In the world of business, a huge part of staying ahead of the curve relies on re-evaluating the tools and strategies your teams rely on. Business intelligence tools, in particular, are essential in assisting companies make better, data-driven decisions. But with the rapid pace of technological advancements and the changing needs of businesses, it’s crucial to periodically assess whether your current tools are still serving the needs of the business and team.
September, often felt as the “back-to-school” month, presents a great opportunity to start this review. As the next quarter approaches, it’s the time to ensure that you have the right tools in place to close the year strong and prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead.
The Importance of Business Intelligence Tools
Business intelligence tools are vital for transforming raw data into actionable insights. These tools allow organisations to analyse complex data sets, identify trends, make forecasts, and ultimately drive better business outcomes. Whether it’s a robust data visualisation platform, an advanced analytics engine, or a simple reporting tool, BI tools are the backbone of a data-driven organisation.
Why Mix Up Your Business Intelligence Tools?
- Identify New Opportunities: Having a BI tool provide insights into the market in which you play can reveal blind spots, highlight new prospects, and ultimately introduce new opportunities for the business.
- Adapt to Changing Needs: As your business grows or shifts its focus, your BI needs may change. A tool that was perfect for your company two years ago might no longer be adequate.
- Leverage New Technologies: Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics are becoming increasingly prominent in the BI landscape. Refreshing your suite of BI tools allows teams to take advantage of these advancements.
- Improve Efficiency: It’s easy for sales teams to get lost in the noise when searching for their next prospect, and with pressure to produce the next sale high, businesses need to equip their teams with the toolkit they need to produce results.
Why September?
The timing of when you reassess your business intelligence tools is as important as the reassessment itself. Here’s three reasons why September is the perfect month to start thinking about mixing up your BI toolkit:
- Season of Renewal: September symbolises a time of renewal and transition. As summer ends and the business world picks up, it’s a natural time to reflect on the year so far and make necessary adjustments to finish strong.
- Q4 Planning: With the final quarter of the year in sight, it’s the ideal time to ensure you have the right tools in place to meet your end-of-year goals.
- Budget Planning: With the new year budgets creeping on the “to do” list, allocate the spend to ensure an upgrade in your BI suite is on the agenda.
Getting Started
Start by conducting a comprehensive audit of your current business intelligence suite. Identify any gaps or inefficiencies and consider how newer tools might better meet your needs. Engage with key stakeholders across departments to gather insights on what’s working and what’s not.
Once you’ve identified potential new tools, take the time to demo them thoroughly. Consider starting with a pilot programme before fully integrating them into your operations. This way, you can ensure that the new tools are a good fit and provide the value you’re looking for.
At ZebraMetrics, we monitor website interactions across 64 topic areas, including within finance, energy, technology, insurance, infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals. ZebraMetrics filters traffic not only by topic, but also by identified companies, countries and sectors, displaying results in easy-to-use dashboards.
Do you want to know who’s looking into a problem you can solve? To receive a custom report and find out how ZebraMetrics can help you, contact Scott at [email protected].
