5 Ways To Efficiently Manage Business Data

In the information age, one of the most important assets a business has is its data. It represents customer data, product data, sales data, and just about every other facet of a business. It’s projected that US businesses will produce 40 zettabytes per year by the year 2020. Hard drive manufacturer Seagate anticipates that by the end of 2016, a lack of storage capacity for the massive data stockpiles may develop. Managing all of that data is definitely something that can be hard to handle. Here are 5 ways that you can help your business more efficiently manage its data.

Focus On The Data

There are many different ways to store and maintain data. Different types of data require different management methods. Compartmentalizing the different data based on its stream origin allows data to be quickly categorized and later retrieved when the need arises. Customer data needs to be stored with customer data. Product data needs to be stored with product data. By doing this you can keep everything organized and easy to access.

Regularly Backup Data

Regular data backups with an offsite solution should be standard operating procedure. Full daily backups can start to become unwieldy as much of the same data is backed up again and again. A more efficient way to regularly backup data is to take full backups less often but take daily incremental backups. Your incremental backups just cover the changed or added files. By doing this you can save a lot of time and make sure that all of your changes and additions are saved.

Utilize The Cloud

You are probably already backing up your data to an offsite data center in the cloud. This is a smart move that really helps protect your data. Data centers, such as Cologix, not only protect your data storage but can also provide tools to help you better manage your data. You can efficiently manage your data backups and even selectively move some data operations to the cloud.

Delete Data When Appropriate

Sometimes you have data that is obsolete, no longer needed, or doesn’t serve any useful purpose. Tactical data management means deleting the older data while efficiently managing the amount of data stored by the company.  You do not need to keep every piece of data you have ever had. Make sure to go through your files at least twice a year and get rid of everything that you feel you may no longer need.

Use The Data

Efficiently managing the data should also include actually using the data. Too many companies sit on their stockpile of data. Companies should ensure that they are not merely collecting data for the sake of collecting and storing data. Be sure to take all of the information you have and use it on a regular basis. That way it can really help out you and your business, not just go to waste.

If your company doesn’t have a customer relationship management tool to manage customer data then now is the time to research CRMs. They can efficiently manage the data and pay dividends through higher sales, better conversion, and improved customer service. Your company can more efficiently manage its data and not only protect its data but more efficiently use it to increase profitability through these 5 tips and techniques.

About the author

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing about business and finance and spending time with her dog, Max. Information credited to Fone Angels, smart phone and tablet repairs.

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