Global Events Leader GDS Group RSVP’s ‘Yes’ to Own
Managing and protecting vast amounts of sensitive client data is no small feat. From thousands of contacts to historical event performance metrics, B2B companies are challenged with the constant need to balance data accessibility with storage costs and compliance requirements.
As head of CRM, sales operations, and data insights at GDS Group, Simon Weeks made it the company's mission to empower their operations with efficient data management while driving value for their tech industry clients.
GDS Group uses Salesforce to run its entire business operations, from commercial sales to event management. "We use Salesforce pretty much to run our entire business operations," Simon explains. "We've got in the thousands of contacts and prospects in the system, all of our historical information about our events, the performances of those events, customer ROI."
With that kind of data volume and critical business information, choosing a secure, efficient archiving solution mattered. It needed to work seamlessly with Salesforce while maintaining data accessibility. They needed a cost-effective and user-friendly solution that allowed for easy retrieval of archived information. A solution that doesn't compromise on data visibility was crucial, too.
GDS Group's rapid growth, particularly during the pandemic, led to a significant increase in their data volume. Simon Weeks notes, "We grew hugely during the pandemic because we offered digital events. As a result of that, the amount of data from the system grew and expanded. We probably doubled our data output through the 2020-21 period."
This surge in data presented several challenges.
"Our current date limit is 16.3GB. We're at 80% of it," Simon explains. GDS Group was consistently hovering close to their storage limit, with Simon estimating they were never more than two months away from hitting it at any given time.
Exceeding Salesforce storage limits would result in substantial additional fees. Simon estimates, "If we're over by that amount, which is over 10 gigabytes now, we'd be looking at over $20,000 here." This potential cost was a significant concern, especially considering the company had recently reduced its Salesforce licenses, which decreased its data allowance.
The growing data volume was beginning to affect system performance. "We definitely had some platforms running a little bit slow at times," Simon recalls. The sluggish performance was not only affecting internal operations but also potentially impacting the quality of service GDS Group could provide to their clients.
Not all data needed to be immediately accessible, yet deleting it wasn't an option due to its potential value. GDS Group needed to balance keeping historical data for analysis and compliance purposes with maintaining an efficient, streamlined active database.
With thousands of contacts and prospects in their system, GDS Group needed to ensure they were managing this sensitive information in line with data protection regulations. This was particularly crucial given their client base of senior executives and their focus on hosting events related to security and data management.
Faced with these challenges, GDS Group knew they needed a solution that could help them manage their data more efficiently without losing access to valuable historical information. They began searching for an archiving solution that could integrate seamlessly with Salesforce, reduce storage costs, and maintain easy data accessibility.
GDS Group's ideal solution needed to address multiple requirements: it had to be cost-effective, user-friendly, and capable of handling their complex data structure. They needed a tool that could archive old activities and contacts while still allowing easy access to this information when needed. Additionally, the solution had to be simple enough for their team to implement and use without extensive training, given the nature of their business.
It was clear that continuing without a data archiving strategy wasn't an option. The potential costs and performance issues were too significant to ignore. GDS Group needed a solution — and fast.
After evaluating various options, GDS Group selected Own Archive as their data archiving solution. The decision was driven by several key factors that aligned with their specific requirements:
By choosing Own, GDS Group found a solution that addressed its immediate storage challenges and aligned with its long-term data management strategy. The ability to maintain data accessibility while reducing storage costs proved to be a winning combination for the rapidly growing business.
Simon summarizes the decision: "Having it there was a useful part of that project and knowing that it was there. And a few other data migration pieces that we're working on over the coming months, having Own there is going to be really useful."
Given the nature of GDS Group's business, which involves networking with senior executives and organizing high-level summits on topics like security and data management, maintaining proper data practices is crucial. Own helps them balance the need for comprehensive historical data with current operational efficiency and compliance needs.
GDS Group found several features of Archive particularly valuable in addressing their data management challenges. Simon highlights the key aspects that have made a significant impact on their operations:
The system automatically archives data that is over two years old, focusing on contacts and activities that are no longer relevant to current operations. This includes contacts who haven't engaged with events recently or those who have changed roles or titles. "We mainly archive old activity outside the last couple of years on contacts and accounts," Simon explains. This automated process helps GDS Group maintain optimal Salesforce storage levels without needing manual intervention.
The flexibility to set specific archiving criteria was crucial. "If someone hasn't joined an event in a couple of years, or they're not relevant because they've changed title, changed role, anything like that just gets sifted out as well," Simon notes. These rules extend to prospects as well, ensuring that the Salesforce instance remains populated only with current, actionable data.
Unlike other solutions, Archive maintains data visibility within Salesforce. "The console is built in Salesforce. We can get to it. We can see it in the front end," Simon appreciates. This feature allows team members to access historical data, providing a comprehensive view of client interactions over time without cluttering the active database.
When needed, archived data can be quickly accessed. Simon states, "It's easy to identify if we need to unarchive something. End users can see that and can ask us for that." The simplicity of the retrieval process ensures that even team members who aren't deeply technical can request access to archived data when necessary.
The intuitive design of Archive gives GDS Group a significant advantage. Simon emphasizes how the straightforward interface reduces the learning curve for new team members and makes the archiving process manageable.
"When I think about Own Archive, I think about the cost savings," Simon says. "I also think about how simple it was to set up and use — with all the data visibility we need directly in Salesforce."
Own’s winning combo of cost-effective storage, seamless Salesforce integration, customizable archiving rules, and user-friendly interface made it GDS Group's archiving solution of choice. Client data remains accessible and secure and GDS Group looks forward to continued growth and operational efficiency.
Share your details and we’ll contact you shortly to schedule a custom 25-minute demo.
Share your details and we’ll contact you shortly to schedule a custom 25-minute demo.
By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.