Big Data is a term with a lot of smoke surrounding it. Asking nearly anyone to define it generally brings the same results – a few shrugs and maybe a half-hearted explanation here and there. This is a problem, though, because Big Data is a big part of business and it's growing faster than ever. More and more businesses are finally embracing it, and when they do, they realize that it's really not that intimidating, nor is it particularly difficult with the right people and the right mission.

1. Less Stress
Thanks to Big Data, overall stress has decreased for countless companies. How so? For one, it creates an incredible amount of transparency by providing key data that was never available. Further, no more do we have to worry constantly about servers handling it properly, which is a monstrous weight lifted off the minds of entrepreneurs and business owners. For being such a terrifying idea, Big Data alleviates a great deal of stress, making it a crucial development for everyone, no matter how big their business when properly controlled and managed with the right database management system.

2. Faster Scaling
Depending on volume, Big Data may need unprecedented scaling, creating more opportunities for companies than they know what to do with. In five years, companies that don't embrace Big Data will be seen in the same light as those that don't embrace social media – it's such a crucial element of business that it'll be practically required for basic success. Many companies have effectively solved all aspects of Big Data with modern databases such as the Gensonix NoSQL DB from Scientel. More than 80% of today's Big Data is unstructured (content) while only about 20% is structured (business) data. Content Management has not been well adopted by corporations as well as people mainly due to cost and complexity. Scientel's "My little Big Data" system is a content management system ideally suited for small businesses, as well as people and managers. "There’s no denying it; Big Data is more important than ever,” says Norman Kutemperor from Scientel. “More and more businesses are embracing Big Data and appreciating its value, which has permanently changed the way entrepreneurs work. Denying the growing prominence of Big Data is frankly wrong and absolute solutions for Big Data such as Gensonix – the industry's first polymorphic NoSQL DB are critical to business success."

3. More Virtual
As Big Data continues to grow in prominence, everything gradually leans closer and closer to the virtual world, which has some excellent perks. Because of this, regular software tests and updates are diminished, creating a more natural and self-reliant system. Plus, we live in a culture that absolutely loves virtual and digital business – Big Data is the next big thing to be embraced, and for good reason. Nilanjan Mitra Thakur of ConnectCust tells me, “Advanced Analytics has a big role to play in Digital Consumer Engagement where understanding consumers’ preference is essential to pre-engaging them before they embark upon the path to buy. ConnectCust, the Next Generation Marketing Analytics solution, addresses this core aspect of consumer engagement effectively, applying advanced analytics and data science. For example, a working mom purchasing back-to-school products for kids can also be targeted for modern office attire fitting her taste and affinity and her response to personalized campaigns can be tracked accurately. Tracking customer response adds significant value to accurate segmentation and improves accuracy of personalization which can be measured through ROI driven metrics." Similarly, Jade Huang of StyleSage tells me, “With so much digital content and commerce happening in the online and mobile world, savvy retailers and brands can now identify trends in consumer preferences and market signals across the globe, so they can react faster with relevant product offerings. For example, if a major department store sold out of dark blue distressed skinny jeans online in a short period of time, it can be a signal that this style is popular — and a fast fashion brand like H&M for example, can quickly replicate that style and sell in its stores — just in time for other consumers looking for similar items.”