Is your Data Agency doing its job?

What are the standards against which you should be judging this increasingly vital business partner?

To help you, we’ve put together a short check-list of the basic questions we think you should be asking your Data Agency:

• At what frequency is your database updated? If the answer isn't daily, is there a good reason why not?

• Does your database integrate with ALL data sources and platforms? How can you gain a true single customer view otherwise?

• Can you view and interrogate your data with a user-friendly interface? This is essential if you want to really understand what’s happening with your customers and business.

• What flexibility is there is in the database design to readily adjust to future requirements? Agility is everything, and your database should support this goal, not hamper it.

• Is your data being cleaned and updated with the latest and best software available? ‘Garbage in, garbage out’ may be a very old saying, but it’s still true…

• Is the data structure and accessibility completely aligned to your CRM strategy? If not, there’s a good chance the comms that flow from your database will fail.

• Finally, and perhaps most critically, is your database future-proof for the impending new Data Protection regulations? Errors and oversights in this area could, in the very near future, be a significant risk factor to your business.

Unfortunately, there’s no accreditation or defined industry standards to help clients demand the best from their Data Agency. As data continues to grow in importance across the business spectrum, this may well change.

In the meantime, we think it’s essential you select a Data Agency that can, at a minimum, provide coherent and convincing answers to the type of questions posed above – As a result you’ll be selecting a partner that ensures your data is fit-for-purpose and is delivering maximum commercial return.

If you would like to discuss this further and gain an understanding on how you should be benchmarking your Data Agency; we would be delighted to spend some time with you to build your confidence and awareness ready for when review your existing supplier.