Data Quality - Small Beer?

According to a new Data Quality Benchmark Study by Tank! Action Group and Transactis, half of the organisations surveyed (some of the biggest mailers in the UK) have no data quality strategy in place and, instead, approach it in an ad hoc way, with irregular, unplanned attempts to resolve data quality problems.  What is more, 40% of these organisations do not view data as a commercial asset, and are therefore unlikely to see it as worth investing in.

So many organisations regard data quality as small beer, i.e. of little importance.  They will continue to lose out to those that recognise the critical nature of data quality.  Neglecting data quality results in under performing business applications and loses UK business £billions every year.

The real cost of small beer

In a separate report, published by the Financial Times (FT.com) today, Camra (the Campaign for Real Ale) reveals a shocking indictment of 10 years of Tony Blair's government.  Back in 1997, the British public was promised that "drinkers will get what they pay for under Labour".  Yet Camra's survey of trading standard officers found that one in four "pints" contains less than 95% of a real pint.  The cost to beer drinkers?  A whopping £481m per year, or a total of £4.5bn since Mr. Blair won in May 1997.

Two subjects close to my heart: data quality and beer.   :O)