We live in a world with more data than ever before. Data has become a hugely valuable asset to every single company as it helps companies to make better-informed decisions, gain more customer insight, and provide more intelligent products and services. But with more data also comes more responsibility.

1. What’s The Biggest Data
Threat For Businesses?
(It’s Not What You Think)

2. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
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IntroductionIntroduction
The enormous amount of data being generated every day is changing our world, and
has given rise to a term most of us are now familiar with: big data. The sheer volume of
data available is just one of the many challenges in working with big data. But perhaps
the biggest data threat is one that many businesses don’t
see coming.
What’s The Biggest Data Threat For Businesses?
(It’s Not What You Think)

3. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Big data brings big advantages
Thanks to big data, organizations of all shapes and sizes are gaining unprecedented
insights into customer behavior, market preferences and business performance. This
knowledge is enabling businesses to make smarter decisions, better understand their
customers, improve business processes, increase revenue, and more.
One great example comes from German retail company Otto. Data showed that Otto’s
customers were less likely to return items when they arrived within two days, and when
the items arrived all together at once, as opposed to separate shipments. This makes
sense, but it posed a major challenge for Otto, which, like Amazon, sells products from
many different suppliers. Keeping every item in stock so that goods can be shipped
together is a tall order. Thanks to big data – to be precise, the data from 3 billion past
transactions – the company was able to build a predictive model that could anticipate,
with 90% accuracy, what customers would want to buy in the next 30 days. This means the
right products can be ordered ahead of time. As a result, product returns have reduced by
over
2 million items a year.

4. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Big data brings big advantages
In another example, PepsiCo used data to drive sales of a new product: Quaker Overnight
Oats. The company was able to identify the most valuable shoppers to market the product
to – pinpointing 24 million priority households from a dataset of 110 million households.
After a carefully targeted launch campaign, these priority customers drove 80% of the
product’s sales in the first 12 weeks
after launch.

5. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
The darker side of big data
There are many challenges associated with big data. When I work with business leaders to
help them develop their data strategy, often the first pitfalls or challenges they think of are
around technology or skills. In other words, without the technical infrastructure, in-house
knowledge or vast budgets of companies like Amazon or Facebook, many business
leaders think the advantages of big data are beyond their grasp.
But thanks to big-data-as-a-service (BDaaS), technology and skills pose less of a problem
than you might think. BDaaS essentially refers to the delivery of big data tools and
technology – and sometimes even the data itself – through software-as-a-service
platforms, meaning companies can access big data tools without having to invest in
expensive infrastructure or new hires. As these off-the-peg data and analytics tools
become more advanced, my hope is that technology, infrastructure, and skills will become
less daunting barriers to working with data.

6. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
The darker side of big data
Data security is another challenge that business leaders cite, and with good reason. As
data becomes an increasingly critical business asset, the need to protect that data
(particularly personal data) becomes even more vital. That’s why every business needs a
robust data security policy in place, and must take steps to educate employees on the
potential threats. Most businesses are all too aware of this need, though. What are they
less aware of?

7. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
One pitfall that doesn’t get the
recognition it deserves
In my experience, there’s one threat that too many businesses downplay. And that threat
is data privacy. For many years, there’s been something of a Wild West culture around big
data, with companies playing fast and loose with privacy. Think of the news in 2019 that
human analysts listen to people's private Alexa conversations. Amazon maintained the
practice is vital for improving Alexa’s abilities, and I’m sure that’s true, but the fact remains
that most people didn’t know their Alexa recordings might be heard by others – because
that not-so-insignificant detail was buried in lengthy terms and conditions that few people
read. Consumer outrage ensued, and Amazon wisely offered an opt-out option.

8. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
One pitfall that doesn’t get the
recognition it deserves
This is just one of many examples of companies taking liberties with people’s data. Apps
that demand access to all your phone contacts. Social media sites using facial recognition
technology on you and your friends without you realizing. Companies reserving the right
to share your personal details with “interested third parties”. The list goes on.
The introduction of the European Union’s GDPR shows that data privacy laws are
beginning to tighten up, and will continue to do so – but there’s no doubt that regulators
are playing catchup on this issue. I believe it’s up to companies to forge an ethical,
responsible approach to data privacy. An approach that recognizes and safeguards
individuals’ right to privacy. An approach that’s far more transparent than what we’ve seen
in the past.

9. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
One pitfall that doesn’t get the
recognition it deserves
Because the truth is, most of us are happy to part with our precious data when we're
getting something useful in return. Plenty of Alexa users wouldn't mind their recordings
being used to improve the Alexa service, so long as they know that's what they're signing
up for, and that they can opt-out at any point. When customers can't make an informed
choice, that's when problems can occur.
Bad news has always traveled fast. But in this digital age, a company's reputation can be
tarnished in seconds. Companies who don't recognize the importance of data privacy risk
not only legal blowback and hefty fines, but also serious reputational damage.

10. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
A more responsible approach to data
Data is clearly powerful stuff. But as any Spider-Man fan knows, with great power comes
great responsibility! Here are some key tips for wielding the power of big data
responsibly, so that you don’t get blindsided by the data privacy threat:
• Be upfront with your customers and stakeholders about what data you’re collecting
and why.
• Don’t bury this information in lengthy service or product terms and conditions that you
know nobody will read.
• Offer an opt-out wherever possible.
• Anonymize customer data wherever possible so that individuals cannot
be identified.
• Make sure customers know what they’re getting in return for giving up
their data.

11. © 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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