Analytics both support and cause change

What we call analytics is both an major driver for business agility and a powerful value creation level. As a matter of fact they allow to go beyond traditional data mining and reporting, providing a comprehensive view how what’s happening and discovering patterns that help to predict how things will be tomorrow.

So analytics are a change lever – even a continuous change one – since they provide people with the data they need do understand and manage an unique situation or case, contrary to the systematic application of a standard procedure that may work in 80% of cases but will never provide the best solution for each individual case and will even be counterproductive in the 20% left. Analytics help to import a operating models in real time according to the context, what improves agility.

A perfect example can be found in this post explaining how Qantas Airlines used analytics to improve customer service [fr].

On each flight, crew members have a list of the 5 passengers they should care the most of. They are not necessarily the most profitable ones, other criteria being taken into account. Bottom line : ” employees love this tool because it makes their job easier and give them more opportunities to interact with customers”.;