to help you organize every facet of your small business, filled with advanced productivity features designed to herd the many cats that make up your business. But which software to pick?

Any business management software has a dizzying host of capabilities such as finance management, scheduling tools, remote work solutions, and a sweep of data analytics to assist your daily decision-making process. However, only the best business software can synergize and optimize its features into something you and your employees can work with day in and day out. We’ll take a quick glance at some of these features to explain why your business needs them. 

Small Business Management Software Features To Look For

Money, Money, Money

Business revenue, expenses, and cash flow need continuous oversight, and you need software tools that have your back in those areas. To date, the majority of small businesses still trust their accounting to Intuit’s QuickBooks accounting software. It’s no secret that QuickBooks enjoys the lion’s share of the accounting software market among small businesses across all industries. As a result of that dominance, the evolution of Intuit’s software development has become “one size fits most,” which means you must adjust your accounting processes—and reporting requirements—to fit their framework, regardless of your own business’ growth requirements.

Now, a thought about cash flow. No matter the size of your business, or which accounting software you employ, EVERY business will benefit from a speedier collection of its receivables. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!) One of the best tools out there is a customer payment portal. Think of this as an immediate, 24/7 window into your system that’s available anywhere, on any device. This level of accessibility makes it more timely for customers to receive, approve, and pay invoices.

Custom(er) Relationship Management

Customers are the lifeblood of any business, and you naturally want to keep the client-facing side of your business organized and professional. Customer Relationship Management software is more than just a spreadsheet database of your customers. Today’s CRM is the cornerstone of integrated business management software that allows you to make more informed decisions throughout the entire lead generation, sales, and customer retention pipeline.

Look for services that help streamline quoting and billing to better facilitate the customer’s and/or vendor’s experience with your company. By connecting sales and accounting data, you’ll streamline your back-end processes and get all team members on the same page. Utilize sales marketing tools like automated email workflows to create opportunities and increase your response rate.

A Better Customer Experience

I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to have low expectations of today’s customer service experience. So many large businesses have outsourced their customer service overseas. Credit cards, telecomm, broadband providers—it’s a big list. I have learned to expect long wait times, sub-par language skills, and infuriating dropped calls. Lackluster customer service has become the “new normal.”

It’s said there are only two things that employees may be struggling with: (#1) change, and (#2) the way things are. So, once you’ve resolved that your business will benefit from business management software, please exercise your due diligence with respect to the total cost of the solution. Perhaps you’ll find (as I did) that many ERP software vendors charge an additional fee for implementation. Many have a separate fee structure for subsequent support. Some, like NetSuite, Microsoft, and Salesforce, have outsourced implementation and support to independent, 3rd-party implementation specialists. Do you see a pattern here?

All Together, Now

Finally, and most importantly, you’ll want to look for integrated business management software that combines all of your business operations requirements into a single, easy-to-manage platform. Using outdated, unconnected, or limited software inhibits your growth, decision-making ability, and workforce productivity. If you’re looking for a remarkably useful list of signs that your business needs integrated business management software, look no further than checking out this comprehensive breakdown.

Whatever your industry, business elements such as Accounting, CRM, HR, Operations, Task Management, Reporting, Inventory, Supply Chain Management, and Remote Work Productivity—every aspect of your business—are vital and require equal oversight. Ideally, look for software that balances a universe of features and digital options with something that helps you cater to the specifics of what your business needs. 

Continue to shape your precise vision of how you want your business to operate, while at the same time making it easy for yourself and your employees. 

How To Use Fulfillment Centers When Scaling Up Your Growing Ecommerce Business

Posted on by Jenny Han

You handled everything from home when you first launched your eCommerce business, starting it all independently. But eventually, you’ll need to scale up because your company will outgrow your house. Utilizing fulfillment centers is a positive action you can take. Here is a guide on what they are and how to take advantage of them.

What Are Fulfillment Centers?

What is a fulfilment center? They are a warehouse or storefront that stores and ships out stock to customers. They allow stores to have their stock stored and handled elsewhere, rather than the owners handling them all themselves.

Is that not the same thing as a warehouse? You may use the terms interchangeably, but they are very different. 

“A warehouse is set up simply to house inventory,” says Simon Turner, an eCommerce writer from Paper Fellows and UK Writings. “It may not be holding stock to be sent directly to customers, but to be sent to other retailers too.”

The fulfilment center, on the other hand, is set up to move inventory directly to the customer. Unlike a warehouse, the longer the stock sits on the shelf in a fulfilment center, the more money is lost. As such, they aim to move stock as quickly as they can. 

There’s also a distinction to be made from distribution centers. A distribution center aims to move stock quickly as well, but they send stock to other retailers and businesses rather than customers directly.

Types Of Fulfillment Centers

There are actually different types of fulfilment centers, so you can find one that suits you best. These include:

  • Warehouse fulfilment centers: These centers are run out of warehouses, so your stock is held there rather than in your home or garage.
  • 3PL fulfilment center: These centers have all fulfilment of orders handled by a third party, rather than you. 
  • Order fulfilment center: This refers to any place where fulfilment happens, run by anyone and of any size.

