Why Outsource Data Collection for Data-Driven Marketing (2023)

Data-driven marketing has revolutionized the marketing landscape. But few companies are equipped to handle the intricacies of data collection and processing in-house. Outsourcing data collection to specialized companies has become the favored option of marketers, intent on optimizing brand communication and customer experience.

Data lies at the core of all business operations – especially marketing. Companies are exploring all avenues to gather the right data and assess its quality to maximize impact of marketing strategies and initiatives. All of it begins with the most critical phase, data collection. Despite this, about 87% marketers feel that data is their company’s most under-utilized asset.

In this article, we will take you through the important aspects of why data collection matters and how outsourcing data collection will help companies focus on things that matter most.

Why collect data for marketing purposes

In a business environment today, companies are facing challenges like uncertainty in market conditions, rise of personalization demand, decrease in customer loyalty and fractured consumer journey across hundreds of touchpoints.

Data-driven marketing helps companies to use customer data – acquired through various channels and interactions- to get an integrated and clear view of customer behavior, motivations, preferences and triggers. With this, it also becomes easy to target the right segment of audience and use information to convert prospects into customers.

And that is why collecting data for marketing matters more than ever. It helps marketing leaders to improve customer experience, deliver personalization, drive acquisition and increase brand affinity. Businesses that execute data-driven marketing strategies are experiencing five to eight times rise in ROI as compared to those who don’t.

To power strategies and personalization efforts, companies need to develop and nurture new competencies in data sourcing, integration and analysis. As it can turn out to be an overwhelming and time-consuming process, outsourcing data collection to the right partner always pays off in the long run.

The hurdles of in-house data collection

Before delving into the benefits of outsourcing, it’s essential to understand the challenges associated with in-house data collection.

• Specialized expertise: Data collection requires a blend of skills – data science, statistical analysis, and data interpretation. In-house teams may not possess this advanced skill set, leading to potential inaccuracies and misguided decisions.

  In-house teams may lack the necessary expertise or experience to collect, clean, and analyze complex data sets effectively. This could lead to inaccurate insights or even worse, misguided decisions.

• Resource intensive: Data collection is time-consuming and demands significant manpower and technical resources. If a company lacks the requisite resources, or if resources are diverted from other key areas, this can impede overall business operations.

• Costs: Maintaining an in-house data collection team can be costly. Expenses include not just salaries, but also costs associated with training, hardware, software, and other technologies needed for data collection, storage, and analysis.

• Scaling difficulties: As your business grows, so too does the volume of data. Scaling in-house data collection to match this growth can prove a Herculean task for many businesses. This could mean they miss out on important insights, or have to invest significantly in additional resources to keep up with growing data needs.

• Data security and privacy: Protecting collected data and adhering to global privacy regulations is crucial. Businesses collecting data in-house must ensure they adhere to all relevant privacy laws and regulations, such as GDPR or the California Consumer Privacy Act. They must also have robust data security measures in place to prevent data breaches, which can be costly and damaging to a company’s reputation.

• Data quality and integration: Gathering high-quality, clean data from multiple sources and integrating it into a unified, actionable view is a complex process. This is especially the case if data is collected in different formats or if some data sources are incompatible with others. Missteps can lead to faulty analyses and ineffective strategies. Without adequate quality control measures in place, in-house data collection efforts can lead to poor-quality data. This could result in inaccurate analyses and decision-making based on faulty information.

• Keeping up with advancements: The landscape of data collection is constantly evolving. Staying abreast of new tools, technologies, and best practices is a challenge for many in-house teams.

By outsourcing data collection, companies can often overcome many of these challenges, allowing them to focus on their core competencies while ensuring they have access to the high-quality, actionable data they need to make informed decisions.

Why outsourcing data collection is a smart move

Outsourcing data collection entails the process of delegating data collection activities to an experienced service provider. When you outsource data collection, you gain access to a team of professionals experienced in handling data from various sources. Their expertise ensures accurate, reliable data for insightful decision-making.

Listed here a few important benefits of outsourcing data collection services:

• Cost savings: Outsourcing data collection removes the need for hiring and training in-house resources, nurturing skills, investing in technology and maintaining data collection tools. It leads to major cost savings in business operations.
• Access to expertise and experience: Companies offering data collection services have domain expertise in gathering, managing and maintaining data. With their teams of skilled professionals, they deploy the best-fit data collection techniques, methodologies and approaches leading to accurate and reliable data for clients.
• Data security and compliance: Reputable outsourcing firms are equipped with robust security measures and are knowledgeable about global privacy regulations, ensuring your data’s safety and legal compliance.
• Scalability and flexibility: Data volumes and collection requirements vary based on time, industry, and size of the company. Data collection needs to be scaled up and down based on the needs. Outsourcing data collection helps to manage fluctuations in volume, complexity, flexibility and demand. Outsourcing partners are adept at handling varying data volumes, enabling you to scale your data collection efforts seamlessly, based on your needs.
• Quality control and integration: Outsourcing data collection helps to free up internal resources to turn attention and efforts on core business activities rather than data entry, validation, cleaning and analysis and lead to enhanced operational efficiency.
• Staying current: Outsourcing firms constantly update their methodologies to stay competitive, ensuring that your data collection processes benefit from the latest industry best practices.

Outsourcing companies employ sophisticated quality control measures, resulting in clean, high-quality data. They also excel in integrating data from multiple sources into a cohesive, actionable dataset. Further, they conduct regular audits and maintain data collection protocols to comply with GDPR and California Act to help enhance data quality and mitigate risks.

How to choose the right data collection outsourcing partner

Choosing the right data collection partner can be the difference between a data-driven marketing campaign that fizzles and one that ignites your business. But with a multitude of options out there, how do you find your perfect match? Follow these simple, yet powerful, steps to make the process a breeze.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the crucial role of data in shaping impactful marketing strategies cannot be overstated. As businesses grapple with the challenges of in-house data collection, from the need for specialized expertise and resource allocation to data security concerns and scalability issues, outsourcing emerges as a compelling solution.

Engaging a dedicated data collection partner not only mitigates these challenges but also brings forth benefits like cost savings, access to expert knowledge, and enhanced flexibility.

By making this strategic shift, marketing professionals can ensure they are armed with reliable, high-quality data, propelling them towards informed decisions and successful marketing campaigns. By outsourcing data collection, they can refocus their energies on what they do best – crafting marketing strategies that resonate with their audience and propel their business forward.