The Value of Business Analytics: Identifying the Path to Profitability

SARAH’S CHALLENGES

Sarah sighed; this was not quite what she had signed up for when she had accepted the position. Running the analytics team had sounded like a great step forward when they had approached her about the opening. In retrospect, she probably should have paid more attention to the barely concealed look of relief in her ex-boss’s eyes when he had given his farewell speech—and his vaguely sympathetic look when he shook her hand and wished her luck just before he had left the building for the last time.

She had been wracking her brain for weeks now, trying to figure out why things were not working. When she had been the lead modeler, things had been far simpler. She had her requirements, she knew her data, and she had always been good at building accurate models. She was sure that part of the reason she got the position was because she was always able to answer any question her team or clients had, regardless of how hairy it was. Being the “expert” was fun, if sometimes a bit stressful. She had always been overworked, but given how busy they all were, it seemed logical that the organization would hire more people.

Her manager’s resigning had been a shock, but it was not entirely unexpected. He had been frustrated for quite a while. Despite his best efforts, the team had not had much luck working with the direct marketing team. She was not quite sure of the details, but her best guess was that their insights were seen as threatening. The direct marketing group had spent ...