Why Use A Fulfillment Center?

Now that you know the basics, you need to know why using a fulfilment center is the next step in scaling up your business. Here’s why you’ll want to consider them:

You don’t need to own a warehouse: If you’re going to move your business out of your home, you’d think the next step would be to get a warehouse. However, it costs money to rent, pay staff, insurance, etc. Instead, you can use a fulfilment center, as you’ll have much lower overhead costs to deal with. 

Automate the process: Improving the processes of your business is important, as you want to be faster and more efficient. This is where using a fulfillment center becomes important. You can use them to automate a large part of the order process, such as the ‘pick and pack’ process and stock updates. 

Implement fast shipping: Picking the right fulfilment centers is key to getting the most out of them. “Having selection centers across the US can benefit your business” says Fiona Layman, a business blogger from Write My Paper and OXEssays. “As such, you can get goods to your customers much more quickly.”

No need for training: If you were to set up your own warehouse, you’d have to hire and train staff. That’s going to take up a lot of time and energy, not to mention money, and that’s something you may not want to deal with. Instead, you can let the fulfilment center handle all of this for you. 

Faster processing: When it’s just you processing orders, it’s always going to be slower than outsourcing the work. You have to handle everything, and picking and packing orders is time consuming. Having a fulfilment center makes the process much faster, as staff will be there handling all of that for you. 

There are lots of reasons why you’ll want to look into fulfilment centers for your eCommerce business. Having access to these centers frees you up, and enables you to offer a faster and more efficient shipping service. 

7 Benefits of Using a Transport Management System

Posted on by Alex Chapman

Like most business owners, you’re always looking for ways to make your operations more efficient. One way to do that is using a transport management system (TMS). This software can help you streamline your transportation processes. This makes it easier and faster to get goods from your facilities to their destination. To help you understand the importance of a TMS, we’ve joined forces with TransVirtual to discuss the seven benefits of integrating a transport management system into your business.

Below are the seven benefits of using a transport management system.

Automate Routing

One of the significant advantages of having a transport management system is the ability to automate routing. This can save your drivers and dispatchers a lot of time when it comes to planning their trips, as it will automatically generate routes for them. You must input the relevant information into the system, such as the starting point, destination, and any stops along the way. The TMS will then use this information to calculate the most efficient route for your driver to take. This can be a huge timesaver, particularly if you have a large fleet or if your drivers are constantly on the move.

Improve Tracking

A transport management system can help you keep track of your vehicles and drivers in real-time. It allows you to monitor their whereabouts and get detailed insights into their routes. This can be useful for a number of reasons. These include ensuring that vehicles are being used efficiently, investigating any delays or accidents, and tracking driver performance. In addition, by using this system, you can improve the efficiency of your operation and ensure that you are meeting all of your legal obligations.

Enhance Communication

This system can help to facilitate communication between you and your drivers. This can be particularly useful if you have a large fleet and need to keep track of their whereabouts. With this, you can send out messages to keep them updated on their routes and provide them with text alerts when they’ve reached specific locations. This can help to ensure that your drivers are always aware of changes in the schedule and can plan accordingly. In addition, a TMS can also help to reduce the chances of miscommunication between you and your drivers.

Optimize Scheduling

Automating your routine processes is essential for keeping your business running smoothly. But what about scheduling? This system can also help you optimize scheduling, ensuring that your deliveries and pickups are always on time. With this system, you can schedule deliveries and pickups in advance, so you never have to worry about being late. In addition, the system can help you keep track of your fleet’s whereabouts so you always know where your assets are. As a result, a transport management system can save you both time and money.

Reduce Costs

Any business owner knows that reducing costs is essential to remaining profitable. There are a variety of ways to cut costs, but one often overlooked method is through optimised transport management. Businesses can use this system to minimise fuel expenses, labour costs, and other operational costs. The transport management system creates efficient routes and schedules that make the best use of resources. As a result, businesses can save money and improve their bottom line.

Improve Customer Service

Regarding customer service, one of the most essential factors is timely delivery. If you can’t get your product to your customers when they need it, they’ll likely go elsewhere. That’s where a transport management system comes in. By having a system in place to track and manage your deliveries, you can be sure that your products will reach their destinations on time and in the condition they were sent. This not only benefits your customers but also helps to build trust and loyalty. In today’s competitive marketplace, that’s more important than ever.

Enhance Security

As your business grows, so does the need for security. It can help to enhance safety by providing features such as remote access control systems and GPS tracking. With these tools, you can keep an eye on your business from anywhere in the world. You can also track your employees’ comings and goings, ensuring everyone is where they’re supposed to be. In addition, a TMS can help to deter crime by making it more difficult for thieves to break into your business. Finally, it can help give you peace of mind and protect your business by enhancing security.

