With the world in, what is now known as the Digital Revolution, many of us are drowning in a sea of data.
Whether it be checking our Fitness Trackers to assess how many hours of REM sleep we had last night, to the more in-depth data of how many women under 35 living in Sweden clicked on our Google Adwords advertisement promoting our voice activated kettle, we gasp for air trying to make sense of it all.
Do we need this data? What does it deliver for us, our families or our businesses? Yes, at times it’s fun and intriguing but does it have a value?
Will we need a data report each morning to make sure our families are fit and healthy? Where will we find the time or resource to make the most out of this data? Do our businesses need to invest in Data Analysts just as much as a Marketing, HR or Sales Managers? These are some of the many questions I believe we will be starting to ask, or are already asking.
But before we let go of the lifebuoy, let’s look at some of the sources of this relentless data.
Telematics refers to the transfer of information over telecommunications and, believe it or not, has been around since the late 1970s.
Telematics started life in the simple form of vehicle tracking using the information source of GPS (Global Positioning System) data and transferring it over the telecommunications source GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). The transport and logistics industry has never been the same since, and the technology has evolved exponentially since its inception. Any contender in this industry ring now has no choice but to fit this performance boosting technology.
And its power doesn’t end there. We now have Fleet Management software, temperature-controlled solutions, trailer and container tracking, remote vehicle servicing and, just around the corner, autonomous vehicles. But a question I keep asking is, who is looking at this mass of valuable data we now have in the industry? Transport and Logistics professionals have many long and thankless days, so getting the time to read and interpret the data in a positive and influential way appears almost impossible. The data is just used as a way to technically knock out the next costly incident.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin also have a lot to answer for. If knowledge is power, then they have created the biggest empire since Genghis Khan and the formidable Mongol Empire. Using this analogy, Google is most definitely King. Any business that wants to promote its brand, products or services via the Internet wants to be sat at the top table next to the majestic google search results bar. How you get to the top is a minefield through Google’s very own Analytics, Adwords and E-Commerce interlinked data software. However, history has taught us that, where there is a King, there is usually a prowling heir to the throne. Prince Facebook the First is now also waging war through the social media fields and forests with his own Ads Manager functionality, and with it a further mass of measurable metrics in hot pursuit. This results in data crunching overload.
So as we are drowning in this sea of data after losing our bidding Adwords war with King Google and his Keywords army, or we get KO’d by the telemetry heavyweight, we ask again, is it worth the fight?
Yes, without a shadow of doubt, there are ways to negotiate a peaceful and prosperous settlement with Google and Facebook. As Anthony Joshua taught us last Saturday, if you get knocked down by the experienced opponent, you just have to have the right focus, training and team in your corner.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the data in your business, why not get Genie Insights in your corner?
