Why you cannot afford low cost data intelligence

Alex Tremlett, commercial director at Insight Data, describes how low cost data services can damage sales and why accurate intelligence is vital for growth in fenestration.

Whenever I sit down with owners and directors across the fenestration and construction sectors and we talk marketing data, I often hear a familiar story. “We tried a cheaper database. It looked fine on paper but it didn’t move the needle.”

I understand this, because the appeal is obvious. Low cost data seems to tick the box without touching precious budgets. In practice it drains time, money and attention while letting opportunities slip by.

Data is now central to how we plan, sell and grow. Its value rests on accuracy and actionability. Cheap or outdated information is not just a nuisance; it can harm campaigns and brand reputation. The gap between a low cost list and a specialist source is the canyon between guesswork and precision.

There are plenty of firms selling low cost services while promising volume, speed and instant reach. However, the risk hides in the detail. Data harvested second or third hand, records that have not been verified, contacts that changed jobs months ago… Result: utter frustration and the feeling you’ve been had. What you save upfront you repay many times over through bounce backs, wasted calls and teams losing confidence.

And there’s more to come. Hidden costs mount quickly, email delivery falls and sender reputation suffers. Brochures come back undelivered. Sales schedules fill with dead ends. Managers make choices on flawed insight. If the supplier cannot evidence GDPR compliance, there is a legal and reputational risk that no responsible business should carry. What began as thrift becomes an expensive distraction.

Accuracy changes everything. Here at Insight Data, with almost 20 years’ experience, we’ve seen how clean, current data transforms performance. When you know who to speak to and how to reach them, campaigns produce a stronger response and sales teams focus on the right conversations. Budgets work harder because decisions are based on reality.

So what should you expect from reliable data? First, sector relevance. A generic business list will not help you understand installers, fabricators and architects. Second, continual updates. Markets move every day and only live verification keeps pace. Third, clear compliance. GDPR remains a hard line and cutting corners invites risk.

Our approach is simple. We research the sector every day. Our team confirms decision makers, emails and phone numbers and monitors company changes. We validate what we publish so clients act with confidence, which is why our customers report far higher response than with generic lists – and also why they stay with us year after year.

Accurate data improves productivity, because your staff spend less time fixing errors and more time speaking with buyers. It also improves the customer experience. When messages reach the right people at the right stage and a follow up is timely, prospects feel understood rather than spammed and your brand earns trust over the long term.

Choosing a supplier is a strategic decision. We’d recommend asking direct questions such as: How is the data sourced? How often is it verified? Can you evidence compliance? Do you serve this sector specifically? Can I see date stamps? What support do I receive after day one? If the answers are vague or evasive, be cautious.

At Insight Data we built our service around clarity, updating records continually and providing live access through our platform so teams can search, segment and act in real time without manual uploads. Naturally, we back this with training, guidance and responsive support.

In a business environment where data drives every growth plan, only accurate, relevant and compliant information produces reliable results. Unfortunately, low cost providers will always be part of the landscape, yet their offers come with risks that most companies cannot accept. If you want consistent growth, invest in intelligence that helps you find the right customers and approach them at the right moment.

Cheap data feels like a saving, whereas accurate data is a multiplier. One depletes attention and trust. The other compounds value across marketing, sales and strategy. That is why the most successful firms in our sector choose specialist information of the kind Insight Data supply – and keep choosing it.