Conclusion

A transport management system is a powerful tool that can improve your business in various ways. It can help to reduce costs, enhance communication between you and your drivers, optimize scheduling, improve customer service, and enhance security. By investing in the right TMS, you’ll be able to maximize efficiency while meeting all of your business needs. In addition, with a transport management system in place, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that your business is running smoothly and securely.

What is Data Scrubbing and Why Small Businesses Need It

Posted on by Emily Rollwitz

As a small business owner, you no doubt have a lot on your plate. You’re responsible for keeping your customers happy, creating a top-notch product, ensuring your employees are productive, developing marketing campaigns – the list goes on! With all of these balls in the air, it’s easy to let some things slip through the cracks – like data scrubbing.

In layman’s terms, data scrubbing is the process of cleaning up your data. If this is something that you’re not already doing, don’t fret. We’re here to tell you why data scrubbing is essential for small businesses and how you can get started.

What Is Data Scrubbing?

Essentially, data scrubbing is a process that involves identifying and correcting inaccuracies in data. This can include anything from misspellings to outdated information.

For example, suppose you’re a small company selling business continuity planning software. You have a list of potential customers you’ve been working with for months. However, when you go to contact them, you realize that many of the phone numbers and email addresses are no longer valid. 

This is where data scrubbing comes in. By scrubbing your data, you can ensure that the information you have is accurate and up-to-date.

Issues That Can be Fixed With Data Scrubbing

Now that you have a better understanding of data scrubbing, let’s take a look at some common issues that can be fixed with data scrubbing.

Outdated Information

Over time, things change – people move, change jobs, and so on. As a result, it’s important to regularly scrub your data to ensure that the information you have is still accurate. 

Suppose your company offers automated localization testing software and is targeting potential customers in Europe. But, similar to the above example, you realize that their contact data is out of date. 

Data scrubbing ensures that you’re not wasting time trying to reach people who are no longer at the same company or even in the same country. And in business, time is money.

Misspellings and Typos

We’re all human, and as such, we’re prone to making mistakes. However, when it comes to data, even a small mistake can have big consequences. This is why data scrubbing is so important. Here, data scrubbing helps to ensure that all of the information is accurate.

Incorrect Data

In addition to misspellings and typos, sometimes data can just be wrong. This can happen for various reasons, but data scrubbing can be the solution. By scrubbing your data, you can ensure that the data you store is correct.

Duplicate Data

It’s easy for businesses to accidentally create duplicate data sets for the same customer. But this can be confusing for your teams when trying to contact customers. Data scrubbing can help ensure that you have a single entry for each customer. 

Why Is Data Scrubbing Important For Small Businesses?

Data scrubbing is important for small businesses because it helps to improve data quality. Inaccurate data can lead to a number of problems, such as:

  • Wasted marketing efforts: If you’re using outdated data, you could be wasting your time and money on marketing efforts that will never reach their intended target.
  • Frustration for customers: If you’re trying to contact a customer and your emails continue to bounce back because of an invalid email address, your customer is likely to get frustrated. The same goes for trying to contact a customer by phone only to find out the number is no longer in service. Data scrubbing can help you avoid these frustrating customer experiences.
  • Missed opportunities: If you’re not keeping your data clean, you could be missing out on opportunities to reach new customers or nurture relationships with existing ones.

Small Business Data Scrubbing Tips

Incorporate Data Management Software

There are a number of data cleansing and data management software options on the market that can help you clean and manage your data quickly and easily. This can be a great option if you don’t have the time or resources to do data cleansing yourself.

Utilize Data Enrichment Tools

In addition to data cleansing software, there are also data enrichment tools that can help you improve the quality of your data. These data enrichment tools can help you add missing data such as social media profiles or contact information.

Regularly Audit Data

It’s important to regularly audit your data to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date. You should also update your data regularly, such as when you obtain new customer information or make changes to your product offerings. 

For example, let’s say you own a cloud applications architecture company and you introduce a new product to your lineup. You’ll want to audit and inspect your customer data platforms to make sure the data is still accurate before you start marketing the new product.

Report and Fix Errors

If you find errors in your data, be sure to report and fix them as soon as possible. Ignoring data errors can lead to bigger problems down the road.

Have A Plan

Data scrubbing can be a big project, so it’s important to have a plan in place before you start. This plan should include what data you need to scrub, how you’re going to do it, and who will be responsible for each task. Having a plan will help you stay organized and on track throughout the data scrubbing process.

Ensure Your Data Is Clean and Accurate

It’s no secret that data is becoming increasingly important in today’s business world. In fact, it’s often said that data is the new currency. 

As such, it’s more important than ever for small businesses to make sure their data is accurate and up-to-date. After all, data is useless if it’s not correct. That’s why data scrubbing is a great way to ensure that your data is clean so you can contact your customers as and when needed. 

In addition, small business management software can make the data scrubbing process more efficient. These software programs can help small businesses by automating many of the tasks associated with data scrubbing, such as identifying errors in data sets, correcting errors in data sets and updating outdated information.