Do you need new software, or just a data spring clean?

In today’s fast-paced business environment, it's easy to get caught up in the allure of new technology and shiny systems. But before you rush to replace your core systems, it’s worth considering the power of a good clean-up. Just as a well-maintained car or a freshly staged home can bring renewed value and satisfaction, keeping your data and processes in top shape can have a transformative effect on your business. In this blog, we’ll explore why maintaining high data quality is crucial and how it can serve as the foundation for long-term success.

Not long ago, I had two interesting conversations with two different leaders within the same organisation. The first discussion revolved around the best approach to cleaning up a staff list that had been extracted from the company's ERP system— a list known to be inaccurate. The second conversation was with the IT manager, who mentioned that they didn’t link email signatures to the staff records in the ERP because the data was unreliable.

At the same time, the organisation was considering replacing its ERP system to gain better information.

These discussions were strikingly similar to a story a friend shared later that week. They had staged their home for sale, and after sprucing it up, they found themselves reluctant to sell because it suddenly felt more appealing.

This reminded me of a joke my father used to make: he needed to buy a new car because the ashtrays were full.

My father was a heavy cigar smoker, and he would often go through a tin of ten Schimmelpenninck Panatellas in a day. I vividly recall being driven to school during freezing Irish winters, with the car windows tightly shut and the interior filled with blue cigar smoke. In those days, full ashtrays were a common sight, especially in my father's car.

But it wasn’t just the ashtrays. My father wasn’t meticulous about keeping his car clean in any way. With six unruly children regularly piling in and out, the car was always a mess. So, it was exciting when he showed up with a shiny new car, but it didn’t take long for the new car to start looking like all its predecessors.

Cleansing your CRM records of outdated contacts, ensuring your employee records are accurate and up-to-date, and relentlessly monitoring process flows—whether they’re timesheets, purchase orders, or service orders—are essential steps in maintaining a well-oiled business machine.

While these tasks may not sound glamorous, and certainly don’t carry the excitement of implementing a shiny new system, they are critical. The reality is, if you want your new system to succeed, you’ll have to do all of that tedious work anyway, plus adapt to the quirks and nuances of the new technology.

Sometimes, a thorough cleanup is all it takes to achieve substantial improvement. Just as a well-maintained vehicle or home continues to deliver value and satisfaction over time, a well-maintained system can keep your business running smoothly and effectively, projecting an image of competence and precision.

In the end, knowing when to focus on the basics—ensuring that your data is accurate and your processes are optimised—before pursuing the more advanced and exciting aspects of your digital strategy is crucial. High data quality isn't just about accuracy; it’s about building a solid foundation that supports long-term success and adaptability in an ever-evolving business landscape.