A data warehouse (DWH) can be the answer here - even (and especially) for SMEs. Although many medium-sized companies still associate DWHs with large corporations and high investments, this idea is outdated. Modern, lean, and preconfigured solutions lower the barriers to entry and make the advantages of structured data storage and analysis accessible to smaller businesses as well.

What is a data warehouse?

A data warehouse is a central data platform that consolidates data from various sources, stores it, and prepares it for analysis. Unlike operational systems (e.g., ERP or CRM), which are optimized for daily business processes, a DWH is primarily used for analysis and reporting. It allows for historical data analysis, the creation of dashboards, and serves as the basis for data-driven decisions.

The data is stored in a structured form, organized in so-called data marts, and can be used at the touch of a button for reports, visualizations, or AI-supported evaluations.

Why a data warehouse makes sense for SMEs

  1. Centralized data storage saves time and reduces errors: In many SMEs, data is still manually merged from different systems into Excel files – a time-consuming process with a high potential for errors. A data warehouse automates this process: data is extracted regularly and consistently from the source systems and made available in a structured form. This not only reduces manual work, but also ensures that all employees work with the same reliable information.
  2. Better decisions through consolidated analyses: A DWH brings together all relevant key figures: sales figures, inventory levels, production data, accounting information, and customer data. This consolidated view of the company allows for more informed decisions, whether in financial planning, sales management, or purchasing. Example: At the touch of a button, a company can see which products are selling particularly well in certain regions, how margins have developed, and where there is potential for savings.
  3. Future-proof thanks to scalable architecture: A modern data warehouse has a modular structure and grows with the company. New data sources can be easily integrated, and reports can be adapted or expanded. At the same time, companies benefit from proven standards, which simplifies maintenance and servicing of the solution. For SMEs in particular, this means investment security combined with a high degree of flexibility.
  4. Basis for modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI): Anyone who wants to use AI-supported analyses in the medium or long term—whether to predict sales trends, optimize inventory levels, or automate customer segmentation—needs clean, structured, and consolidated data. A data warehouse is a necessary prerequisite for the effective use of these technologies.
  5. Reporting at the touch of a button – anytime, anywhere: Whether for management, sales, or controlling: a DWH enables role-based dashboards and automated reports that are available at any time – even on mobile devices. This ensures transparency throughout the company and supports a data-driven corporate culture.

Typical objections – and why they no longer apply

Many SMEs hesitate to introduce a data warehouse due to perceived obstacles. However, these obstacles can be easily overcome:

  • “A DWH is too expensive for us.” - Unfounded: Thanks to standardized, cloud-based solutions, implementation and operating costs are significantly lower today than they were just a few years ago. Preconfigured solutions in particular reduce the effort involved considerably—both technically and organizationally.
  • “We don't have the IT resources for such a project.” - Unfounded: Modern DWH solutions can now be implemented without large IT departments. Many providers—including Konica Minolta—support implementation with comprehensive expertise, rely on low-code tools, and offer managed services.
  • “Our data is too personal.” - Unfounded: A good DWH provider understands the requirements of typical industry processes and provides templates for many common systems—from DATEV and Lexware to Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce. Individual requirements can also be flexibly integrated.

Practical example: How a medium-sized machine manufacturer benefits

A medium-sized mechanical engineering company processes sales data, production figures, complaints, and purchasing information on a daily basis. In the past, this data was extracted manually from various systems, which was time-consuming and limited in terms of its informative value.

Following the introduction of a data warehouse, the company now benefits from:

  • automated, daily reports for all managers,
  • improved forecast accuracy in sales,
  • an early warning system for delivery bottlenecks,and the possibility of implementing predictive maintenance in the medium term based on structured machine runtime data.

Conclusion: SMEs must also think in a data-driven way

Digitalization is changing the demands placed on companies - especially small and medium-sized enterprises. To remain competitive today, companies must view their data as a strategic success factor. A data warehouse provides the ideal technical and organizational foundation for this.

And best of all, thanks to preconfigured solutions, modern cloud technology, and accompanying services, the path to achieving this is easier than ever - even for smaller companies with limited resources.

Konica Minolta: Preconfigured data warehouse for SMEs

Konica Minolta offers the Business Transformation Suite (BTS), a modular, preconfigured data warehouse designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. The solution is ready to use immediately, comes with numerous interfaces to standard software, and includes the following:

  • automated reporting and flexible dashboards,
  • centralized data storage with high data quality,
  • industry templates for sales, finance, production, and more,
  • and the option to integrate AI-supported modules such as Sales AI or ESG AI.

Thanks to the holistic approach - from data integration to analysis to visualization - companies can get started immediately without months of project lead times or high initial investments.

Interested?

If you would like to know how you can use your company data profitably and get started with a preconfigured data warehouse, please contact us. Our experts will be happy to advise you and show you how to take your company to the next level with data-driven solutions.

Get started now

Find out more about Insights BI or arrange a free demo - and experience how you can immediately gain sound insights and optimise strategic decisions with our out-of-the-box solution.

Florian Malz
Account Manager
Request a consultation
Share:

Rate this article