Posted by
Barry Siskind
UFI’s Community Manager

One of the challenges with data is that you either have too much or too little. Yet, according to Jochen Witt, CEO of JWC, “Data management is becoming the key driver of success in our industry.”

The issue of data and measurement are key topics of the program of the next UFI Open Seminar in the Middle East. Jochen Witt will be one of the presenters and his very timely topic is titled, Data Management as a Key Success Driver – with a special focus on customer preferences, sales and distribution.

“There is so much data available finding the right mix is often a challenge.” Jochen said. “Data on industries, exhibitors, and visitors is essential. This can range from satisfaction data to company and product specific data as well as preference structures. The key here is to have a good internal understanding about what questions are most important to have answered. It is essential to focus on data which is capable of delivering actionable results. We have seen too much data being collected with no possibility to turn such data into action.”

Jochen advices that the best methods of collecting data are through such tools as direct questioning, surveys, panels and social media.

Some organizers believe that they have too much data but Jochen disagrees, “In my view there rarely can be too much data. If organizers know what data to collect, to store and to analyze, there will never be too much data. However, many organizers do not use their data efficiently; because they only are vague about what data to collect. And finally, quite a number of organizers lack the individual skills necessary to analyze the data and to subsequently draw relevant and actionable conclusions from them.”

UFI’s Open Seminar in the Middle East will be held from March 18 – 20 in Doha, Qatar. To see the entire agenda click here: www.ufi.org/doha2014