What Does a Data Analytics Consultant Do? A Complete Guide

Data Analytics has been around since the 1950s-1960s, and with time, it has evolved significantly worldwide. In the 1990s, we noticed the breakthrough in the evolution of data analytics.

By the 2000s, Data Analytics consultants brought the paradigm shift by implementing more big data technologies.

But what is data analytics, and what does a data consultant do?

It’s a process of analyzing raw data and shaping it for meaningful and business-oriented results. The process starts with collecting data from various sources. It then ensures consistency and accuracy before the data is analyzed.

This process, known as ETL (Extract, Transform, Load), can be done using various tools, including PowerQuery. Next comes analyzing the data using different statistical and computational methods and presenting it to the stakeholders through easily understandable visuals.

Data and analytics have changed our lives to a great extent. For instance, social media like Facebook use data analytics to recommend content and ads that are likely to interest viewers.

Every click of yours – every post that you view, like, or comment on- generates data, which not only helps you to get more content related to your interest but also helps businesses in data-driven decision-making.

Generated algorithms help advertisers understand their target audience better, empowering them to reach out to a better-classified set of audiences.

They can pinpoint your preferences and show you tailored content—whether it’s a new pair of sneakers or a must-read book.

In this super competitive and fast-changing world, where even kids do not have the patience to sit through an ad in between programs, business decisions need to be prompt and more than accurate.

A data analytics consultant services ensures that your data, regardless of its size and form, is available to you in real time on a real-time basis, giving you an edge over your competitors.

Data Collection & Preparation

Data is available all around us, but collating it is a new challenge. Some data is real-time, while some is updated by the business teams periodically. Moreover, each has a different source, making one structure vastly different from the other.

For instance, a retail industry will get offline sales information from Point of Sales while online sales information from Marketplaces & company website. To track key performance indicators (KPIs), business analytics must gather and format data from multiple sources.

Analyzing & Presenting the Data

Using tools like Microsoft Power BI, data analysts can develop a robust data strategy to make the most out of the collated data.

They can be used to integrate data from different sources, study current trends, and forecast future movements using predictive analytics. They can also empower business leaders to extract answers using natural language processing technology.

A long time ago, it was proven that human memory can retain visuals better than numbers. So, instead of PDF or long journals, if you can present your numbers using robust data analytics for business tools, you are sure to have more impact on your stakeholders.

Now that we’ve seen how a consultant can help you in your business, let’s see what a typical day in this role looks like.

Though these terms might often be used interchangeably, if you want to be part of the 59.5% of business leaders who are optimally using business data analytics, you need to understand the difference between these two job roles.

While a data analyst primarily cleans raw data and presents historical data and trends, an analytics consultant provides business insights from this data.

The former does the groundwork by digging into datasets and giving them the shape that the analytics consultant uses to derive strategic business decisions.

End-to-end data analytics consulting service providers should have experienced analytics consultants who help interpret complex data and provide expertized insights on how to apply these insights.

In simple terms, a data and analytics consulting service provider is like the James Bond of your data.

Using data analytics tools and more augmented approaches, they dive deep into your data, uncover hidden patterns, and tell the story in a way that is easy to understand. Thus, they give the business more control over its data and help it make more informed decisions.

Ronald Coase has rightly said, “Torture the data, and it will confess to anything.” But for this, your data will need to be in the right hands.

So, if you can invest in the right data-driven decision-making process, you have the key to your success.

At SR Analytics transforms raw data into actionable insights, faster decisions, and measurable impact. Our blog explores the latest in data analytics, AI, big data, and business intelligence, offering practical advice and real-world insights to drive smarter decisions. Let’s propel your business forward!