Common Database Errors
Get your database right the first time round and you could save a lot of time in the long term – which makes for a happy developer and happy clients, too. Remember – you’re developing that database because you want a lot of important information such as leads at your fingertips, so it’s important that it be functional, fast and efficient.
Image Credit – Niels Heidenreich (CC license)
Mistakes That Will Bug Your Sales Team
1. Duplicate Entries – One of the major problems with duplicate entries is that they can waste valuable time and resources. Firstly, your lead could end up receiving too many contact requests which can turn a warm lead, cold. Secondly, you might end up thinking that each entry is a different person with slightly different needs. Check your database regularly and scrub it of duplicate entries.
2. Incorrect and Incomplete Information – It’s important to regularly check the database to ensure that all forms are filled and that the relevant information is assigned to the correct form. It’ll save a lot of annoyance and a lot of wasted time trying to figure out why you don’t have an address or a phone number in the long term.
3. Failing to Remove a Lead When Requested – If your database does not automatically unsubscribe leads, it’s important that you or your sales team removes them from the database if they request to be removed, and that you do so as soon as is reasonably possible. If you fail to do this, and they continue to receive contact from you, it will only reflect badly on your company. Remove that lead as soon as they have requested.
Mistakes That Will Bug Your Tech Team
1. Inconsistent Naming Standards – Being inconsistent and illogical with your naming standards – or using shortcuts in some parts of the database and not others – will always lead to problems. The standards that you adhere to for your database are absolutely up to you, but it’s important that they are clear and logical, and that they remain 100% consistent throughout the database, so that other programmers can pick up where you left off without having to read through pages and pages of documentation.
2. Documentation Failure – Proper documentation is incredibly important throughout the whole development process. Documentation means that you’ll be able to keep track of the names you’re using, so that everything remains consistent throughout, but it will also allow any additional programmers and any future programmers to be able to jump on the project without needing a run-down from you. Documentation should include: accurate definitions of rows, tables, columns and relationships, as well as naming standards, and an explanation of how the database should be used.
3. Hard Deletes – Ever had that horrible moment of realisation when you suddenly remember that the row that you deleted two hours ago is actually something you really need, only to have to spend half an hour going back through your work logs to retrieve the data – if you can. You might have to re-do all your work. So, instead of doing hard deletes, do soft deletes. Simply mark the column or the row or whatever you want to remove as inactive, for the meantime, and you can easily retrieve it or hard delete it later on.
4. Poor Design and Planning – Before you even start developing the database, you should have a clear plan for what the project is going to look like at the end. Think about it – you build a house, you have plans for it. The same goes for databases. Get the design and the structures down before you start the development, and put the time into the planning stage and you should find that you don’t have to go back and fix lots of silly mistakes later on.
Virtual Sales, offer a database development service to help you source targeted leads. You won’t have to worry about the development mistakes above, and you can simply get on with selling your products and/or services. For telemarketing and database development advice, get in touch today.
Andy Dickens
Andy Dickens is a veteran of IT Sales, used to leading by example. He is the CEO of Virtual Sales Limited (VSL) who offer telesales, telemarketing, lead generation and appointment setting services to B2b businesses. He previously was Sales Director EMEA for Red Hat and before that ran sales at Visio before it was acquired by Microsoft.