Often described as the oil of the 21st century, data is a hugely valuable asset in any industry, with the power to deliver greater business insights, more targeted product offerings, better customer service and retention rates, and ultimately increased profitability. Just like oil, however, data needs to be skilfully extracted and refined for this power to be released. Within the leisure sector, products such as Gladstone’s eyeQ – a powerful query builder and business intelligence tool launched last year – is already helping operators to get the most out of their data, both in terms of accessing and analysing customer information and monitoring and improving financial processes.
After just two days of training on eyeQ, leisure operators can build detailed queries and run highly customised reports using the standard query builder, while the Custom SQL feature enables the creation of even more complicated queries and reports. And for those challenges where operators need a helping hand, Gladstone can now provide that too – in the form of a bespoke data consultancy service offered exclusively to eyeQ customers by its in-house team of business intelligence consultants.
“eyeQ greatly enhances the ability of operators to write their own queries and do their own ad hoc reporting,” says Guy Bickerton, head of Gladstone’s data consultancy team. “However, there are always going to be instances where the issue is so complex that expert input is needed.
“As well as making the Custom SQL feature work for you, we can access data beyond the standard eyeQ reporting data layer (RDL), further unlocking the power of your data. In short, if it’s stored in your system, we will be able to extract it, and in the format you require.
“Whether you want help to create KPI reports or need us to create an interface between Plus2 and your finance system, our consultants will guide you through the process, and support you afterwards. Ultimately, our goal is to deliver a solution that not only makes life easier for the person using it but also adds real value to your business.”
What can data consultancy do for you?
• KPI reports: sales and usage, membership, attrition, booking and resource utilisation, and member demographics
• Marketing and pricing reports
• Finance extracts for interfaces between your member management software and systems such as SAGE, TechnologyOne and OpenAccounts
• Data cleansing
• Point of sale reconciliation