Known for its intuitive interface for exploring data, Tableau is a leading tool for data visualization and business intelligence. However, the real power of Tableau is unleashed when it is adequately maintained and administered, a challenge for organizations of all sizes. Lack of in-house data development expertise often leads to disorganized, slow, and unsecured Tableau environments, with the content more resembling cluttered Excel spreadsheets than meaningful insights. Let's explore the options available to business leaders to aid in maximizing investments in Tableau and data analytics.
Common Tableau Challenges with Support & Scale
While Tableau Cloud brings immense value to businesses of all sizes with its powerful data visualization and analytics capabilities, small and mid-sized businesses often encounter unique challenges that may limit the full utilization of this powerful tool. Let's unpack some of these common pain points:
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Lack of In-house Tableau Expertise
Having no in-house Tableau expert can lead to disorganization and inefficient use of Tableau's features. From complex dashboard creation to efficient data management, having a Tableau expert can streamline these processes and make them more effective.
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Poorly Optimized Dashboards
Without a proper understanding of Tableau's potential, many businesses end up creating basic dashboards that resemble complex Excel spreadsheets. This not only limits the usefulness of the data presented but also makes it challenging for non-technical team members to draw actionable insights.
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Inconsistent Data Loading and Accuracy
To get the most out of Tableau, businesses need a reliable and consistent data pipeline. Without this, there may be regular delays in data loading and data accuracy issues, which can decrease the trust and use of Tableau's dashboards in decision-making processes. Automation is a big aspect of a Tableau deployment.
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Lack of Reliable Support
When specific questions or technical issues arise, businesses often struggle to find easy and quick solutions internally. Also, relying solely on Tableau's general product support can be frustrating, with tickets sometimes left open for months without clear answers or solutions.
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Hiring Challenges
Many organizations struggle when their Tableau expert leaves, leaving their analytics deployment stuck in limbo. Finding a suitable replacement quickly is not always possible. The hiring process can be long and costly, with no guarantee of finding someone with the right skillset, especially considering the high market demand for data professionals.
Tableau Support Options
Choosing the right Tableau support is critical to keep your data accurate, secure, and up-to-date. But, navigating the numerous available options can be overwhelming. Let's walk through the most common support solutions, their benefits, and their limitations to help you make an informed choice.
Tableau's Premium Support
Tableau's Premium Support is an advanced support option designed to offer businesses a higher level of support and access to a dedicated team. It includes 24/7 technical support, priority case handling, and an annual health check. This support service, being directly from Tableau, provides access to a dedicated team of experts familiar with the intricate workings of the tool.
Benefits
One of the major benefits of Premium Support is the faster response times. In the world of business, time is money, and every minute of downtime or sub-optimal performance can have a cascading impact on business operations. Premium Support provides businesses the comfort of knowing that help is just a call away anytime they encounter an issue.
Another benefit is access to regular health checks, allowing businesses to stay on top of potential issues and ensuring their Tableau deployment is tuned for optimal performance with an experienced account manager.
Limitations
While Premium Support sounds like a dream solution, it has its caveats. The most obvious is its cost. The steep price tag of Tableau's Premium Support often makes it an unviable option for many small and mid-market businesses.
Furthermore, despite offering faster response times and access to a dedicated team, Premium Support does not address some of the common challenges faced by these businesses. For instance, it doesn't help with organizing your Tableau content, creating efficient and effective dashboards, or ensuring data accuracy and security. These are critical areas that require hands-on expertise and strategic management to address that may extend beyond just Tableau's scope of support.
While Tableau's Premium Support is a valuable resource for certain businesses with extensive deployments, it's not necessarily the silver bullet for every business. Its high cost, coupled with its inability to solve critical Tableau deployment challenges, can make it less attractive to small and mid-market businesses.
Hiring a Full-time Tableau Administrator
If you're in a position to consider it, hiring a dedicated Tableau administrator can seem like an attractive choice. It presents the opportunity to have an in-house expert who not only understands your data but also the nuances of your business.
Benefits
A full-time Tableau Administrator can bring tremendous benefits. The most significant is having someone who knows your business's data intricacies. This person can design and optimize dashboards based on your unique business requirements and ensure your data is accurate and secure.
Another benefit is the ability to have immediate, on-hand support that appreciates the nuances of your business operations. Whether it's a complex question about dashboard design, an urgent need for a new report, or a bug that needs immediate fixing, a full-time administrator can provide immediate and personalized support.
Limitations
Hiring a full-time Tableau Administrator comes with its set of challenges. One is the cost. As of 2023, a Tableau Administrator's average salary is $100,000+ per year. This does not include the additional expenses of benefits, equipment, training, and more.
The process of finding and hiring the right Tableau expert can be time-consuming. It's not just about technical expertise but also about finding someone who fits your organization's culture and understands your business needs.
