As companies grow, their data streams grow with them. Left unchecked, these become unwieldy, disjointed silos — and it gets increasingly hard to make sound data-driven decisions grounded in reality.
Why extract insights from such a mess through brute force just because you’ve trained yourself for years on dissecting the problem? Why be your own worst enemy? FMCG leaders are now moving rapidly to Single Source of Truth (SSOT) models, where critical information is stored in one centralised system so everyone is on the same page – not lost in silos.
It’s within the abbreviation: FMCG is fast. In businesses that strive to honour the name, they face challenges such as:
Each of these depends on – or impacts – the fluidity and accuracy of data. Get it wrong, and it’s a problem.
That’s why many experts recommend SSOT as the gold standard model in terms of attitude to data. In fact, we’ve seen this first-hand: one client achieved measurable improvements in efficiency, morale, scalability, and accuracy by adopting an SSOT model.
Here’s how making the shift might help:
Faster decision-making
With proper SSOT practices, second-guessing is eliminated. Data is reliable and up to date, enabling dynamic business operations.
Traceability & compliance
From allergens to labelling to audits, a harmonised dataset keeps leaders confident. Consistency minimises mistakes and makes them easy to spot.
Better customer experience
We’ve all seen how errors can damage client relationships – or lose them entirely. A centralised dataset reduces recalls, paperwork, and reputational risk.
Keeping pace with competition
Business Insider reported in 2015 that 70% of CFOs viewed SSOT as essential for empowered decision-making. That was ten years ago. Early adopters have already pulled ahead. With today’s tools, adoption is easier than ever – so why fall behind?
So how do you turn SSOT from theory into practice? Enter Master Data Management (MDM), the engine of data clarity (Stibo Systems).
The formula is simple:
We’ve seen this work. For one client, we worked on a program looking at cultural change around data practices. The results were clear: faster product development, fewer compliance headaches, and a dataset everyone trusted. Implementation isn’t daunting—it’s necessary for data competency.
We’ve seen first-hand how FMCG brands thrive with a Single Source of Truth. If you want to discuss how we can transform your businesses approach to data – get in touch.
