What is predictive analytics and how does it differ from traditional business intelligence?+
Traditional business intelligence (BI) is descriptive — it analyses historical data to answer "what happened?" and "why did it happen?" questions. Predictive analytics uses statistical models and machine learning to answer "what will happen?" questions — predicting future outcomes based on patterns identified in historical data. The distinction is commercial: BI produces insights about the past that inform decisions retrospectively; predictive analytics produces forecasts about the future that inform decisions prospectively. Both are valuable, and most organisations use both — BI for understanding performance, predictive analytics for guiding future decisions.
How much historical data do I need for predictive analytics?+
Data requirements vary by use case. Lead scoring models typically require a minimum of 200-500 conversion events in the historical training dataset for reliable performance — which translates to at least 12-18 months of data for most B2B sales cycles. Churn prediction models require sufficient historical churn events (typically 12-24 months of subscription data with a minimum of 10-15% churn rate) to identify the patterns preceding churn. Demand forecasting models typically require at least 2 years of weekly or daily sales data to capture seasonal patterns reliably. We assess data readiness as part of every predictive analytics project scoping.
What is the difference between predictive analytics and AI/ML?+
Predictive analytics is a category of application — the use of statistical and machine learning methods to predict future outcomes from historical data. AI/ML is the broader set of methods — including deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and many others — used in predictive analytics and in applications beyond prediction. In practice, modern predictive analytics uses machine learning methods (gradient boosting, random forests, neural networks) as its primary modelling tools, making the distinction more semantic than technical. When we say predictive analytics, we mean the specific application of these methods to business prediction problems: lead conversion, churn, demand, attribution.
How long does it take to build and deploy a predictive model?+
A focused predictive model (a single use case with clean, available data and a clear business objective) typically takes 8-14 weeks from project kick-off to production deployment: 2-3 weeks for data extraction and quality assessment, 3-4 weeks for feature engineering and model development, 1-2 weeks for evaluation and business validation, and 2-3 weeks for production integration and testing. More complex use cases — demand forecasting with many external covariates, multi-model architectures, or significant data infrastructure work — typically take 16-28 weeks. Data quality remediation, if required, adds time before the modelling work begins.
How do I know if a predictive model is working?+
We define success metrics before model deployment — not after. For a lead scoring model, success is measured by the differentiation in actual conversion rates between high-scoring and low-scoring leads (the model should produce meaningfully higher conversion rates in the top score deciles compared to the bottom). For a churn prediction model, success is measured by the precision and recall at the intervention threshold (what percentage of predicted churners actually churn, and what percentage of churners are identified before cancellation). For demand forecasting, success is measured by forecast accuracy metrics (MAPE, WMAPE) compared to the baseline forecast the business was previously using. We establish these measurement frameworks before deployment and report against them monthly.
Do I need a data science team to use predictive analytics?+
Not necessarily. We design predictive analytics deployments to be operable by the business teams that use them — not to require ongoing data science expertise for routine operation. The lead scoring model that surfaces scores in the CRM, the churn dashboard that identifies at-risk customers, the demand forecast that updates weekly in the reporting tool — these are designed to be used by sales teams, customer success teams, and operations teams without data science involvement. Data science expertise is required for model development, periodic retraining, and significant model evolution — but not for routine daily use of the model's outputs.
How do you handle data privacy in predictive analytics?+
Predictive analytics involving personal data must comply with GDPR, CCPA, and applicable data protection regulations. We implement data privacy by design: using pseudonymisation or anonymisation for training data where personal identification is not required for model training, documenting the data processing basis for each analytical activity, implementing data minimisation (training models only on the data fields that are necessary for the prediction task), and ensuring that model outputs (predicted scores, risk ratings) are used in ways consistent with the data processing purpose documented in the privacy notice.
How do I get started?+
Book a free predictive analytics consultation. We discuss your specific business objectives, the data assets you have available, the specific predictions that would most change your commercial decisions, and the priority use cases for predictive analytics investment. We provide a data readiness assessment and a prioritised use case roadmap. No commitment required at the consultation stage.