Data Data Data

September 28, 2024in Salesforce

With the unprecedented surge in data—expected to grow by 22% this year according to the Salesforce State of Data and Analytics 2023 report—and the rapid evolution of AI, maintaining data quality and security has become more critical than ever.

The AI and Information Management 2024 Report highlights that 52% of organizations encountered data quality issues during AI implementation, while 71% expressed serious concerns about data privacy and security in AI deployments.

The cornerstone of success in any data-driven initiative is strong data governance, ensuring data quality, trust, and privacy. The report also emphasized that effective data governance maximizes the value of data assets. Beyond compliance and quality control, it democratizes data access across an organization, making it essential for long-term success.

This insight explores common challenges undermining Salesforce data quality and outlines how robust data governance can lead to high-quality, reliable data.

Challenges to Maintaining Quality Salesforce Data

Challenge 1: Data Silos Create Fragmented Customer Information

Use Case: In the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector, nearly half of companies struggle to collect and integrate the massive amount of data required for AI adoption. Data fragmentation across supply chains, product categories, and SKUs creates silos, leading to inconsistent customer information. For instance, sales and marketing teams might work with different data sets, leading to disjointed customer interactions and ineffective campaigns. This results in missed sales opportunities, inefficient resource use, and poor customer experiences, ultimately weakening strategic decision-making and competitiveness.

Solution: Implementing an information lifecycle management system can address data fragmentation. It provides a unified view for managing content across repositories, helping companies maintain a holistic customer view.

Challenge 2: Poor Data Quality Erodes Trust

Use Case: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology found that at least 7 out of 100 medical records are mismatched or duplicated. A healthcare organization using Salesforce without proper data governance may face incomplete or inaccurate patient information, resulting in incorrect treatments and inefficient care, which damages patient trust and increases legal risks.

Solution: You leverages AI to eliminate duplicate records, ensuring clean and accurate data. It classifies content based on metadata and assigns governance policies to prevent duplication, ensuring high-quality data across systems. Additionally, Backup for Salesforce tools detect suspicious anomalies or potential ransomware activity, proactively preserving data integrity.

Challenge 3: Data Growth Increases Cyber Risks

Use Case: As 65% of e-commerce organizations aim to become fully data-driven by 2026, increasing data volumes introduce greater risks. Without robust protection strategies, companies face potential data loss and operational disruptions.

Solution: Tectonic’s solution offers automatic daily backups and on-demand restores, safeguarding data integrity and minimizing downtime in the event of cyberattacks or data breaches.

Building a Strong Data Governance Foundation

To overcome these challenges, organizations must adopt a comprehensive approach to data governance. Here are seven essential steps to establish effective Salesforce data governance:

Create a Cross-Functional Data Governance Team: Build a team with stakeholders from across business, analytics, and IT. This team will define the organization’s data strategy and assign ownership for effective implementation.
Assess Your Current Data Governance Maturity: Use Salesforce’s assessment tools to evaluate your current practices, compliance frameworks, and data management processes.
Define Data Governance Objectives: Set clear, measurable goals aligned with business priorities using the SMART framework to guide your governance efforts.
Develop a Governance Framework: Customize a structured framework that addresses data quality, security, privacy, and compliance across departments.
Communicate, Gather Feedback, and Engage Users: Foster a data-driven culture by engaging users, collecting feedback, and clearly communicating governance policies to ensure buy-in.
Monitor and Measure Effectiveness: Regularly track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your governance strategy and adapt as necessary.
Conduct Simulation Drills: Test the limits of your governance policies with simulated audits and stress tests to identify and address any gaps in your framework.

Champion Salesforce Data Governance with Tectonic

Effective Salesforce data governance requires collaboration across all levels of the organization. With over two decades of experience, Tectonic empowers organizations to enhance their digital operations, mitigate risks, and achieve compliance in a dynamic data landscape. By establishing a strong data governance framework, your organization can confidently navigate the challenges of data growth, security, and quality.

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