Everyone seems to be discussing a recent QAS data quality survey entitled ‘Contact Data: Neglected asset seeks responsible owner’ that questioned over 2,000 organizations worldwive and revealed an increasing number of businesses taking data quality isses seriously and bringing it up to the boardroom level.

“Within the past three years, the number of businesses where the responsibility of data integrity has risen to boardroom level has soared by 16 per cent, showing how important an issue accurate data has now become.”

The survey also stated that:

* the number of employees directly involved in the data quality management has increased by 5% only in the last year
* 23% of the businesses that participated in the survey claimed to use strategica data planning applications on daily basis
* 46% have their own documented data quality strategy

These increasing numbers sure are encouraging and if the growth persists, or even speeds up a bit, we might see a conceptually new, better, cleaner data emerge as an accepted standard of data quality. Now that would be nice, wouldn’t it?

However, with the survey showing 34% of respondents not validating any of their customer and prospect data, there’s still a long way to go to reach the “standard” I’m talking about.

QAS group operating officer Jonathan Hulford-Funnell says: “I find it incredible that organisations are not paying more attention to data quality. It shouldn’t be seen as a burden for middle management, it should be something that every employee in the business takes responsibility for.”