Professional Services
Data Strategy Consulting
Our service offerings
-
Network & Monitoring
We manage the complex network of connected devices in modern business.
-
Cyber Security Services
We can keep your business safe from an ever-changing security landscape.
Cyber Security Solutions > -
Hosted Desktop Services
Access your applications, documents, and data anywhere in the world.
Hosted Desktop Solutions > -
Migration & App Development
Simple solutions through Microsoft’s Power Platform for low-code programming.
Low Code App Development > -
Business IT Support
The foundation of a modern business is the technology that enables your success.
IT Support Services > -
Office 365 Support
We provide Microsoft modern workplace support to improve your team’s productivity.
Office 365 Support > -
Microsoft Azure
We help build strong foundations for organisations to scale flexibly in the cloud.
Azure Services > -
Data Compliance
We protect your crucial information in line with the latest standards and practices.
Data Compliance Services >
Enabling data-driven insights for business growth.
What a data strategy means today
A data strategy no longer refers to a company jotting down a few actionable insights from its customer data and analytics reports. Today, a data strategy is understood as key data science. A full integration of data architecture into your company's overall business model.
Identify opportunities
The importance of data management cannot be underestimated. Understanding the power of data capabilities can enable you and your team to identify business opportunities.
To pinpoint insights with the right data to make better decisions and create a strategy, which will fully integrate and streamline, all of your:
Staff resources
Business and organisational processes
Technology systems
Let your data do the heavy lifting
Get there with help from one of our experts.
What makes a good data strategy?
Capitalise on what may be right in front of you
At its core, a good data strategy must, by definition, be data driven.
Planned projects can either be led by:
Carrying out all aspects of data management and data analytics.
Focus on one specific outcome to achieve a single, strategic business goal.
The key elements needed to make a good data strategy
Collaboration between all directly involved in the process.
To understand how all personnel, technology systems, work processes and company culture participate together in a data strategy to achieve desired outcomes. And how types of data - from customer and employee to supplier - will be used within a defined strategy.
Sting short-term to long-term goals
From the instant, morale-boosting, instant wins to longer-term, objective planning. It's important for all data planning to align with an organisation's stated values, core principles and strategic aims.
Unused amounts of valuable stored data
Today, any company or organisation is legally obliged to comply with data governance. By creating an internal policy to securely protect all of their clients data.
Businesses are increasingly aware that all data they or their website collects and stores is an invaluable strategic asset.
But many companies also know they are not taking full advantage of their large amounts of stored data. Implementation of a full data driven plan is now key to develop new business solutions and strategic goals.
It can often be the case that companies or organisations may lack confidence or trust to:
Fully analyse and understand the collected data
Identify and unlock aspects of hidden value
Create an effective data strategy
Typical obstacles to overcome include:
Separate, siloed and isolated data - inability to access and/ or poor communication.
Untrustworthy data - unverified sources or suspect out of date.
Inefficient data management practices - no defined roadmap with clear, strategic outcomes.
-
Two types of data strategy
Implementing a data strategy normally consists of two types of key tactics. Together, they are intended to reduce business risk, optimise efficiency, and generate desired performance outcomes:
-
Defensive tactics
Protects against adverse performance
A strategy aimed at managing data to reduce legal, accounting, and regulatory risks. Primary focus is upon data governance, compliance and security capabilities.
-
Offensive tactics
Creates, develops, and supports positive growth outcomes
The business strategy uses data analysis to develop product or service solutions.
-
What's the point?
Key goals are to:
Increase revenues and profitability
Provide an enhanced customer experience
Both a defensive and offensive data strategy can be implemented by integrating a built-in "intelligent" data architecture.
The importance of the data strategy consulting process at the outset will be critical to handle significant amounts of sensitive company and customer data.
-
Data strategy review
A data-driven strategy consulting process starts with what is known as a data strategy review.
-
-
-
-
-
Current data maturity, policies and practices
Understanding embedded data, systems and ease of access.
-
Staff/team engagement
Including data literacy, existing routines, and effective risk controls.
-
Action analysis
Investigates current 'gaps' in an organisations processes. For' filling in' with the actions needed from key company personnel or departments.
The aim is full team support in moving positively forward towards achieving strategic outcomes. -
Transformation plan
To enable a data-driven strategy to be actioned. Will need clearly set timelines, staging posts, and key performance indicators for progress monitoring.
-
Assigning clear responsibilities
Accompanied by relevant parties informed throughout. The aim is to ensure all critical steps are taken as exactly required, and all personnel are fully aware and informed at all times on every aspect of the actions to be taken.
-
Customer strategy
-
Customer experience
This often means a single, unifying strategy which puts the customer experience at the centre of data performance.
-
Three key performance indicators (KPIs)
Any customer data strategy must be tied into the 3 KPIs:
Insights
Actions
Outcomes
-
Data priority
When collecting information, it is crucial to ensure that you gather the appropriate amount of data, as well as the relevant data. This should always be a top priority.
Not all data may be required for a strategic purpose. Collecting too much data can result in potential risk.
Managing a customer data strategy should justify the type of data collected. As well as giving clear governance on how data is stored and used.
Contact us to discuss education IT Support services
Our proven capability of delivering security focused managed support services alongside robust and cost-effective IT transformation projects makes us an ideal long-term IT partner and ideally placed to provide the services you need.