Making the most of your tech & data investments — Courtney Trudeau // Merkle

Show Notes

• 02:55
  How to right size your investments in technology and data

  Start with your strategy, and goals, and understand what you have in place already that can be leveraged. By taking all these factors into consideration, you can identify the gaps that need investment and how to resolve your current challenges.
• 04:47
  Making scalable data and technology investments

  Many platforms and technologies today are scalable and offer flexible pricing structures that can adapt to your needs. Prioritize based on value and weigh the costs and benefits of different options against each other.
• 06:14
  Understanding your business model when considering transitioning to the cloud

  Depending on where you plan to take your business, a simpler solution may be ideal for you. However, the cloud is the way to go for those looking to continually grow and flex their business, particularly if you have ups and downs within your business cycles.
• 07:07
  Overview of and benefits of Snowflake

  Snowflake is a data warehouse that sits on any cloud of your choosing. It is known for allowing users to share data across different organizations without having to copy it into another database, enabling people to read and query the data without needing to copy it.
• 09:21
  Other data and technology investments to consider

  These include tools for standardizing and cleansing data, identity resolution, visualization or business intelligence tools, and CDP or reverse ETL for integration with downstream platforms. Also, a journey orchestration tool is needed for managing customer interactions and decision trees.
• 10:46
  Figuring out what your investment should be in technology and data

  There is no specific or fixed percentage of revenue that can be considered as the right investment in technology and data. The decision depends on various factors such as understanding the ROI, where you are today, and gaps in the organization.
• 12:15
  Having the right people and skill sets when investing in new technology

  Before investing in new technology, assess whether the organization has the necessary skills and people to manage it effectively, and the budget for additional staff if necessary. Having an admin-level person who can ensure the technologys health and functionality is crucial.