2014 Readers' Choice Survey: Business Intelligence
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Business intelligence (BI) tools are the most important tools in the toolbox, according to John Rossi, global head of Consumer Goods Consulting for Wipro. With the rise of big data, this statement has never rung more true. Here, Rossi analyzes the competitive BI vendor landscape and offers guidance for navigating a pendulum-shift in this critical area of business opportunity.
Can you comment on this list?
Rossi: Not surprisingly, SAP has retained its No. 1 position in this year’s poll on the strength of its product’s acceptance into the marketplace, marketing prowess and global sales team. By offering the industry a holistic set of solutions where near real-time data sits in the middle, SAP is surrounding HANA with useful tools and applications. By providing a path to HANA for many of its applications, including ERP, SAP’s future looks bright in this space.
What’s driving BI investments today?
Rossi: Big data and the usage of “daily data daily” are making the BI tools even more important. Standard reports are static, and as the consumer goods industry continues to adopt a “market to one” strategy, the users of this data are developing individual consumer insights. These require various splices of big data into a single insight. Standard reports will lessen over the next few years as BI tools are pushed into the user’s hands and the data becomes easier to attain. The CIO’s life will become easier the faster they can make this happen. Today, everyone knows how to use a computer. Tomorrow, they will also know how to use a BI tool.
How are technology providers adapting to the new needs of their customers?
Rossi: Technology providers are fighting for relevance. Investments being made will last for years. The industry is quickly moving down a consumer-centric path, and data is an important part of this evolution. The immediate winners will be the technology providers who can immediately help the sales, marketing and R&D functions. The technologies available have to allow them to have information to drive better decision making. Delivering “daily data daily” and providing proactive solutions for these everyday issues will differentiate the leaders from the losers. It will also change the landscape of “point” solutions. Will companies use their BI tools with proactive advanced analytics or purchase an off-the-shelf point solution? The pendulum may be shifting.
How are new data sources/types being incorporated into BI methodologies?
Rossi: Data is everywhere: Structured/unstructured, solicited/unsolicited. This is changing the landscape. The consumer goods industry must be able to “listen” to all of this data, no matter the source, and be able to quickly respond to it. Age-old problems around promotion effectiveness, out of stocks/too much stock and retail execution can now be solved with the availability of better data and combining it with social and mobile solutions. The biggest hurdle for many wanting consumer-level insights — redoing hierarchies. Many have used product centric hierarchical strategies, and a complete pivot is required — consumer- and household-centric hierarchies.