Marketing reports 4,200 customers. Finance reports 3,100.

When two functions count the same thing differently, the gap is rarely a data error, and the decisions built on top of it are quietly wrong in a predictable direction.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for Marketing reports 4,200 customers. Finance reports 3,100.

Ask two people in the same business how many customers it has and you will sometimes get answers a third apart. Both can show you the query that produced their figure. Neither is lying, neither is careless, and this is the part that matters, neither number is wrong. They are answers to different questions that have been given the same name. The instinct is to treat this as a data hygiene problem: someone should reconcile the systems, and once the numbers agree the matter is closed. That instinct misses where…

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Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

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