Differences between Strategic and Tactical Intelligence

The recent years have seen a shift towards data-driven decision making. With heaps of data at their disposal, it would be naïve for businesses not to take advantage of it. Business Intelligence or BI is the tool that businesses use to collect, process and then analyse this huge amount of data. With such advanced mechanisms, Business Intelligence and Analytics can provide incredible insights. From improving productivity and enhancing customer service to decreasing costs, BI can prove to be really beneficial for business owners.

The advent of easily accessible software technology has levelled the playing field. These applications can now be used by small businesses as well as huge enterprises and cater to all  customised needs.

Strategic and Tactical Intelligence

Strategic and tactical intelligence are the two major types of Business Intelligence (BI). Although often used interchangeably, there are quite a few differences between the two.

Let’s take a look at each of them separately and understand them better:

Strategic Intelligence

It is a type of Business Intelligence that deals with how insights from the data will be implemented, it drives and informs strategy. It supports planning and all forward-looking business activities

It is Oriented towards the Future

The great thing about strategic intelligence is that it can predict future conditions. This allows businesses to plan for the long-term and make more informed decisions, taking out the guess work. By helping a company’s professionals visualise potential possibilities and probable outcomes, strategic intelligence can help them formulate their future course of action.

It Deals with Identifying Trends and Patterns

Strategic intelligence can also help businesses understand current industry trends and make sense of consumer behaviour patterns. This puts businesses more in the driving seat, in a better position to thrive.

The Upper Management Deals with Strategic Intelligence

Since it involves looking at the bigger picture and deciding the future course of action, strategic intelligence is handled by the top executives – steering the “ship-of-business” by looking forward rather than looking backwards at the wake.

Tactical Intelligence

Tactical intelligence is a type of business intelligence that deals with how the strategies will be implemented and informs about the tasks to be performed.

It Deals with Present Scenarios

Tactical intelligence provides real-time analysis in the current competitive landscape and operational performance to help businesses prioritise and take timely actions. It helps them achieve their objectives, keep them on track and align to the strategy and plans that were set with the help of strategic intelligence.

It Evaluates Whether the Company Has Enough Resources

Tactical intelligence assesses whether the company has adequate time, money and manpower to implement the plans. It tracks and informs about the effective use of all its assets. What’s more, it helps businesses make efficient use of their resources.

Different Departments can be Responsible for Carrying It Out

Since tactical intelligence deals with actual implementation, different departments can be involved depending on company’s needs.

With a thorough understanding of Business Intelligence, we at Centelli help businesses achieve success in the online world. From forming BI strategies for enterprises to modernising business intelligence, our firm can help businesses grow. We provide data enlightened strategies and help with informed tactical decision making.