An essential aspect of any stakeholder engagement process is ensuring that you have good stakeholder data quality - a well-organised and accurate stakeholder database.
Stakeholder engagement is a complicated process at any level, and your stakeholder database system needs to be proficient enough to deal with the many complications that can arise.
The importance of cleansing data and maintaining an accurate stakeholder database
A well-managed stakeholder database brings many benefits:
- Problems are identified and solved quicker;
- Communications are carried out more effectively;
- The engagement process is a whole lot smoother and more efficient.
Cleansing data and maintaining your database quality doesn’t just prevent headaches in the office, it can help prevent a breakdown of relationships with your stakeholders.
A misspelt email address could be the reason an important stakeholder misses out on an event invitation, a muddled engagement history could lead stakeholders to feel unimportant.
Damaged or inaccurate data can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful project. It can also be the cause of a CRM system no longer being used, resulting in a waste of invested money.
How to keep your stakeholder data clean and improve data quality
Although there isn't a shortcut or a quick fix to cleanse and improve the quality of data, maintaining it can be achieved by implementing a few simple rules.
Here we list six steps you can follow that will help you improve your stakeholder data quality :
1. Avoid abbreviations
Avoid abbreviating, as it makes searching more difficult.
It can be frustrating if each company entered into the system looks different from the next. The key is to create consistency.
2. Only use CAPITALS in the correct format
Whether information is being imported into your system via an excel spreadsheet or via a stakeholder mapping app such as Mapolitical, take the time to sort through and edit the information before adding it to your system.
Adding information in the correct format allows you to use the data for letters, newsletters and other types of communication with no worry and ease later down the line.
3. Don’t use punctuation
Refrain from using any form of punctuation in company and contact names.
Adding "/-." will make the search more difficult.
4. Conduct deeper searches
Get into a routine of searching deeper into your system. Search for just part of a word or name to find all the different matches.
This will help you to spot any rogue or misspelt information to be fixed.
5. Train and refresh your staff
We all need a little refresher from time to time, so make your team confident users of your system.
Once they see the importance of searching and adding information in the same format, it will become easier to maintain the data quality.
6. Maintenance
Data maintenance is a continuous cycle, requiring you and your team to update your data as you go along.
Merging duplications is a huge part of this and will ensure that information is all kept in one place. Make sure you delete duplications and update incorrect or misspelt information as and when you spot them.
Try and create a habit of conducting a database audit. You might have to start on a weekly or even daily basis, but once you have gone through everything, you can perform it monthly.
Try it yourself
You can try and create your very own housekeeping rules and start seeing the difference in your quality of data.
Now you can start implementing these tips in your stakeholder database - download our interactive checklist so you can easily follow every step.
Download the Stakeholder Data Quality Checklist
Manage your stakeholder database more effectively
Without having the correct tools, the right resources, or a watertight system in place, data quality and accuracy can be difficult and time-consuming to maintain, and may quickly deteriorate.
Technology can make database cleanse and management easier. The best tech facilitates planning and strategy development by having already thought of how data is best captured and stored.
Having a well-thought-out stakeholder database system in place means that each engagement can be more constructive and effective. A proper system will help you:
- Identify and target the right segments of a community so you can easily boost attendance at events;
- Ensure data is correct and well maintained, resulting in fewer email bounces and less time spent researching and resending emails;
- Better organise conversations with stakeholders, leading to a boost in their satisfaction - they will receive the information when and how they want it.
In short, keeping stakeholder databases better-organised benefits both sides of the relationship.
Investing in comprehensive technology that incorporates data capture means that the engagement process is more productive. And a more productive engagement process means happier stakeholders and therefore a successful campaign.
Tractivity helps you ensure data quality
We are helping many organisations such as EDF Energy, NetworkRail, NHS and many others maintain their stakeholder data quality while improving results.
If you would like to learn how Tractivity can help your organisation, book a personalised demonstration today.