We now know about data and the many benefits it can have for your business, but we wanted to talk a little (or maybe a lot) more about data transformation and the role it plays in making your data as effective as possible. Having data in your corner is a weapon in itself, so you want to have your data in the best shape of its life - data transformation gets it there.
Data Transformation
To really simplify things, data transformation is what data goes through to become useful to you. Instead of looking at unorganised data sets, data transformation takes all this raw data and enriches, cleanses and beautifies your data. Maybe not beautify, but evolves into its next form. A more powerful form.
The actual process is a little more complicated than this. Transforming data is the process of converting data from one format to another, this also involves cleansing, validating and enriching this data to make it easy to understand and complete. This transformation is enabled by technology and data management platforms like…
The Cloud.
No, we’re not talking about clouds in the sky, rather servers that are accessed over the internet, and the software and databases that run on those servers. With more capacity for information storing your information, the cloud eliminates the need for bulky data warehouses and dedicated programmes. Keeping costs down and space up, letting you leave servers behind and become a more fluid and agile entity.
Modern data platforms like the cloud, let users compile, analyse and act on data more easily, as well as cut the costs associated with physical storage. If your business is on the go or takes place in many spaces, modern platforms are the way to go, allowing you to sync, store and share data with your coworkers on the road and across the country. In a day and age where hybrid working and services aren’t limited to one location, having a data management platform that lets you work wherever you are is a big plus in our books. Not to mention, you’re set up for long-term success, futureproofing your business and decreasing the need to upgrade or change systems sooner rather than later.
Automation and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Having your data in order and modern data management platforms on your side opens you up to the world of automation and AI. When accurate data and solid processes align, the next step is automation. Freeing you and your staff up from the busy work of admin and bookkeeping, so you can focus on what matters to you - more time with customers, more time on the road and just more time. Automation makes you faster, better, stronger, and more productive.
For a one-person army, automated tools can be a game-changer for your business, with tools as simple as a booking system. Take for example a hairdresser, a booking system lets you focus on your client, rather than being disrupted to take a call and book in other customers. And while there may still be an element of this, having a phone booking system minimises this. While you can have a booking system in place regardless of your data, having solid data and processes makes it a seamless system and so you don’t have to go back and clean it again (and again).
Data is the most helpful tool your business can invest in (alongside marketing) to rise to new heights, so you want to keep it in tip-top shape. Check out more ways data can help your business here