The consumer generates a lot of data on their preferences, experiences and other activities that businesses can analyze to improve their products and services to match the needs of customers. The proper analytics tool is essential to reaching business goals like increased engagement, higher sales, and more efficient operations.

Begin by deciding on the data types you would like to integrate and how you plan to accomplish this. Some tools are geared towards traditional enterprise reporting while others are designed to assist you conduct more sophisticated mathematical click analysis or track sensitive data like healthcare information. It is also important to think about the ways that the analytics tools you’re looking at can be integrated into your existing workflow systems and data architecture.

Some tools are designed for advanced users and data scientists, whereas others allow non-technical users to analyze data using a point-and click interface. You should also take a close look at the features and capabilities for data visualization provided by each tool. Some are built to support the creation of visual charts whereas others rely on SQL or other tools from third parties to analyze your data before you can examine it.

After you’ve narrowed your options, take note of the cost and whether the platform is cloud-based or based on software licenses or subscription fees. Some tools are free, whereas others require a substantial initial investment and ongoing maintenance costs. Be sure to evaluate these costs against the potential return on investment from insights and efficiencies gained using an analytics tool.