BI is one big thing in the new year for enterprises driven by the need to make sense of the huge volume of data they have accumulated - Guest authored article by Sanjay Mehta, CEO, MAIA Intelligence in Cybermedia's PC Quest, February 2012

1. 25 Years of PCQuest
Life After BI: The Next Big Thing
BI is one big thing in the new year for enterprises driven by the need to make
sense of the huge volume of data they have accumulated
there is sure shot delivery of timely,
S
ingle view representation and
analysis of enterprise data adds an accurate reports related to the
additional thrust to smart business processes these systems
decisions. Through the dial gauges, bulbs, manage. These systems are no longer
charts, etc in dashboards, CEOs gets the data prisons that are unable to share
overall view of their business. Through useful information for managing the
financial consolidation, CFOs get the enterprise. Creating piecemeal reports
>>> With BI, variance to plan. And most of the business is not the answer.
business users managers get their self-serve multi- Business users focus on what they
focus on what they dimensional reports. do best, analyzing and acting on
do best by Sometimes when sales suddenly information to help improve
analyzing and drops, costs rises or two competitors performance. They no longer spend
merge; very quickly they can respond their time searching for data,
acting on right
to keep the company on track. Here BI reconciling the data from various
information. They
helps in stakeholder’s efforts to systems and debating whose numbers
no longer spend increase companies’ growth, constrain is correct.
their time costs and improve the bottom line. KPI BI helps pull together information
searching for data helps review a company’s current from all internal organizations, which
and reconciling the performance, examine its past shows where the costs are, what they
data from various business and forecast future trends. are, and provides a framework for
systems. <<< Organizations get accurate and making cost cutting decisions. Once
detailed picture of what is going on in the cost cutting is complete,
terms of business and customers. It organization views exactly what has
shall do this in different ways -- been done and detail the impact in real-
accurate view of cost liabilities risks, time.
customer buying patterns, supplier Critical questions such as, why
cost-effectiveness, etc. Following market shares are going to
would be some of the benefits derived competitors; which products
from BI. contribute the most to profit; how can
Governance and compliance, which business become more profitable; why
require transparent, accurate financial some divisions are not profitable;
reporting, have placed tremendous which plants produce at the lowest
pressure on companies to take an cost; how can productivity improve;
enterprise-wide approach to ensuring which parts of the world are the most
timely, accurate and consistent data. profitable; who are the best and the
No longer does the scattered data and worst customers; where is money
reporting hampers compliance with being lost or made, etc are now
regulatory and industry initiatives. answered.
Many companies have not been able With BI, organizations produce the
to truly take advantage or leverage right information at the right time,
Sanjay Mehta, investments of the data in which is key for the success of any
CEO, MAIA Intelligence ERP/CRM/SCM systems. Now with BI, business enterprise.
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