FEATURE : ANALYTICS

With the effective use of analytics offering the opportunity for enhanced business efficiency , we asked two experts from Talend and Snowflake how companies can make the most of improving their decision-making processes .

MARK FAZACKERLEY , REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND , TALEND

How can analytics provide enterprises with insights that will drive better decision-making ?

The case for analytics and the value it can deliver has been well made for some time . Those organizations that take advantage of these tools will consistently outperform those that don ’ t .

Analytics can provide a window into the functioning of an organization which then becomes an essential diagnostic tool . This tool can reveal what has happened in the past , help predict what will happen in the future , and support better decision-making . Analytics are only as good as the data available- the old expression ‘ Garbage In Garbage Out ’ still holds true .

What sort of information can analytics provide to enterprises that would be especially useful ?

Currently one of the most sought-after analytical views is a 360-degree view of customers . Being able to better understand customer behaviors allows a business to tailor its processes and offerings to improve the customer journey and experience .

This is particularly useful when a business is keen to reduce customer churn . If there are signs a customer is about to shift to a competitor , compelling offerings can be made to encourage them to stay .

Internally , analytics will also provide insights into how an organization can become more efficient and achieve more with less . It has long been known that better analytics-based reports can highlight areas for improvement and guide the actions of senior management , and in today ’ s economic environment an even more granular view is often required to examine cause and effect in business activities .

What is the best way for enterprises to gain actionable intelligence ?

Actionable intelligence in the business world is not that much different from the way it is used in the military . It ’ s about delivering information that can

40 INTELLIGENTCIO APAC www . intelligentcio . com