Finally, the success of this approach is heavily reliant on the skill and expertise of the individual hired. If they leave the organization, this could leave your business back at square one, grappling with support gaps and a potential loss of knowledge and momentum.
While hiring a full-time Tableau Administrator can seem like a comprehensive solution, it also brings its share of potential risks and costs. It is an investment that requires careful consideration of not just the upfront costs but also the ongoing need to retain and manage a niche skillset within the organization.
Freelance Platforms | Upwork and Fiverr
In the digital age, online freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr have risen as accessible sources of diverse talent, including Tableau expertise, for as-needed professional services. Engaging freelancers can be a cost-effective and flexible way to handle your Tableau support needs.
Benefits
The benefits of freelance platforms primarily revolve around flexibility and cost. With freelancers, you have the option to scale support up or down as per your needs. Need someone for just a few hours a week or for a one-off project? Freelancers offer this kind of flexibility.
Additionally, freelance platforms often provide a diverse global talent pool, meaning you can likely find a specialist for your specific need. Whether it's creating specific dashboards, optimizing performance, or training your team on best practices, there's probably a freelancer out there who can help.
Limitations
Relying on freelance platforms is not without its challenges. One potential drawback is the fluctuating quality of work. While there are many talented freelancers, finding them amid a sea of other options can be daunting.
Another concern is the lack of consistency and long-term commitment. Freelancers may juggle multiple clients and projects, meaning their availability can fluctuate. If your chosen freelancer becomes unavailable, the burden falls back on you to find a replacement. Real-time collaboration and nuanced issue resolution can be a lot more difficult when confined to working within freelance platforms as well.
The Tableau Community & Forums
The Tableau community fondly referred to as #DataFam, is a vast network of passionate users and experts who generously share their knowledge and insights online. Through forums, social media groups, and community events, they offer an expansive, free resource for those seeking answers or inspiration in their Tableau journey.
Benefits
The primary benefit of the Tableau Community is access to a vast amount of free knowledge and resources. From troubleshooting help on the forums to tutorials on YouTube, there is a wealth of information available that can aid in resolving specific issues, developing new skills, and finding inspiration for dashboard designs.
The community also offers opportunities for networking and learning from peers. Community events, both in person and virtual, allow users to connect, share ideas, and learn from each other's experiences.
Limitations
Despite its vast resources, relying solely on the Tableau Community for your support needs has its limitations. The most significant is the unpredictable nature of community support. You may not always find a timely answer to your specific question or issue. The accuracy of the information can also vary, as it comes from a range of users with different levels of expertise.
Furthermore, while community resources can be excellent for solving specific issues or developing individual skills, they might not offer the comprehensive, organized support a business needs to optimize its Tableau operations fully.
In essence, the Tableau Community is an incredible resource to augment your Tableau support strategy, but it may not be sufficient to handle all the unique and complex challenges that a business might face with its ongoing analytics strategy.
Tableau Cloud Navigator | DataDrive's Managed Service
Given these challenges, the Tableau Cloud Navigator is a managed service aimed specifically at small to mid-market businesses using Tableau Cloud. It offers the benefits of personalized service, flexible engagement models, and deep expertise of not only Tableau but broader data strategy and integration questions. With the Tableau Cloud Navigator, you get organized, efficient, and secure Tableau environments, eliminating the need for hiring, managing, and retaining extensive data teams.
Understanding Tableau Cloud Navigator
Outsourced Tableau support involves hiring DataDrive to manage your Tableau Cloud operations to configure user security, scalable content strategy, and automated data extracts to deliver your business goals with data.
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- Expertise on Demand: DataDrive's Tableau support gives you access to a team of Tableau experts, so you get the knowledge and skills of an experienced professional without the cost or hassle of hiring a full-time Tableau architect in-house.
- Cost-Effective: Outsourcing can be much more cost-effective than hiring a full-time Tableau professional. You pay a flat monthly fee for clear outcomes, and there are no additional expenses like benefits, training, or equipment.
- Reliability and Efficiency: With a managed service, you have a dedicated team ensuring your Tableau operations run smoothly. They will keep your data up-to-date, your dashboards optimized, and your questions answered promptly, fostering a reliable and efficient analytics culture.
- Flexibility: As your business needs change, outsourced support can adapt with you based on a long-term understanding of your organization, business goals, and unique data ecosystem.
Through a service like Tableau Cloud Navigator, we blend the best of all worlds - offering the reliability and expert guidance of an in-house specialist, the cost-efficiency of a freelance contractor, the breadth of learning found in Tableau's Premium Support, and the enthusiasm of the DataFam community. It's the streamlined, smart choice for small to mid-market businesses wanting to harness the power of Tableau fully.
Choosing the Right Tableau Support
In conclusion, choosing the right Tableau support is a strategic decision that can significantly influence the effectiveness of your analytics deployment. The ideal solution would depend on your specific needs, resources, and the size and complexity of your Tableau environment.
Luke Komiskey: Aug 7, 2024
Luke Komiskey