Business intelligence systems: unlock business productivity

The way we do business has changed enormously, and it’s all thanks to something called big data. 

Humans generate almost unfathomable amounts of data. In fact, it’s projected that 181 zettabytes of data will be produced in 2025.¹

That data represents billions of daily interactions. From your work emails and Zoom meetings to financial transactions at the highest level of banking.

Data is everywhere, but here’s the thing: it’s useless if you can’t make sense of it. And that’s where business intelligence (BI) systems come in.

These systems have been around for a while and they’re only getting smarter with capabilities such as artificial intelligence and customization options. 

Today, the global BI market size is worth more than USD $25 billion, and for good reason - big data helps us understand human psychology.²

So, the right business intelligence tools can be a massive boon to your team’s productivity. In this article, we’ll cover the top benefits and some surefire strategies to get started.

Image source: Amount of Data Created Daily (2024)

What is business intelligence?

Business intelligence is the process of using data to make faster, more targeted, and better-informed business decisions. It’s about uncovering those "aha!" moments hidden within your data, and using them to gain a competitive edge.

In a data-driven organization, BI systems work by collecting data from all various sources—think CRM software, marketing platforms, HR tech, financial systems, and even your project management tools.

This data is then cleaned, organized, and stored in a central location, often called a data warehouse.

Here's where the magic happens. BI tools step in to make sense of this data by identifying market trends, patterns, and correlations that might not be visible at first glance.

These deeper insights are then presented in an easy-to-understand way through interactive dashboards, custom reports, and data visualizations.

BI systems often integrate with other software that monitors key performance indicators and collects data. This can be on pretty much every business system.

For instance:

• Hiring/onboarding people analytics: These tools improve hiring success rates, onboarding, retention, benchmark high performers, and BI centralizes these business process insights.
• Customer relationship management: This is your central command for everything client-related. Your business intelligence dashboard can provide accurate reporting on past customer interactions and buying patterns to pinpoint which clients would be most receptive to a new offering.
• Enterprise resource planning: ERP solutions hold a treasure trove of data on your operational processes. Your financial data, your supply chain, your inventory, and more, across all your operations (which becomes particularly handy if you are a business with an international presence). Integrating your ERP with BI provides actionable insights into what’s working, what’s not, and where there are opportunities to optimize.

Photo by Carlos Muza on Unsplash

7 benefits of business intelligence to team productivity

1. Enables speedy and informed decision-making

Let's say you're about to kick off a large cross-functional analytics project. Instead of relying on gut feelings to assemble your team, wouldn't it be great to analyze real time data on which team members would be best suited based on their unique motivations and team dynamics?

Business intelligence gives you that power. 

You can instantly benchmark your team to pinpoint the high performers most likely to succeed, assess team members to predict where team conflict may arise, and view team insights that align with venture success.

No more lengthy debates or second-guessing, just data-driven decisions that get results fast.

2. Integrates data for accessible, data-driven insights

Let’s talk about data silos, a major productivity killer. They happen when information gets stuck in separate systems: your CRM and your people analytics platform, and none of them talk to each other.

Constantly switching between them wastes a lot of time and will likely lead to frustration and lost work hours.

A key benefit of a business intelligence platform is that you get a single source of truth. Imagine all your data seamlessly integrated and readily available. No more conflicting reports or outdated numbers—just accurate and accessible real-time analytics at your fingertips.

Image source: Breaking Down Data Silos

3. Promotes transparent and clear team communication

Miscommunication: it's a recipe for missed deadlines, frustrated clients, and a whole lot of unnecessary stress. A robust BI system helps you avoid all that. It gives your whole team access to the same data and dashboards. 

Then, you can track project progress together, identify potential roadblocks early on, and make sure everyone is on the same page. A business intelligence platform is indispensable for fostering a workplace culture of transparency and collaboration.

4. Tracks performance and identifies growth opportunities

Beyond just monitoring basic performance metrics, BI systems can highlight specific areas for strategic growth within your business.

For instance, your BI program might reveal that past projects involving social media marketing efforts consistently have higher profit margins and customer satisfaction than other offerings.

Many managers struggle to see the big picture and miss easy hacks like this. But BI brings business opportunities to the surface by providing insights into customer behavior to inform strategic planning.

