Cómo las pequeñas empresas pueden utilizar Big Data

Most people associate big data with big business. But it has become an extremely important consideration for small businesses, too. Big data tools can help small businesses make informed decisions, understand their customers better, streamline operations, and increase sales and revenue. If you are a small business owner looking to take advantage of big data, you've come to the right place. In this Optimum guide, we explain what big data is and how it can help your small business. 

What Is Big Data?

Big data refers to large datasets that are difficult to process or analyze via traditional methods. These datasets are characterized by the three v's: volume (as in the amount of data), variety (the variety of items that make up a dataset), and velocity (the speed at which new data is collected and processed). 

There are three types of big data: structured, unstructured, and semi-structured. Let's take a brief look at each type.

Structured data

Structured data encompasses data that has a standardized, structured format, such as financial records. For most businesses, this means data that can be easily read using Structured Query Language (SQL) systems. 

Unstructured data

Unstructured data is data that is not stored in a structured format. The data itself can be anything, ranging from documents and text messages to video and audio files. This is data in its most raw form. 

Semi-structured data

As the name implies, semi-structured data sits somewhere between the rigidity of structured data and the chaos of unstructured data. Images from a smartphone are a good example. The images do not have a predefined structure, but you could organize them by date using the metadata embedded in each image. 

Big Data Uses

For small businesses, big data technology is most helpful in organizing and assessing semi-structured and unstructured data. There are programs that can analyze the behavior of users on your website, monitor calls, mine social media for information on customer preferences, and more. For example, Optimum Business offers technology like PRO WiFi, which allows business owners to collect data and learn more about their customers. This data can then be leveraged to inform business decisions. 

Identify trends

Big data is extremely useful for identifying and taking advantage of long-term trends. Website analytics, for example, can show where most of your traffic is coming from and how long users tend to stay on your website. When updating your website, you'll be armed with crucial information that can allow you to meet your goals and the goals of your customers. 

Improve customer service and personalize customer experience

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a large segment of big data technology and one of the most useful for small businesses. CRM software can analyze every aspect of customer communication, including website forms, live chat, email, call logs, social media, and more. 

This analysis can reveal customer pain points, which you can then address to improve the customer experience. Social media mining and marketing analytics, for example, might show that some customers have stopped buying a certain type of product. With that data, you could update the product to better serve your customers or even phase it out entirely. 

Cut costs

Small businesses can use big data to cut costs and increase efficiency. For instance, data could show that customers prefer to use live chat instead of the telephone to talk with customer service. In this case, you may consider switching to a less expensive phone plan with fewer lines to reduce costs without affecting the customer experience.

Increase revenue

With big data, small businesses can analyze and gain insight into the beliefs and preferences of their customers. You could use this insight to adjust your existing services or develop a new product or service to match customer needs. For example, you could learn that your customers want faster shipping options or more products from a certain category. You can then take steps to add those options, giving your customers what they want and increasing sales and revenue. 

Analyze competitors

Small business owners can use big data to analyze competitors. You might discover that you need to adjust the price of your products or that other companies offer popular services you do not have. This knowledge enables businesses to make decisions to ensure the company remains competitive. 
Proper use of big data technology and analytics can be a game-changer for small businesses. The technology might seem overwhelming from afar, but for the most part, it is surprisingly easy to use. If you can take advantage of big data, you'll find insights that can vastly improve the performance of your business. Of course, to really take advantage of big data, you need reliable Internet. Optimum Business offers Internet plans with fast speeds and reliable, secure service that can help take your business to the next level.

Optimum Business is committed to helping you achieve your business goals. Descubra cómo podemos ayudar aún más a su negocio con nuestros consejos y recursos de comercialización.