Beyond: Putting Data to Work (previously Beyond Analysis)

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a business engagement lead for a company that’s part of a global group focused on the supply and distribution of plumbing and heating materials. I work for the U.K. business in the IT department.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Beyond Analysis?

I was leading analytics strategy for a piece of work we were undertaking and wanted more support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The work was an overarching strategy piece that was varied and high-level. Beyond Analysis helped our business move from having lots of data that we couldn’t analyze well to data with immediate insights. We wanted to change from a traditional business intelligence model where people have to sift through a lot of data before finding what’s important. Beyond Analysis helped us cover patterns we previously couldn’t spot. They defined processes and technologies to better utilize our data.

What is the team composition?

We had one full-time resource and a senior manager who worked with us two days a week.

How did you come to work with Beyond Analysis?

A consultancy we work with recommended them. We did our due diligence and then invited them in. We went through a small tender and RFP process with various agencies, but in the end, we chose Beyond Analysis. They had the right experience and were willing to customize their approach to best fit our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between £100,000–£150,000 ($138,870–$208,305 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Unfortunately, a lack of funds limited our ability to implement Beyond Analysis’s suggestions. However, the reaction to their proposals was positive and started a lot of debate amongst our senior leaders.

How did Beyond Analysis perform from a project management standpoint?

They were hardworking and kept the deadlines. We worked with them and a wider team, but Beyond Analysis conducted everything. They were conscientious and professional, managing themselves and our stakeholders well. We were in the same building 4­–5 days a week, so we mainly communicated in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They interacted with the people in our business extremely well, from senior leadership to data and reporting analysts. They worked with quite a range of people and everyone was impressed with them.

They’re a good end-to-end analytics partner. They can help you find a strategy through implementation and analysis.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were impressed with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a wealth of experience and ideas, but they may suggest something that doesn’t work for your business or industry. You should recognize and challenge that. Point those kinds of things out, and they’ll work with you to solve them.