Embedded analytics allow organisations, regardless of industry, to improve customer experience without the need for new infrastructure

As a leader in analytics and business intelligence for the last decade, Tableau has been improving customer experiences using embedded analytics. With the sheer importance of maximising the value of data in mind, businesses are able to share tailored dashboards to suit their customers’ specific needs, regardless of industry or market.

Business customers need to be able to make decisions based on the data available to them from the service providers they work with. In many instances, they need this presented close to real time to drive true value and make quick, data-driven decisions. In many cases however, service providers will send reports in set intervals such as weekly or monthly. Not only is this inefficient for the service provider but it’s also of limited value to the customer.

Embedded analytics from Tableau enables customers to share dashboards in working with their applications, and web portals that are used day-to-day. Users can ask questions and quickly view data-driven results, allowing them to make decisions in real time.

“The platform is incredibly flexible and Tableau can be embedded into customer portals with ease to give the look and feel of the company brand,” explained Tableau’s Regional Vice-President, sales EMEA – Embedded Analytics and OEM Solutions, Pete Chizlett.

“Some independent software vendors embed Tableau into their software products. Some of those want their customers to know Tableau is delivering the analytics for them and some want us to remain anonymous.

“The visualisations themselves are customisable almost by definition. It rather depends on what questions you want answered. You can be sure that with Tableau you’ll be able to expose insights, and not just graphics.”

Web pages and portals

With online and omnichannel commerce continuing to surge, and markets becoming increasingly competitive as a result, clearly presenting data for customers can allow a business to stand out and tell an engaging story.

Dashboards can be embedded into simple web pages and portals using a simple tool supplied by Tableau. In the case of web pages, a HTML embed code is generated, while Tableau’s Javascript API allows for seamless deployment of content onto client web portals. Embed codes get detailed and accurate dashboards, containing masses of data online in seconds.

The Javascript API for custom portals, meanwhile, enables an array of programmatic controls, including:

• Custom interface aspects, where coded interface elements can be linked to actions in order to efficiently set specific parameters;
• External integrations based on user input within the virtualisation;
• Preset dashboard filtering for specific views based on context.

Mobile applications

For mobile applications, a free open source tool called Tableau Mobile App Bootstrap is available, which facilitates dashboard integration into proprietary apps. This comes with customisation on branding, app icons, navigation and content. Additionally, by owning the source code, organisations embedding analytics into mobile apps can embed and provide custom security measures to customers.

Papaya Global: a case study

Papaya Global, a global SaaS workforce and payroll solution, has been working with Tableau since 2020, to improve the data experiences of its hundreds of customers across 160 countries, including Toyota, Microsoft and Visa.

From the outset, three pillars of innovation have been explored by the payroll company:

• Accuracy and compliance: Validation of payroll data using AI, which can help minimise human error, as well as bolstered security measures.
• Automation: Cutting costs and relieving strain on data-facing staff by automating analytic processes, with integrations connecting third-party data with solutions and applications being currently used.
• Reporting: Data and analytics are consolidated into one place, for payroll; finance; payments; HR and billing departments.

Using embedded analytics from Tableau, Papaya has been able to leverage personalised dashboards presenting aspects from salaries and pay gaps to levels of diversity in the organisation. The resulting PapayaBI product — launched in April 2022 — has helped to shift strategy away from manual spreadsheets and towards data that tells customers dynamic stories in real time. Individuals can quickly access the assets they need immediately, without being overwhelmed by masses of data, most of which wouldn’t be currently relevant.

When developing PapayaBI, Tableau supported Papaya in delivering seamless analytical insight delivery and branding, ensuring that users felt as familiar with the product as quickly as possible. Initial landing pages are based on the individual user’s position in the company, and the details of insights can be drilled into for maximised explainability.

Since starting work with Tableau, the company has increased its user base tenfold, demonstrating the high and rising demand for such analytical tools.

Optimising customer experiences

Managing customer service can no longer be left to gut feeling. Dashboards created through embedding analytics into your data workflows provide businesses with a much needed 360 degree view of the customer base, providing insights into how to go about creating and adjusting products and services. This will be the key to maintaining strong customer experiences, now and in the future.

Unicorn startup, Global Papaya, mapped out customer needs into personalised user experiences using Tableau Embedded Analytics dashboards and monetised their solution using it to deliver more value to a global executive customer base during a period of hyper growth. Learn more on how they did this.

This article was written as part of a content campaign with Tableau.

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