Data democratization isn’t just about making data more available; it’s about enabling everyone in your organization to use the available data, regardless of their technical abilities. Employees who can better access and understand all available data are equipped to make better decisions, making them feel they can truly make a difference in their work. That feeling of making a difference is one of the key factors contributing to employee longevity.
Creating this work environment takes effort, but it’s worth it to empower your business for future growth. When your employees are more comfortable and confident in their work, customers’ experiences are improved. In turn, you gain a competitive advantage. But to truly acquire this advantage, you must provide the right tools for your employees while ensuring they feel safe asking questions. If they feel their questions will not be answered or taken seriously, no amount of data or data management tools will change the work environment.
Who Benefits from Data Democratization
But who in your organization can benefit from data democratization? Everyone from marketing and sales, product and engineering, support and customer service, all the way to upper management. These are all very different positions in a company, and they all use data in different ways. That’s why data must be available in a single repository for whoever needs it.
Data democratization can also apply to your clients. By providing a “self-service” system, clients can easily access the information they need to assess the services they are receiving. This helps create a trust-based relationship because clients can get the information they need without asking for special permission or feeling like things are being hidden.
Security and Trust
Trust is a critical asset in any business, and when your clients trust you, they tell other potential clients. But when we talk about trust, we must also consider security because even when data is democratized, some data must be protected.
It is critical that sensitive information is secured and only accessible to those who should have access to it. Using information management platforms like M-Files, you can ensure that sensitive information like employee salary information, customer payment information, and other confidential data is only visible to those with the right permissions.
The Bottom Line
To fully democratize your data, you must understand your business ecosystem, listen to the needs of those utilizing the data, and offer flexible solutions which will satisfy those needs. With M-Files, information contained in network folders, ERP, financial software, SharePoint, and other line-of-business applications can be centralized.
Ready to learn more? Our experts can help you find the right balance to empower your employees, support your clients, and grow your business.
