For many years, spreadsheets have held the prime position in organisations when it comes to data management, but, while there is no doubt that spreadsheets will continue to play a significant role in business operations, times are changing and businesses are looking for a more robust and flexible system.
As a growing business, a time will come when the size of your operations, data and inventory will benefit from a more robust and flexible data management tool that allows for easy retrieval and manipulation of data regardless of time and location. Here are a few reasons why you should consider an online database over spreadsheets for your growth needs:
Centralised system – as your business grows, you will need more staff to help you keep track of your growing data. However, passing around a spreadsheet can be tricky, leading to loss of data and inaccuracy. A database, on the other hand, can be shared to a wide number of people over a network. This way, the same data is made available to all who need it in your organisation simultaneously and safely. This creates what is known as “single version of the truth” and prevents version control issues.
Better customer management – customers are the lifeblood of your business, and one of the most important advantages of having a database is that it allows you to capture customer information directly from the customer through a variety of means, such as via your website or business app. This makes it easy to keep track of your growing customers, know their preferences so that you can deliver what they want, and ultimately provide the perfect customer service to them.
A more robust system – even though spreadsheets allow you to type anything you want in them, this can lead to data inaccuracy, leaving you with what is known as ‘dirty data’. But, online databases allow for a more robust system. It can accept unlimited information including numbers, texts and even images. But more than that, databases follow a set of rules and so can find the relationship between the different types of data you put in, allow queries to be made on the stored data and produce the desired result in real time, no matter where you are.
Inventory tracking – keeping track of your growing inventory can be a hassle without the right inventory-tracking database. While it is possible to do this on a spreadsheet, it is easy to make data entry errors, make multiple entries for the same item, or lose your spreadsheet. With an online database, not only is your inventory-entering process seamless, it is also secure and available on demand.
While it is true that online databases take time, effort and money to build and maintain, those at the forefront of technology are providing readily available local online databases that will meet your budget requirements and organisational needs without affecting efficiency.
Scalability – as long as you are in business, almost every aspect of your day-to-day activities is geared towards growth. A robust database can be the most important tool in your business growth strategy. With this, you can do a lot in your business including tracking productivity, reporting trends and monitoring the dynamic needs of your customers.
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