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In the rapidly evolving world of business intelligence (BI) and data analysis, the combination of technology and external expertise plays a crucial role. Especially within SMEs, where internal IT capacity is often limited, companies are looking for solutions that are not only easy to implement, but also grow sustainably and flexibly. In this context, PowerBI is often mentioned as a powerful tool for providing insight into data. But behind this power, there are also disadvantages, such as vendor lock-in, bait-and-switch practices, the lure of free tools, and the illusion of self-service BI. In contrast to this traditional model, there is an alternative, such as InsightData, that takes a completely different approach: providing complete reporting and analysis tools (via software apps) for specific business data domains.
The temptation of free tools and the illusion of self-service BI
PowerBI is very popular, partly because it is often included as standard in Microsoft licenses. This “free” availability means that many SMEs opt for PowerBI without taking a critical look at their own needs. The temptation is understandable: if the tool is already available, it seems logical to use it. Added to this is the promise of self-service BI. PowerBI is positioned in the market as a user-friendly solution that enables end users to build their own reports. This idea creates the illusion that complex analyses can be realized easily and quickly by employees without in-depth technical knowledge.
In practice, however, it appears that this promise is often not fulfilled. Setting up in-depth analyses and optimizing and making dashboards interactive requires much more knowledge and effort than the basic training courses suggest. As a result, companies quickly become frustrated and decide to call in external experts after all. What started as an attempt to cut costs can quickly lead to unexpected investments and dependency. Witnesses include numerous InsightData customers who had already incurred significant costs related to PowerBI before working with InsightData. It started with a PowerBI training of several hundred euros and ended with consultancy projects worth several tens of thousands of euros, only to be left without a good solution.
Disadvantages of working with PowerBI
In addition to the illusions mentioned, there are other risks associated with using PowerBI:
- Bait-and-switch and vendor lock-in: PowerBI is often presented as an “all-in-one” solution that provides valuable insights quickly and easily. In the initial stages, the tool seems to provide all the answers, but as soon as the organization needs more advanced reports or customization, the situation changes. Suddenly, there is a need for a lot of consultancy, data warehouses, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Fabric, etc... The original image of empowerment is fading and they remain dependent on Microsoft and its ecosystem in the long term. This dependency can lead to higher costs and limited flexibility, especially when business needs change.
- The temptation of free tools: The idea “if it's in the license, it must also be usable” means that SMEs do not always look critically at alternative solutions. This can result in a choice that is not optimal for the specific needs of the company. The apparent cost savings in the short term can lead to inefficiencies and higher expenses in the long run.
- Self-service BI illusion: While self-service BI is an attractive concept, the reality is often more complex. PowerBI's initially intuitive interfaces masked the deeper complexity of data integration, data quality, and setting up robust analysis methods. As a result, organizations often experience a gap between expectations and actual results.
What if there is a different approach that takes full advantage of both the benefits of powerful technology and the expertise of external parties? The InsightData model offers an interesting alternative here. Instead of simply providing a report, InsightData focuses on providing complete business intelligence software apps that focus on specific business data domains, such as finance, sales, sales pipeline, project management, transport, supply chain, production, operations and HR. This model has several advantages:
- Complete data integration: In contrast to the traditional PowerBI solution, where the focus is often on separate reports, InsightData comes with complete interactive and dynamic software apps. These apps integrate the relevant data and enable companies to structure their insights around specific domains. This provides a deeper and more contextual analysis of business data.
- Subscription model that grows with you: A crucial aspect of InsightData is that visualizations and reports are not seen as separate projects, but as part of an ongoing subscription model. Once the data is in the InsightData apps, further customization of visualizations and reports is included. As a result, SMEs do not have to incur sky-high costs every time they want to gain new insights or when their needs change.
- Independence of underlying systems: Business data is often spread across various systems such as ERP, accounting and CRM. Traditional BI solutions then lead to a situation where the analysis tool depends on these systems. InsightData creates an independent layer between data storage and analysis tool. As a result, the system remains flexible and future-proof, independent of the systems in which the data was originally collected.
- Cost control and scalability: By using a modular and subscription model, costs remain predictable. Companies can grow without having to invest in major consultancy projects over and over again. This ensures an efficient use of resources and prevents SMEs from getting stuck in expensive, inflexible processes.
The synergy between technology and external expertise
The traditional PowerBI model and its drawbacks — such as vendor lock-in, bait-and-switch practices, and the illusion of self-service BI — show that technology alone does not always offer the solution. SMEs often need a partner who not only takes care of the technical implementation, but also continuously thinks along and offers support. In this context, the InsightData model is a hybrid solution, in which technology and external expertise go hand in hand: they are, as it were, your internal sounding board for business intelligence.
External parties play a strategic role in this model. They ensure that the latest innovations in data analysis and visualization are continuously integrated into the system. At the same time, the dependence on ad-hoc consultancy is less present, because the subscription model guarantees ongoing support. This means that companies maintain strategic control and don't fall into the trap of unexpected costs or inflexible adjustments.
The impact on SMEs and the future of business intelligence
It is clear that the traditional approach to BI, where PowerBI is used as a standalone tool and companies ultimately become dependent on external consultants, no longer meets the needs of modern SMEs.
The InsightData alternative model offers an innovative solution by combining technology and external expertise in an integrated ecosystem. With a focus on specific business data domains, a flexible subscription model and independence from underlying systems, this model offers the opportunity to make data analysis and reporting future-proof and scalable. As a result, SMEs can benefit from continuous new insights without being confronted with sky-high additional costs and strategic dependencies.
With this vision in mind, SMEs can make an informed choice, combining the power of technology with the value of continuous external expertise. This creates a data-driven organization that does not get stuck in traditional pitfalls, but operates agile and future-proof in a world where data is the key to success.
