This past month I went on a much needed vacation with my family to Europe.

Decades ago, this would have meant a very difficult "re-entry" process following the vacation.  But thanks to mobile business intelligence, I was pretty much caught up on Day One.

Mobile business intelligence (BI) is transforming how executives and other business users can access critical data about their businesses. Business intelligence helps you transform the overwhelming flood of data into meaningful and useful information that you can take immediate action on.

If you’ve had the opportunity to visit our office, you’ve probably seen the large monitors hanging on the walls throughout the office. These display dashboards -- a common method of visualizing business intelligence data -- show what has been happening in the business, as well as what’s happening right now.  Some of the elements even show where the business is going!

At a glance, everyone can see what's important right this moment, providing the critical information we need to serve our clients as efficiently as possible. When on the go, having this information on a mobile device, whether a phone or tablet, allowed me to put my finger on the pulse of the business. During my trip, this allowed me to note one issue that needed attention, and draft an email to one of my team members, with advice on the direction to take. I had a follow up the next day that the issue was handled, and our client was thrilled.

The transformational power of business intelligence has become entrenched in big business, yet it has remained largely out of reach for small businesses. But this is starting to change. Take a look at the software you are using in your business today. Does it have a dashboard to show you critical information about your business and clients?

If not, then start with the basic critical numbers that indicate your business health. (These could be financial or operational.) Determine where to get this information. Task someone in your organization to collate this and give it to you daily in a “flash report."

Once you’ve received a defined flash report, start working to use this information to make decisions in your business. The application of these two steps indicates you’ve graduated from grade school on your way to mastering business intelligence.

Since I’m out of space here, I invite you to call me at (954) 920-9604 to discuss how you can apply business intelligence in your company