November 2016
Never Too Late for a Spring Clean: Why It’s Important to Keep up with Your Data Housekeeping
Yes, we’re well aware it’s now November – we can tell by the dropping temperature, the huge Halloween decoration discounts, and the amount of leftover pumpkin we’re still cooking up in the kitchen. But just because Autumn is well and truly here, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a spring clean of your data to keep your CRM in tip-top condition!
Why Do I Need to Clean Up My Data?
The mere thought of having to dive into all those numbers and bits of data could be making some of you groan in early defeat – and you’ll probably wonder why it’s even necessary at all. Trust us when we say there’s a good reason. In fact, we’ve got four for you!
- Data Protection: Due to the Data Protection Act, companies need to cleanse data after a certain amount of time if it’s no longer relevant – that means any leftover customer or employee data from anyone who no longer engages with the company needs to be removed
- Free the Clog: Speaking of former customers, not clearing up your old, out of date data (like said ex customers) could result in multiple errors surfacing within reports. And it doesn’t take a genius to realise that basing important business decisions on inaccurate information won’t end well!
- Error Spotting: Having a regular clean-up is also just a great opportunity to check for any errors which may have slipped in during the information input stage. They could be innocent mistakes, but you don’t want them impeding on your reports or your team’s performance. And besides: customers will be happier if you’re on top of things!
- Avoid the Wrath: This one is particularly important for anyone using their CRM for marketing duties. If a customer has asked to not receive any more marketing communications, it’s essential that they’re taken off the system. Ignoring their request could result in a war of words and damaged brand loyalty (or worse!)
Let’s Get Cleaning!
Convinced it’s time to get the vacuum going on the ol’ CRM? Great! Let’s dive straight in with some suggestions on how to spruce things up!
- Reporting: Reports are your secret weapon in CRM housekeeping. Yes, we know now that they can be affected by bad data, but they can also be used to draw out information which may potentially be out of date. Once the report queries have been made, it’s just a matter of checking the included data is all in order.
- Tidy as You Go: Clean up data as and when a customer or employee leaves. It doesn’t have to be immediately – especially if you have any final communications to send, such as exit surveys – but as long as said data is archived within a logical timeframe, you’ll be saving your team a whole load of time.
- Get it Right First Time: The easiest way to do anything in life is to put the procedures in place which prevent you from having to do whatever the dreaded task is. In this case, it’s creating a system which ensures that all data is checked as it’s uploaded to ensure that there’s only a tiny chance of error. The result? It’s already clean and tidy!
So there you have it: a quick rundown on keeping your CRM clean and tidy. These are some great starting points, but if you’d like any other insight – including how our bespoke CRMs can keep things organised for you – simply get in touch!