10 Data Entry Challenges Every Organization Faces

Data entry is one of the most important tasks in any organization, and can also be one of the most challenging. If you’re having trouble with data entry challenges, here are 10 common ones that almost every organization faces from time to time.

1) Data Entry Accuracy

The more accurate your data entry, the more successful your business will be. Any inefficiency in data entry can lead to inefficiencies across all of your systems. A customer’s personal information might not match their shipping information, which means that products get shipped to wrong addresses. Without accurate data, you won’t know what worked—and what didn’t—when it comes time to make adjustments to future campaigns. Accuracy is paramount when it comes to data entry services because you’re not just capturing numbers or names; you’re capturing people and their behavior, too.

2) Data Transfer Speed

If your data is ever going to leave your premises, speed is of utmost importance. Whether you’re sending invoices or shipping orders, a slow transfer can turn what should be a routine process into a major problem. This is why one of the most common data entry challenges in any organization is maintaining a high-speed data connection. Your internet connection may be plenty fast for regular surfing and emailing, but when you start transferring large quantities of data from one location to another—especially over long distances—speed can become an issue quickly.

3) Data Validation

Data approval is a typical data entry challenge. When bringing in or physically entering data, there are various standards that you need to continue with the end goal for it to be considered legitimate. For instance, in case you're physically entering worker data, there might be sure necessities around how a representative's name ought to be designed. On the off chance that you don't adhere to these guidelines accurately, your organization could confront issues later on down the line. A human will in any case have to audit new data for legitimacy before it's additional to your database—regardless of how large or little your database is—yet having an interaction set up for dealing with new data sections is fundamental. 

4) Sorting

One of your most valuable assets as a company is your relationship with your customers. But one of your most challenging assets to manage and secure is how you’re communicating with those customers and organizing all of their data. When it comes to making sure that customer communication runs smoothly, there are some common challenges that many organizations face.

5) Customer Communication

Tracking a customer’s journey through your funnel can be difficult, especially if you’re using multiple tools. One of the most common ways to do it is with a CRM. If you don’t have access to a CRM, try using a simple spreadsheet with key information about each customer. If they took certain actions in your funnel, mark it down on their record so you can track them later.

6) Communication Across Platforms

It’s important to allow communication across platforms, but doing so can be difficult. For instance, some users may prefer to use Facebook Messenger for communication while others might want Slack. A lot of times companies end up implementing more than one communication platform, which can end up costing them a lot of money over time. It’s important to allow communication on whatever platform is most comfortable for your customers, even if it means giving up on your own preferred tool. Doing so will help you gain customer loyalty by creating an experience that feels less business-like and more friendly and accessible. It’s all about making things as easy as possible for your customers--and communication platforms are no exception!

7) Training Employees on How to Enter Data

Data entry forms are an essential part of any business. The more employees who can enter data accurately, efficiently and completely, though, the better your business will run. For instance, if you want to grow your customer base or see spikes in repeat customers (which you almost certainly do), it’s essential that you make entering data quick and easy for employees. 

To get there, consider providing one-on-one training for all employees on how to fill out data entry forms accurately. It might seem like a pain at first—particularly if your company is relatively small—but over time it will pay off. Employees will be able to quickly input information about new customers and processes won’t get bogged down by mistakes made because instructions weren’t followed correctly.

8) Updating Business Policies

A consistent app experience is essential to keeping your business data relevant and current. The more up-to-date your company’s information, the easier it will be for customers to make purchasing decisions. And if you don’t have an easy way to notify app users about updates, they could be left wondering whether their information is correct. For example, if a user checks out at a physical store using their smartphone, they could enter erroneous data or fail to enter any details at all—and that makes it hard for businesses to track customer behaviors and preferences over time. Users may also stop downloading updates entirely, leading them back to square one when trying to keep information up-to-date.

9) Mobile App Updates

Mobile apps go through updates all of the time, and in most cases, they’re very necessary. Your phone or tablet is constantly communicating with servers for content, pushing new software versions when they’re available. But when your app freezes up because it needs an update, you aren’t happy about it—and neither is your customer. It’s a good idea to keep a close eye on mobile app updates. If you don’t have a firm grasp on your mobile apps and what kind of information is being sent to your users, you could have some serious security issues on your hands—not to mention lots of unhappy customers!

10) Business Owners Willingness To Use Timely Technologies

Ensuring success for your organization depends on how well it can effectively manage its data. In an age of constantly evolving technologies, it’s understandable to struggle with adopting or integrating new technologies into existing systems. As a matter of fact, 69% of business executives have shown a reluctance to use technology due to a fear that they won’t be able to retain control over their company’s information and data, according to a recent study by EMC. The result? Missing out on key customer engagement opportunities and failing to leverage real-time insights about what your customers want now—and in the future.