5. Facilitates proactive planning and issue resolution

Data security is a major concern for any business, especially if your company handles sensitive client information. This includes pretty much every ecommerce platform or website that requires you to make an account. 

But did you know that a BI system can play a key role in mitigating potential risks? You can get it to help with cybersecurity tricks, such as monitoring data access patterns and flagging unusual activity.

Image source: Why organizations need to educate employees about cybersecurity

6. Optimizes employee productivity and resource allocation

What’s the most useful resource in every business? Your team, of course! But are you using their skills and expertise in the most effective way?

Business intelligence solutions are a powerful tool for workforce planning strategy. For example, you could set it to examine previous project timelines and uncover which team dynamics performed the best. This removes the risk of human bias from the process, so no one gets accused of favoritism.

Likewise, you could use your business intelligence reports to spot potential overbookings in a team member’s workload. With this knowledge, you could either spread the work more evenly or readjust the project schedule at an early stage rather than being forced to play catch-up later on.

7. Allows cross-functional collaboration to drive productivity

In a company where human resources, marketing, sales, and product development are all on the same page, decisions are made together based on shared data.

No conflicting opinions on different sets of data, just consistent, valuable insights driving every department forward. That's the power of cross-functional collaboration in business intelligence.

Many businesses use Google Analytics 4 to understand their website traffic and customer behavior, which is a great start. However, GA4 doesn't always play nicely with other systems like your CRM, HR tech or marketing platform.

Ideally, you'll also want a tool that seamlessly integrates all your data sources. For enhancing website traffic, white label digital marketing services can be a viable option for business owners to consider.

Tips for launching business intelligence initiatives

Align objectives with strategic priorities

Before diving head-first into the world of business intelligence software, take a step back and ask yourself: "What are we trying to achieve?"

Do you want to improve team performance, boost sales, streamline operations, or maybe revolutionize customer service? 

Once you've nailed down your big-picture goals, you can align your BI initiatives accordingly. This ensures you're not just collecting data for data's sake, but rather, using it to make informed decisions that align with these business goals.

Assess data readiness and accessibility

Now it's time for a little data inventory. Where is all your valuable information hiding? Is it scattered across different departments and software systems? Take stock of your data sources, from your various business applications (see above) to your trusty spreadsheets.

Then, evaluate their accessibility and quality. Remember, your business intelligence system can only be as strong as the data fueling it. If it's a mess, it's time for a cleanup!

Choose suitable tools that align with needs

Selecting the right business intelligence tools is the next critical step, and it’s not a decision you want to make hastily. First, determine whether you require a comprehensive BI suite offering a wide range of functionalities or a specialized solution tailored to a specific department or process.

For people-centric organizations leveraging advanced collaboration and performance technology such as Marlee, consider integrating insights on employee motivations, organizational culture, and high-performance team dynamics.

If your business manages core operational data such as financials, inventory, and supply chains through an ERP system, it's essential to prioritize BI tools that seamlessly connect with your ERP.

This integration gives you a top-down view of your business operations, and the power to make authentic data-driven decisions.

Similarly, if your CRM system houses valuable customer data, you probably want to prioritize BI reporting tools capable of integrating with your CRM and marketing automation platforms.

Image source: Sage.com ERP software

Provide employee training and support

You've got the data, you've got the shiny new BI tools, now what? It's time to unleash the power of your team! Even the most sophisticated technology assets are useless if your employees don't know how to use them.

That's why investing in training is crucial. You want to create easy-to-follow guidance on everything from accessing data and navigating dashboards to generating insightful reports. 

These days, many business intelligence software providers have walkthroughs and training sessions for this, although you could task someone in your organization to create educational content, like short how-to videos.

It’s the culture of confidence and “no stupid questions” that makes businesses agile and ready to adapt.

Embrace the future: Transform your business with intelligence

Feeling ready to unlock the power of your data and supercharge employee productivity?  Business intelligence can make it happen.

By aligning objectives, assessing your data, choosing the right tools, and prioritizing training, you'll create a workplace where everyone is empowered to make smarter, faster, data-driven decisions.  

Oh, and one last tip: be patient! In today's data-driven world building a collaborative culture takes time, but the results are well worth the effort.