Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/447632
24 FEDA News & Views We have all heard the expression "big data" in the context of retailers studying the buying habits of their customers. The premise is fairly simple. Gather data about the buying habits of your custom- ers, look for patterns, then present prod- ucts in manner that makes them more attractive. While this tactic was once thought to be available to only large orga- nizations with s o p h i s t i c a t e d software, the real- ity is that strate- gic data analysis is available to even the smallest of companies. You just have to know where to look. Mining data for information is noth- ing new. I know several companies that were helping distributors extract data from their software in the 90's. I have a couple of friends that left their full-time jobs to be data mining consultants. It was that powerful. I am not sure why the movement faded from our list of initia- tives, but I do know that it is back with a vengeance. Companies are hungry for data and you should be, too. As I've mentioned in previous col- umns, my consulting practice tends to take on themes, and it seems as though my client base takes on this collective mind meld. Right now, we are all talking about the anal- ysis of data and how reporting can help us make better m a n a g e m e n t decisions. The beauty of this analysis is that the data is already being readily accumulated by your software package. It accumulates information about your customers' buying habits 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trust me, there is no shortage of information to dig into. Think about this, every sales order is telling you something about the buying preferences of the customer. Do they prefer bulk or packaged quantities? Do they prefer import versus domestic brands? Do they treat you as a one- stop-shop or a niche player for specialty items? All of this can be gleaned by dip- ping your net in the data stream. The Reporting Module Landscape There are several ways to start your fishing expedition. First, start by learn- ing about the reporting capabilities built into the software package you already own. Reporting modules are one of the most underutilized tools in any software package. I will freely admit that some of them are disappointing. The data is there, but the software manufacturer did not see the value in providing adequate tools for extraction. Let's face it, these folks are not distributors. They understand the how, but not the why. If the tools at your disposal are fairly inadequate, fear not. There are several low-cost solutions that can help you build management worthy documents. Crystal Reports has been an old standby used by IT professionals for the last two decades. I am sure that there are several other basic, economical report writers that will allow you to extract informa- By Jason Bader jason@distributionteam.com continued on page 34 Think about this, every sales order is telling you something about the buying preferences of the customer. Do they prefer bulk or packaged quantities? What Your Software Package Could be Telling You and How it Can Help Improve Customer Service