Big Data seems like a relatively new phenomenon. However, its roots can be traced to the 1960s: that's when the first IBM computer capable of handling large quantities of data was launched. Today, big data is a common concept. It refers to the colossal volume of data on the internet. Pause for a moment and consider the sheer amount of data you enter online every day: that's your personal details, photos, websites visited, and so much more. It's estimated that the average person creates 1.7 Mb of data every second they are online. Big data has become instrumental to businesses, allowing them to target customer needs and locate markets. However, most businesses rely on big data suppliers to get all the information they need. Unfortunately, you need to be cautious before using this data.

Accuracy Issues

One of the biggest problems with big data is it pulls information from hundreds of sources. That means it can often duplicate files, have address elements missing or even mix personal data across clients. The result is, you rely on a big data file to contact potential new customers and the details aren't accurate. The good news concerning this issue is, there is a solution. Companies such as egon.com specialize in taking your data, scanning it and correcting it. Best of all, they can do this for thousands of files in just a few minutes.

The result is highly accurate data

Of course, this incurs an additional cost and you should consider this when negotiating your big data price.

Security Issues

Big data files contain huge amounts of personal information. If you're purchasing files, then you're increasing your risk of being targeted by cybercriminals. Alongside this, the data may have been corrupted or contain malware before it arrives with you. Both of these things mean you need adequate security procedures in place to protect your business data. The security should also make sure that hackers can't access personal information within your system. In short, to prevent this from being a serious issue for your business, you'll need the best possible IT professionals. It's an additional but necessary investment. Don't forget that one breach can seriously damage your business reputation and cost you as much as one third of your customer base permanently.

Storage Systems

Using big data means you need the infrastructure and storage space to handle and organize all the files. If you don't, your system will be overwhelmed and you won't see any benefit from the big data. It's essential to invest in the infrastructure and storage space before you start using big data. That means additional costs before you can use the data to boost your customer database.

The Right Professionals

Surprisingly, one of the biggest problems facing businesses is having the right staff to handle the data. Big data looks at facts and discovers trends. However, in the wrong hands, it can be easily misinterpreted. That means you'll be drawing the wrong conclusions from your data and this may be detrimental to your business. It's also possible that big data can be manipulated or purposely misinterpreted. That's why you need the right professionals, ones that you can trust to use the data properly.

Increased Business Costs

All the above factors will increase the cost of operating your business. These can be deemed necessary expenses and the rewards, via new customers, should outweigh the cost investment. However, this is only the case if you are using professionals who know what they are doing and you have clean data, already organized and compatible with your systems. For that, you need experienced IT professionals and a reputable data cleaning company. This will ensure the additional costs are justifiable and beneficial. In short, they will boost the bottom line which is what all businesses are concerned about.

Summing Up

Any business that wants to survive needs to move with the times. For example, today it is essential to have an online presence. The same is true with big data. You need it to target the right audience and even help you develop products and services, but as with all changing technologies, there are risks. These need to be understood and mitigated if you want your business to flourish.