Data is a powerful tool for any business or organization that wants to thrive. Therefore, when Microsoft launched Power BI to the public in 2015, of course, after years of development that started in 2010, it offered an opportunity for more businesses to be able to make good use of their data for better decision-making and growth.

There is no doubt that this is a tool that can transform any organization, making it more effective. You can learn more about its capabilities here. Given its sophistication, not everyone can take full advantage of all that it has to offer. This is why a lot of organizations rely on third-party Power BI agencies to handle this aspect of their operations.

While this is a smart move, many have ended up not getting the results they hoped for because they made some mistakes during the hiring process. To help fix this, this article will be looking at five of the most common mistakes that an organization can make when hiring a Power BI agency. We will also go further to discuss how to avoid these mistakes.

5 Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Hiring Power BI Agencies

Let’s get right into the five common mistakes that we will be discussing.

1. Having No Clear Goals

There’s a popular saying that if you do not know where you are going, you won’t know when you get there. In fact, anywhere can become the destination in such a situation.

Setting out to hire an agency without first determining your desired goal is a huge mistake that will lead to confusion and wasted resources. It’s not just about wanting new dashboards or desiring better reporting. No matter how good an agency is, if you do not have a clearly defined goal, they will end up giving you what they think should be your goal. This may, however, not be the goal you actually desire.

How to Avoid this

How do you avoid this? Before you set out to hire Microsoft Power BI development services from an expert team like Imenso Software, you must define your goal as precisely as possible. Are you trying to identify any bottlenecks in your sales funnel, or is it about increasing the efficiency with which you track your operations? Do you want an improvement in your sales forecasting? Be clear about your goals, the data sources you will incorporate and other KPIs.

With these in place, the agency now has a clear understanding of what to do. Even when it is offering its opinion, it will be doing so with background knowledge of your end goals.

2. Making Cost the Determining Factor

While we understand that businesses always want to reduce their costs as much as possible, it should not be done at the expense of efficiency. Going for any agency that offers to do the job at the lowest price will likely come back to haunt you.

While quality doesn’t often mean expensive, in more cases than not, the cheapest services often offer end products that reflect the price of engaging them. Yes, cost should be an important consideration factor, but it should not be the main factor to determine whether or not an agency will be hired.

How to Avoid this

Start by defining your budget and understanding that this should not be set in stone. With your budget idea in place, reach out to agencies and take enough time to sound them out.

Do not start with cost; instead, start by confirming competence, expertise, and reliability. You should only begin to consider the cost after ascertaining that the agencies you are considering can get the job done.

From your shortlisted candidates, you can then begin to compare quotes to find one that either fits your budget or can be fitted into your budget. It’s best not to hire any agency if you do not currently have the funds to hire one that can do the job. After all, what you need is results and not just to be able to say that you have a Power BI agency working for you.

3. Not Running Proper Security and Compliance Checks

One of the costliest mistakes that an organization can make during this hiring process is not properly vetting the agency they hire. This agency will be working with sensitive data about your company and clients. You could therefore be putting both your business and clients at risk by handing this data to unscrupulous or careless individuals.

You can learn more about the importance of data protection here: https://indepthresearch.org/.

How to Avoid this

Before signing off on any agency, make certain that you are comfortable with their security practices. Find out how they will handle the data that you will hand to them. This is even more important if your business operates in a regulated industry.

If you have security compliance requirements that must be met, ensure that they are aware of this and will meet them. Remember that you, and not them, will be liable for any violations arising from the misuse of your company’s data.

4. Not Confirming that they are a Perfect Fit

An agency can possess all the skills and capacity to deliver and not be a good fit for your organization. There are a number of factors that can affect this, including:

• Organizational Culture
• Communication Failings

These two points can have a profound effect on the ability of two companies to work together. Their approach to work may just not be in sync with the way you do things in your organization. They could also have a communication style that does not work for you, especially when it has to do with giving updates on the task they are handling for you.

You can read this article for more help on how to get the best from outsourcing any aspect of your business, including vital ones like this.

How to Avoid this

The simple way to avoid this is to confirm during the interview process that there will be no culture shocks or differences that can negatively impact the project. You should also confirm their communication style and how they keep the client updated on the task. You have to be satisfied with both the questions they ask and the answers they give.

5. Not Checking for References and Past Jobs

Anyone can sound great, saying the right things and giving off the right vibes. While this is important during the hiring process, what’s more important is getting real confirmation that it’s not all talk.

The mistake that many have made in the past is to have been so taken in by the presentation that they failed to ask for their portfolio of past jobs as well as confirmable references. Many have paid dearly for this error.

How to Avoid this

The answer to this is pretty obvious—just ask for their past work and confirm that you can call these companies to confirm their claim. Getting references from verifiable organizations gives you some level of confidence that they can do what they claim.

You should also confirm that they have done jobs for organizations similar to yours both in size and operations. Remember that what you want is the best fit.

Conclusion

When you set out to hire a Power Bi agency, you are not just looking for a group of people who know how to use the software. Yes, that’s important, but much more than that, you are looking for an agency that can interpret your goals, fit into your organizational operations and culture, and deliver the result expected in a timely manner.

There are a number of top-quality agencies that you can consider. You just need to go through the right process to hire the right help.

The mistakes listed above have been given as a guide to help ensure that you make the right choice. Remember that making the wrong choice can really be expensive.