The use of various business intelligence tools (BI tools) are a crucial part of business development. It allows users to access a wide range of data, and take advantage of applications that process and analyse raw information, turning them into useful reports that reveal important details about various topics relevant to the needs of different companies and organizations.
There are many types of BI tools available in the market. These tools are categorized into three groups which are guided analysis, self-service BI, and advanced analytics. Among the three, the first two categories are commonly used by different types of business end-users. There are many BI tools and software that feature different functions mostly needed in processing and managing data. Top BI tools usually make analysing and interpreting data much easier because of the many BI applications designed to cater to various business scenarios.
Guided BI requires the assistance of IT experts to access and analyse various data sources. Oftentimes, BI applications under the guided analysis and reporting category use pre-defined settings to access and interpret data. Examples of guided BI are business intelligence dashboard software, performance scorecards, and the like. Self-service BI on the other hand is more flexible, as business end-users can manipulate settings to get more specific data and analysis. Examples under this category are ad hoc reporting tools, online analytical processing cubes or OLAP, and data visualization tools to name a few.
Any type of business or company can take advantage of the benefits of the top BI tools in the market. Because there is constant need to access data and monitor movement within businesses, different business intelligence software come in handy when coming up with solutions to business issues. In finding the right business intelligence tool for your business, it is important to know under which category are the tools for your company. Even though there are many business intelligence software companies providing their services to users, it is still important to choose the best BI tools in the market.
It can be useful to check out BI tools reviews like those found on Crowdreviews.com. Taking into consideration customer reviews will give potential clients an idea on which are the best business intelligence software and tools in the market.
Importance of Client Reviews When Buying Business Intelligence Tools
When purchasing any type of product, it is important to choose something that is of high-quality and is highly-recommended by other customers. The best way to know and set apart the great products from the good ones is to research about the product itself and how it has been received in the market so far. In this case, it is crucial to read BI tools reviews to get an idea on what the market thinks of a specific BI product. It is important to note the pro and cons of the products you are eyeing, and if your company will truly benefit from such a BI application. Business intelligence software reviews are valuable because these are first-hand accounts of genuine customer experiences. Through real reviews posted on websites like CrowdReviews.com, we will be able to get detailed information that will help us in doing business intelligence software comparison among various BI tools and applications.
By knowing what others think or what users have experienced whilst using various BI products, potential buyers will be able to make a smart decision, especially since these tools can be considered investments for the improvement of a business or company’s performance. Listed below are five of the most-recommended BI tools and software as reviewed by clients on Crowdreviews.com.
5 Business Intelligence Tools or Software Most-Recommended by Clients
Crowdreviews.com gauges the efficiency of BI software by measuring its overall usability, features, reliability, pricing, and customer support. Below are the BI applications that have earned the highest scores amongst the best BI tools listed on the website.
- Phocas Software
Phocas Software has gotten a community feedback score of 4.50 out of 5 stars. It is the top-ranking cloud-based BI software amongst 392 others. So far, this tool has not gotten any negative reviews yet, and continues to attract users because of its practical features and helpful customer support. This software has also gained a following because of its easy-to-use interface. It was created for non-technical users so it can be used by any type of business owner.
Basically, Phocas Software is a simple yet powerful reporting and analysis tool that quickly turns data into easy-to-understand maps, graphs, or charts. It features an intuitive dashboard that can perform a variety of features aside from reporting and analysis. It can also aid users in monitoring sales and inventory, budget planning, forecasting, price margins, and the like. This software can be truly effective in boosting productivity because it allows users to easily monitor success in various projects. It is a self-service BI tool that allows users to create and customize an interactive dashboard that can be manipulated and edited without requiring any IT assistance.
This can be a very helpful BI tool for any type of business because it can keep track of all information regarding the company including business plans and strategies, customer information and history, as well as records of profit and sales. Many users are also raving about the excellent customer support they provide, making overall use a breeze.
2. Qlikview
Qlikview is desktop-based software that is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses and enterprises. It has earned a community feedback score of 4.12, and 4.53 on its reliability score. The software is quite an easy-to-use data discovery tool that allows users to access an array of functions that immediately convert raw data into seamless reports and visuals. It has a unique feature called the “Associative Data Indexing engine” that allows users to discover and explore various data sources that you wouldn’t be able to do with regular query-based tools. It also provides a guided data discovery experience that can be easily utilized without the need for expertise in development.
Although Qlikview is a great tool to use especially for data mining, many users say that learning how to use may take a while. The dashboard has too many functions that make using the tool confusing at the beginning, but aside from the steep learning curve, there have not been any negative reviews about the performance of the product.
3. Insightsquared
This software is another cloud-based web analytics tool that is doing well in the BI market. It has earned a community feedback score of 4.62, and has gained high marks in all the criteria mentioned above. So far, it has been well-received by customers, especially since it aids in making users more productive and efficient especially when gathering data and coming up with specific results.
Just like the other previous BI software mentioned, majority of the business intelligence software reviews about Insightsquared are all positive. There are a few comments regarding difficulty in handling controls and navigating, but aside from these minor kinks, many think this software is reliable and useful especially when it comes to gathering various types of data found on the web. Many businesses have attributed their success to the intuitive features of Insightsquared.
4. Tableau
Tableau is another BI software that will work best for small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises. It has earned a community feedback score of 4.45 stars, and has garnered scores of 4.05 and above on all Crowdreviews.com criteria. Aside from its business intelligence features, it has additional features like data visualization, geographic information systems (GIS), reporting, and statistical analysis. It’s on the #4 spot for BI software, but is considered the top-ranking data visualization software based on client reviews on CrowdReviews.com. The software is also user-friendly even to non-technical users especially because of its stunning visualization and access to over 40 data sources. The only setback many clients are seeing is its price. It is a bit expensive compared to other business intelligence software with low price points.
5. Gooddata
Gooddata is another cloud-based business intelligence software that is among the BI products that have lower prices. This software has earned a 4.50 community feedback rating, as well as equally high marks (not lower than 4.28) in terms of usability, feature set, reliability, pricing, and customer support. It also well-received by the market, based on the 18 out of 18 positive reviews on Crowdreviews.com.
It is considered an efficient comma-separated values operation tool and analytic reporting software. It also makes importing data easier because of its drag-and-drop function. Although Gooddata may only be limited to CSV-type data, it is still a valuable tool especially for businesses that rely on importing and analysing these kinds of data. It also has a key performance indicator (KPI) feature that allows business users monitor the company’s performance more efficiently.
To get the best out of your money, and to find the most outstanding BI software for your business, it is truly important to consider real customer reviews like those found on legitimate websites like Crowdreviews.com. To know the best business intelligence software available in the market, you can check out their website today.
John Tovar
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