In the first article on MarTech I explained why data and data quality are the key to success. Now we will look at data integration into companies’ systems and tools. Why do companies need external data, how does Dun & Bradstreet contribute to data integration, and what hurdles are involved? The answers can be found here.
Before we dive into the topic of data integration, let’s have a look at what happens if you miss the digital transformation train. Automated processes only work when they are based on current and complete data. Salesforce discovered in a studythat around 90 % of data in a CRM system is incomplete and that 70 % of data records are outdated after one year. Countless deliveries are then sent to the wrong addresses, marketing campaigns don’t reach the right person, acquisition potential is incorrectly assessed or the salesperson’s call meets a dead end. This is why we need processes to record data correctly and completely and then update it automatically.
A recent Salesforce study found that, the average customer’s contact database is composed of 90% incomplete contacts, with 20% of records being useless due to several factors, such as 74% of the records needing updates and more than 25% of those being duplicates. Quelle: www.salesforce.com/in/hub/analytics/data-validation-practices
What’s more, if we don’t integrate external data into the business processes, then we also don’t have triggers to identify promising potential for sales. Relocations, new branches opening, or the arrival of new managers all represent opportunities for sales that need to be exploited.
Without process integration, countless manual processes are required, such as in research or data entry, and these kinds of task mustn’t get in the way of actual acquisitions.
