Telecommunications companies have long been at the forefront of data warehousing, and keeping an eye on the issues they face can help other industries confront their challenges as their businesses become more data-intensive.
Consider this: two of the five largest databases in the world are those of telecom companies (AT&T and Sprint), according to a ranking by Business Intelligence Lowdown. Having to keep track of call detail records, transactional data, network utilization information, call center and service information, etc., telecom companies must manage a blizzard of data. The challenge is not keeping track of this data, but optimizing its use to improve operational performance. With telecom companies under constant pressure to maximize revenue, decrease costs and grow profits, those that have the most relevant data will be in the best position to make quick and accurate decisions about current and future trends.
This is not a concern unique to telecommunications businesses - companies in many markets face similar challenges related to getting the right information to the right people at the right time in order to achieve corporate goals. Similarly, the challenges facing the telecom industry are applicable to other verticals - reduce customer churn, increase revenue by cross-selling and/or upselling customers on new products and services, decrease the cost of customer service and support, prevent fraud and mistakes in billing, and optimize network management.
Can you keep up with your data? Progress in technology means companies (in both telecommunications and in other industries) have more processing power and storage capabilities than ever. But they still are challenged in keeping up with the data. Why?
- Is volume of data skyrocketing? According to a recent report from IDC, about 40 percent of telecom companies' data warehouses are already more than a terabyte, and 18 percent of the companies expect their largest data warehouse to at least double in size over the next year. Another 37 percent expect the size of their data warehouse to grow 25 to 50 percent.
- Are the types of data you want to track expanding? Companies are faced with continually shifting data streams from a variety of sources. In addition to internal performance data, companies may need to analyze data coming in through call centers, click-streams from Web sites, billing information, financial data and supply chain developments.
- Is the way you're using data shifting? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that your business uses to analyze performance? In telecom, industry groups such as the TeleManagement Forum offer ways to benchmark performance, and organizations are also trying to develop KPIs unique to the conditions of their business.
- How is the size and variety of your user base changing? A recent study produced by Unisphere Research and the International DB2 Users Group (for GoldenGate Software) found that for many organizations, a centralized data repository to be used by analysts is no longer enough. More companies want a broader number of staff and "front-line" decision makers to have access to BI. One-fifth of the survey respondents said that more than 500 people access the data in their data warehouses.
- Is your window of time available for making critical business decisions shrinking? Both managers and workers increasingly need access to this data quickly in order to make the best business decisions. Some 13 percent of telecom organizations surveyed said they refreshed their data warehouses in real time, and daily updates are becoming increasingly common, says IDC.
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