Efforts to build sophisticated business intelligence systems, to drive operational performance from back office to purchase, are being thwarted by the most basic issue – data professionals simply can’t get their hands on the information in the first place.
This claim is based on the findings of a global research project conducted by Vanson Bourne for Information Builders, which quizzed 700 senior data decision-makers from a variety of vertical sectors in seven different countries.
Access to data is one of the biggest frustrations according to almost two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed in the UK. Some 54% claim that less than half of the data within their organisation is accessible to employees and almost one in five (18%) said staff can currently only access data on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. This is despite the fact that 45% feel the inability to access data in real-time is detrimental to their business.
Out of date information is the second biggest frustration according to 54% of those questioned in the UK. One in ten respondents says data within their organisation is not very or not reliable, resulting in them having to double check data before making decisions.
Poor quality data was blamed by many (58%) on data integration issues with UK firms also struggling to integrate an average of eight different data sources, compared to the global average of six.
“Many firms are still falling at the first hurdle when it comes to business intelligence,” said Peter Walker, UK and Ireland country manager for Information Builders. “If your company data isn’t accurate or accessible then you could be undermining your business decision making processes. This leaves companies slow to respond to market changes or vulnerable to poor decision making at a time when being at the top of your game is critical to survival.”
