I feel like I have been banging this drum forever but still it amazes me how people get so confused about BI, or they don’t believe it has any worth to their organization, or they are scared about the levels of skills required, or they think they have to have a Wall Street sized budget, or they think a BI project is not dissimilar to pulling teeth without anaesthetic – so rather put up with rotten teeth!
In my view there is no option, you have to have BI – yes that is a shameless plug because I make a living from BI, but I hope that if I were running a business outside of the technology industry I would still acknowledge the need for a BI solution to give me useful information about my business so we can make better decisions and drive performance. I have said that so often now i.e. “BI gives you information that empowers decision making and drives organizational performance” that it is starting to sound really cheesy to me – but it’s a fact.
Although the SMB market is still a little sceptical of BI vendors the growing understanding of the role of BI is creating a massive market for BI vendors in the SMB space. If you are wondering about BI and whether it will work for you, you should feel comfortable that the road is coming towards you. Prices will decline, usability will improve, and accessibility for more people is a reality. So don’t die wondering – there is a BI solution which fits your budget and your needs and will work for you in your business – go for it.
