Ensure Data and Information Flow

 

If intelligence needs to be delivered in a continuous fashion, a steady flow or feed of data and information needs to be established. This way intelligence can be produced without the hassle of chasing fresh data and current reports whenever market intelligence is required.

Establishing online connections and data feeds can be one important starting point. But a sustainable intelligence life cycle needs to be fed by a variety of sources and intelligence substance. Published information (mostly available online) as well as hard copies of competition reports and market studies and unpublished intelligence such as all the soft intelligence coming right out of the meeting rooms with customers and partners need to be brought to a constant flow.

Proper intelligence processes need to aim for smooth and continuous passing of any intelligence, properly assigning responsibilities and accountability to interfacing personnel and functional groups that support the intelligence life cycle.

Being able to demonstrate the effectiveness of this intelligence flow through timely delivery and enabling of marketers and sales staff should increase acceptance of any intelligence effort and thus directly push for an even more efficient information and data flow from internal legacy systems (such as ERP), CRM solutions, meeting and customer call reports and published information.