Are You a Data Delinquent?

Jenna Trott

5 min read | AUGUST 03, 2023

Doing More with Less: Mitigating a Shrinking Insurance Agent Workforce with Salesforce

Wait – what’s a “Data Delinquent?”

A data delinquent is someone who neglects their data duties. They live life on the digital edge, throwing caution to the wind when it comes to organizing, securing, or backing up their data. A “Data Delinquent” loves to test the limits, pushing their storage devices to the brink, and challenging the laws of data gravity until it all comes crashing down, leaving them in digital chaos.

Data Delinquent

[da ta / de lin-quent]
noun
A “Data Delinquent” refers to an individual or entity that neglects or fails to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations related to the proper management, organization, security, and maintenance of data assets. This neglect may manifest in various ways, such as failing to adhere to data governance policies, disregarding data best practices, and neglecting data quality control measures.

Data is the lifeblood of any successful business. It serves as the sturdy foundation upon which critical decisions are made, allowing teams to uncover valuable insights, track performance, and plan for the future. With the right data at their disposal, companies can identify emerging trends, understand customer behavior, optimize processes, and ultimately achieve their strategic goals.

However, despite its importance, many businesses face challenges in managing their data effectively. The volume of data generated and collected in today’s digital world quickly becomes overwhelming with 80% of companies reporting that they are collecting too much data, resulting in information on hand that they can’t use effectively. This overload of information can lead to data silos, duplication, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies, making it difficult to extract meaningful insights and hindering the decision-making process.

Salesforce, the world’s leading Customer Relationship Management platform, is a powerful tool for managing and utilizing data in organizations. To harness the full potential of Salesforce and ensure optimal data handling, businesses must be aware of common pitfalls and avoid them at all costs. Here are five essential practices to prevent you from becoming a “Data Delinquent”:

Data Hoarding

Ah, the clutter of unnecessary and outdated data! It’s like the dust bunnies hiding in the corners of your database, silently sabotaging your accurate insights and forecasting endeavors. Being selective about the information you retain is crucial for maintaining a well-organized database yet, in a recent study, 30% of businesses surveyed lack recent and relevant data.

Recommendation: Learn strategies for assessing and improving data quality in Salesforce with the Data Quality Trailhead.

Incomplete Data

Insufficient information input can act as a major roadblock to organizational growth. Imagine trying to build a skyscraper without a solid foundation – it’s only a matter of time before it crumbles. In the same way, incomplete or outdated data can hinder your business from making informed decisions and taking advantage of growth opportunities.

To thrive and expand, businesses need accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date data. The most effective approach is to ensure the completeness of your data before proceeding with the import process. Addressing missing values at the source application is the ideal solution, where you can designate them as required fields, guaranteeing their inclusion. However, if modifying the source application is not feasible, leveraging CRM Analytics presents a viable option for filling in the gaps in your data.

Recommendation: Explore Predict Missing Values Transformation: Fill In Missing Values.

Data Silos

Data silos – the kingdom of isolation! Data silos occur when information is stored in isolated systems or within specific departments without effective integration across the organization. This lack of integration creates barriers that impede collaboration and hinder the smooth flow of data between different teams. Each department may have its own databases and tools, leading to redundancies, inconsistencies, and duplications. As a result, employees might struggle to access the data they need, leading to time-consuming and error-prone manual data transfers.

Recommendation: Explore Data Silos and How to Fix Them for Good

Duplicates

Duplicates are like the twins from The Shining, you can’t tell them apart and they bring nothing but trouble! When you neglect the upkeep of your data, it can lead to undetected duplicate records — resulting in costly errors. To tackle this challenge, Salesforce offers robust deduplication features, such as Matching Rules and Duplicate Rules, designed to maintain data cleanliness and prevent the occurrence of critical mistakes. Once the Matching Rules have effectively identified potential duplicates, Salesforce’s Duplicate Rules add a layer of protection, ensuring data integrity and consistency.

Recommendation: Learn how to manage duplicate records with Salesforce’s Duplicate Management Trailhead.

Not Having a Plan (or a Backup Plan)

Seeing as data is the beating heart of companies, it’s essential to have an air-tight data plan. This will serve as the guiding compass for your organization. It outlines the processes and methodologies for data collection, review, and utilization, aligning all team members toward common objectives and business goals. Similarly, practicing scheduled and systematic data backups ensures that data remains safeguarded against any disasters or hardware failures. This not only instills confidence in stakeholders, but it emphasizes your commitment to data resilience and data-driven decision-making.

Recommendation: Explore why it’s important to have a data backup and recovery plan with Salesforce session, How to Back Up, Manage, and Restore Salesforce Data.

Sharing the Data Responsibility

At the end of the day, we all reside in a world that is deeply data-driven, making it imperative that the mantle of data maintenance be collectively shared. By fostering a culture of knowledge and proficiency in data practices and quality, teams can ensure a unified endeavor to meticulously track, dutifully report, and continuously enhance data accuracy throughout the entire organization.

Recommendation: Learn about data responsibility with the Salesforce trailhead Cross-Cloud Customer Identity and Data Management for Salesforce B2C Commerce.

Data Mastery Made Easy

Finding yourself with your head barely above the water with data management? Consider recruiting a Salesforce consultant who can throw you a life preserver in these critical areas:

  • Assessing Data Needs
  • Designing a Customized Solution
  • Seamless Data Integration
  • Data Cleansing and Migration
  • Training and Knowledge Transfer
  • Implementing Data Governance
  • Data Security and Compliance
  • Analytics and Reporting
  • Scalability and Future-Proofing
Why AGG?

When it comes to technology integration and digital transformation, choosing the right partner is crucial. At Access Global Group, we stand out with our exceptional expertise in global deployment and the agility of a boutique firm. With over 15 years of experience across various industries and a prestigious Salesforce Platinum-level partner status, we go above and beyond to exceed the needs and expectations of your company throughout the integration process. Our unique project methodology prioritizes our clients, ensuring that their requirements and aspirations drive our solutions.

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