12/05/2016
Are we being crippled by data??
We are not being crippled by data,we are being crippled by not having it converted into meaningful information by applying appropriate technology ,with aligned business processes , and having the right people who can and will use it.
Having recently launched NUVA VIA and the partnership with Spring Mobile Solutions, I have been fortunate to have been able to look across the industry we call FMCG/CPG. An industry full of challenges, but also full of opportunities.I look back over my career, and have been able to walk the Value Chain, from the source of raw and packaging materials, to seeing the end product merchandised on the retail shelf, or table top.I have also been able to do this across multiple markets in multiple countries, from the hustle and bustle of a market in Lagos, Nigeria to the sophistication of large global retail chains.
In walking this industry, I have been able to speak to many people, in many different roles . I have also observed the consumer, and spoken to them about the decision making process they go through at the point of purchase.
The point that is always raised is either the lack of data, or the abundance of data, making the decision making process so difficult.In this world of "Big Data", why are we still so stressed when faced with making decisions ?
How can we be so diverse in our thoughts on what the challenge really is ?
Is it a lack of data ?Or is it that there is just to much data to decipher?
In reality , I believe the challenge we face is truly both!
I recently came across a quote which really struck home.
"The more decisions we make in a day,the worse our decisions get and the more stressed we get over time.But there are millions of choices that technology can solve for us."(Aaron Shapiro CEO ,Huge).
Every decision we make drives another level of complexity, and the need to assess its impact.Was it the right decision, did it have the desired result??
I do however believe that technology today, can ensure that we gather all the data needed to make the right decision.While that data maybe complex, technology can also translate and consolidate that data into meaningful information.
The knowledge that we are making decisions with the "right information",goes a long way to relieve the stress of decision making.It also goes a long way in improving the probability of the decision being taken, achieving the desired result.
Using the appropriate technology, and ensuring its effectiveness in supporting the decision making process is critical . The only caveat I will add, is that technology will not work on its own.It needs to be aligned to the appropriate business processes, and will only deliver results, if the people in the organisation are capable and correctly motivated.
Alastair Gore
Managing Director NUVA VIA
Visit our website www.nuvavia.com
