DS0509_Opinions_Contents_Contacts:Layout 1 30/4/09 12:30 Page 3
LEADER
Contents
04 ACXIOM. NICK MARTIN
LEAD GENERATION
06 COGENT ANALYTICS. MATT HUTCHINSON
DATA ANALYTICS
08 ROYAL MAIL DATA SERVICES. LOUISE WILLIAMS
DIRECT MAIL
10 SATORI SOFTWARE. DAMIAN MORRIS
ADDRESS MANAGEMENT
12 TRILIUM SOFTWARE. ED WRAZEN
DATA QUALITY DATA WITH THE STRENGTH OF AN OX
According to the Chinese calendar, this is the year of the ox. In the
business world, 2009 would seem to be the year of data. That
correlation could be seen to make a lot of sense.
The ox is a working animal and beast of burden. It does not have the
mystique of the horse, nor the focus of any creature bred for the dinner
table. Instead, it helps to plough a straight furrow and carry heavy
loads on the farm, day in, day out.
Data also lacks the glamour of other business functions, like marketing.
(Although a gains chart showing the uplift in revenue from reducing
churn has its own beauty.) It does not have the dynamism of sales,
where closing the deal is all. (Although it does cut through arguments
and shows where value really lies.) Nor is it quite as make or break as
the CEO chasing a takeover or acquisition (but it can point out the risks
and net business that will result.)
Instead, data keeps the business moving forward, helping each and
every end user to achieve its goal, without particular fuss or attention.
For it to be in the spotlight this year is unusual, but it also reflects an
important change – the recognition that you can no longer conduct
any business activity unless and until you have data that is fit for
purpose, correctly controlled and managed, available at the point of
need and within a compliant environment.
That is what is driving current investment by client organisations. To
meet that demand, suppliers are innovating in terms of how to support
and fulfil such requests. In the process, many of the older ways of
working are being revised in favour of more sophisticated techniques
and models. But the plough still needs to turn the furrow and the ox is
needed to pull it.
OPINIONS ON DATA | MAY 2009 3
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