Business Intelligence Consulting: 10 Key Considerations Before Choosing a BI Partner

Introduction

What separates a best-in-class business intelligence consulting company from rest? 

Let’s unpack the key considerations when choosing a data consulting partner – one that ensures your data is complete, accurate and delivers outstanding business intelligence insights and therefore exceptional ROI…

 

Expertise and Experience

When selecting a BI consulting partner, the hands-on team’s experience & expertise is crucial.  An ability to deal with your data and your volume of data is the key to boosting your organisation’s data-driven decision-making capabilities without getting lost in delivery issues. 

Experienced consultants have a deep understanding of the complexities involved in BI projects and can navigate challenges with confidence – accelerating the implementation process and reducing the risk of costly errors.

Perhaps the most important advice we could give here is to understand who will be working on your project because expertise and experience will breed great results.

Lastly, expertise also ensures that a chosen partner can provide goals-aligned solutions leveraging best practices and the latest technologies…

Tech Stack and Platform Approach

There is a vast array of software solutions, data platforms and integration tools out there – and it’s only getting more competitive and complicated. So you need to ensure your partner not only has a proven track record in business intelligence consulting and relevant industry experience – but also keeps abreast of all the innovations in the industry.

From using in-house data platform technology, to leveraging reputable open-source technologies – a solid platform approach should always fundamentally make sure all your data is accurate and in one place. Your data needs to be transformed into very easy to visualise and interpret models, no matter what business function your managers and directors are operating in.

Our advice is to look for experience in your domain:

Large consulting companies tend to attract generalists or teams that favour size over delivery, which may not deliver the best solutions for your needs and timelines.

Very small data consultancies on the other hand tend not to have enough collective expertise and broader knowledge to really know what will work most efficiently and effectively.

At Matatika, we like to think of ourselves as the best of both, where our technology enables us to execute the best routes to value, but also agile enough to build towards outcomes that match and exceed our clients requirements. Our experts will work alongside your teams and ensure you keep delivering the business as usual.

 

Data Integration Skills

Data integration or analytics engineering is a cornerstone of effective Business Intelligence consulting. A BI partner with strong data integration skills can seamlessly combine data from various sources, ensuring consistency and accuracy. This capability is vital for creating a unified view of your business operations. Effective data integration also reduces data silos, minimises errors, and accelerates the time-to-insight, ultimately driving better business outcomes. 

 

Scalability

So often we’ve seen companies hamstrung because the foundations of their business processes and data-insights were built on legacy technology that wasn’t even designed to be future-proof 10 years ago, never mind today. 

As your business grows, so does the volume and complexity of your data. A business intelligence consulting partner with scalable data platforms and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools can efficiently handle increasing data loads without compromising performance. 

Scalable solutions ensure that your BI infrastructure can adapt to evolving business needs, supporting long-term growth and flexibility. This capability not only enhances data processing efficiency but also ensures that your BI system remains robust and responsive, providing timely insights that drive informed decision-making.

 

AI Readiness and AI Innovation

With the rapid advancements in AI data analysis, transforming data within your company database (or online) into actionable business intelligence has become essential. AI unlocks the often untapped knowledge within vast amounts of unstructured data, making it instantly accessible, questionable and actionable. Thanks to smart implementations of generative AI – one person can now perform the research of ten.

At Matatika, we believe that the future of work is a seamless collaboration between humans and AI.  A few prime use cases for AI within a company’s strategy include:

Natural Language Processing (NLP): AI can process and understand human language, enabling more intuitive data queries and insights.

Automated Reporting: AI can now analyse and even generate reports, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

Anomaly Detection: AI can identify unusual patterns or outliers in data, which can be critical for fraud detection or quality control.

Customer Insights: AI can analyse customer data to uncover insights about behaviour, preferences, and trends, driving more personalised marketing strategies.

Operational Efficiency: AI can optimise various business processes, from supply chain management to resource allocation, enhancing overall efficiency.

For more information about how AI can be integrated into your data strategy and how we are committed to driving businesses forward with AI, check out our Human++ video. 

 

Cost and ROI

When selecting a business intelligence consulting partner, cost and return on investment (ROI) are of course pivotal considerations, and you’re likely to see a large variance from comparative quotes…

The reason for this is that there are so many ways to solve data problems these days, and the recommendation of expensive tech that offers more than you need is often the approach that’s pushed by large solution providers especially. You really have to look out for this in our ‘subscriptions and licensing’ dominated software landscape.

At Matatika, we understand the need for cost-effective solutions that deliver substantial ROI. Our approach combines cutting edge data platform technology, expertise in open-source ETL tools, and an open-minded approach to data strategy to provide better value.

By leveraging reputable open-source ETL tools, we minimise software licensing costs while maintaining high performance and flexibility.  However, our experts, who work with you, ensure seamless integration, efficient data management, with outstanding support.

Read more about the current data strategy trends in our guide: 6 Proven Strategies Leaders Use to Boost Company Data ROI

 

Support and Maintenance

Support and maintenance are critical when choosing a Business Intelligence consulting partner. A reliable BI partner should provide ongoing support and maintenance for ETL processes, data pipelines, and any open-source tools used. This ensures that your BI infrastructure remains robust, efficient, and up-to-date.

Matatika prioritises comprehensive support and maintenance services throughout and after implementation. We support the whole solution as shown below:

Our team is equipped to handle any issues that arise, ensuring minimal downtime and continuous data flow. 

 

Security Measures

Security is paramount when building a customised data platform. Ensuring that your data is protected from breaches, unauthorised access, and other security threats is crucial for maintaining trust and compliance. A reliable Business Intelligence consulting partner should implement robust security measures to safeguard your data at every stage.

Matatika’s approach includes:

Data encryption: Protecting data both in transit and at rest to prevent unauthorised access.

Access controls: Implementing strict access controls to ensure that only authorised personnel can access sensitive data.

Regular security audits: We focus on uncovering and addressing potential vulnerabilities, keeping pace with the latest threat landscape.

Compliance: Ensuring that all security measures comply with relevant regulations and industry standards.

In summary, choose a business intelligence consulting partner that emphasises security as a fundamental component of data solutions, not an afterthought.

 

Project Management Skills

It’s incredibly important to ask about and evaluate the project management capabilities of potential partners to ensure timely delivery and effective communication throughout the project lifecycle…

A BI consulting partner with strong project management skills ensures that progress is collaborative, measurable, and attributable to specific project milestones. This involves setting clear objectives, managing timelines, coordinating cross-functional teams, and maintaining open communication channels.

At Matatika, we approach projects as a collaboration and maximise transparency. Our use of tracking tools, daily standups, and weekly demos keep projects accelerating forward and ensures we quickly identify potential bottlenecks or blockers.  Our many decades of experience has proven these techniques keep projects on track and within budget.

 

Cultural Fit

Cultural fit is a crucial factor when selecting a Business Intelligence consulting partner. A strong cultural alignment between your organisation and the BI partner ensures smoother collaboration, better communication, and a more productive working relationship. This involves understanding and respecting each other’s working styles, values, and collaboration preferences.

At Matatika, we prioritise building partnerships with strong bonds. We take the time to understand your organisation’s culture, communication style, and project expectations. This team level alignment helps in fostering an environment where ideas flow freely, and challenges are addressed proactively.

A good cultural fit not only enhances the efficiency of the BI project but also contributes to a more enjoyable and engaging working experience for all parties involved.

 

Conclusion

There’s a lot of factors to consider when choosing the right partner, but hopefully this article has simplified it for you.

 

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