As JMP continues to evolve, the landscapes we navigate become more complex. To stay ahead, we must rely on more than just intuition; we have to lead with data. That is why a core focus of our 2026 JMP initiatives is to ensure that data-driven decisions are the priority across JMP.
This initiative directly aligns us with SAS Company Priority 1, reinforcing a shared commitment to grounded, analytical decision-making. But what does this look like in practice?
Andy Zhou (@andyzhou), Manager of Decision Support and Data Analytics, says this isn’t a one-and-done project. "I see this goal as continuous," Zhou says. "There will always be more business-related decisions that appear naturally over time as the business evolves. The priority for my team is to provide data as needed to make sure those decisions are backed by data as much as possible."
Here is a further look at how Andy’s team has already put this initiative into motion, and how data is actively shaping our operational efficiency and customer experience.
Proving the groundwork
Data-driven decision-making has already dropped major anchor points in our current business strategies. If you look at the recent sales modernization efforts across the Americas, the territory reconfigurations weren't based on guesswork; they were built on robust data analysis designed to create sustainable, balanced territories for our teams.
The success of this model has laid the groundwork for the future: the exact same data-driven analysis will be scaled and applied to other global regions to ensure our upcoming 2027 modernization efforts roll out smoothly. This analytical framework is built to be fluid and is intended to continuously adapt and refine our approach as fresh insights and data stream in from the ongoing Americas modernization effort.
Similarly, when JMP lowered the negotiation threshold at the start of 2026, the shift was backed by a deep historical analysis. Decision Support reviewed past trends to ensure a new threshold would keep workloads for our Legal and Finance teams entirely manageable rather than overwhelming.
Current focus: Streamlining legacy pricing operations
Right now, the Decision Support and Data Analytics team is turning its focus to an operational hurdle: reducing the wide variety of unique Price Per User (PPU) rates attached to our legacy pricing contracts.
Currently, our Business Operations team handles a heavy manual workload, calculating and verifying each unique PPU individually for every single legacy contract. To solve this, Zhou’s team is analyzing a strategy to apply light rounding to these legacy PPUs. By consolidating these numbers, JMP can significantly reduce the total number of unique PPUs in circulation by more than 35%, thereby drastically improving operational efficiency for Business Operations.
Balancing efficiency with customer fairness
While driving internal efficiency is crucial, data is also being used as a shield to protect our customer relationships. “The team is carefully constructing these legacy PPU adjustments to ensure the final totals remain fair and transparent,” Zhou said.
By setting strict data thresholds, JMP is ensuring that any material impact on the customer is kept to an absolute minimum. The team is strictly aiming for a final price adjustment of no more than 6%, inclusive of the standard 5% pricing increase.
The road ahead
Whether it is balancing sales territories, protecting our internal teams from bottlenecked workloads, or streamlining legacy contracts, data is the common denominator. By prioritizing analytics over assumptions, JMP is building a more sustainable, efficient, and customer-centric future.
