How to Improve Data Management for Small Businesses

Data Management

Data is the lifeblood of most companies. In fact, researchers have concluded that data is more important now than ever before.

Storing it properly is a practice that is essential to your company’s long-term success, but many entrepreneurs aren’t aware of ways they can improve this process. Fortunately, the answer isn’t as complicated as it may seem.

Not quite sure how to begin? We’ve got all the info you need.

Let’s explore everything you should keep in mind when it comes to ways you can improve data management at your company.

1. Secure Your Data Properly


In order to manage your company data as efficiently as possible, you’ll need to ensure that it is properly secured. This means having safeguards in place that prevent unauthorized users from accessing crucial information.

One of the most common ways to protect your company data is to require multiple forms of authentication before certain employees or executives can obtain access. For instance, attempting to log into a particular server could require a password as well as the answer to a specific security question.

Other forms of authentication include fingerprints, ID badges, etc. 
As you might inspect, data that requires a high level of security should have more barriers in place to prevent unauthorized access in order to prevent a data breach.

2. Always Remain Compliant 


Depending on the industry that you operate in, you may need to stay compliant with a large handful of regulations. For example, companies that operate within the healthcare space are required to adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Failure to do so could result in fines, penalties, etc. that could easily result in complications for your business in the future.

Interestingly, many compliance issues arise when it comes to how data is stored. If sensitive information is stored in a matter where unauthorized parties are able to access it, you’re likely in breach of industry regulations. So, ensure that you prioritize compliance when looking for ways to improve data management within your company. 

Otherwise, you may find that your company’s reputation suffers as a result, which could cause you to lose potential business in the future.

3. Get Rid of Unnecessary Data

This is a particularly useful practice for larger companies or those that have been in business for a long period of time. As your company accumulates more and more data, it becomes more difficult to organize.

This is true even if strategies are implemented that streamline locating certain information.

Instead, you should consider permanently deleting any unnecessary data after a certain period of time. To elaborate, a company may keep certain records for the past decade and erase data from before this point.

Additionally, it’s crucial to properly define what type of data expires so that you can establish a balance between improving your data management and remaining compliant with laws and regulations. 

4. Stay as Organized as Possible

Striving to remain as organized as possible should be something that your company always takes seriously. Otherwise, you could easily find yourself wasting time attempting to locate information within your company’s archives.

This also applies to data that’s currently in use by your business and its employees. For instance, if your company doesn’t have a proper infrastructure when it comes to data organization, your teams will not be able to perform optimally.

They may also encounter difficulty when it comes to communicating certain information with each other. Overall, you will generally find that your business does not hit the intended metrics when data organization is subpar.

Fortunately, implementing an internal system that keeps files in the appropriate location will ensure that none of your employees have issues finding the data they’re looking for. This is also useful in scenarios that require certain information to be found quickly as deadlines approach.

It’s imperative that you allocate time to train your employees on data organization, as well. This includes conveying how they should store data on their own and where to find relevant information they’re searching for.

5. Take Advantage of Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is one of the most significant innovations that technology has experienced in recent years. It’s even progressed to the point where businesses are able to operate while storing the majority of their data in the cloud.

Those who do not currently take advantage of this opportunity should do so as soon as possible due to the utility that it is able to provide. Not only does cloud storage allow you to restore data that may have been lost or stolen, but it also allows your team to access it from a remote location.

This is particularly useful for companies that have been forced to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions by working remotely. You could even configure your business’s internal systems to store data directly to the cloud.

A common example would be a company that uses software like Session Replay to analyze consumer behavior sending this information directly to remote storage. In this scenario, you’ll also never have to worry about running out of space on the hard drive.

Understanding How to Improve Data Management Can Seem Complicated

But the above information will make the process far smoother. From here, you’ll be able to ensure that you improve data management as efficiently as possible and hit metrics like never before. Want to learn more info you should keep in mind? Be sure to explore what the rest of our blog has to offer.

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