From ROT to ROI: How Data Clean-Up Drives Operational Efficiency

In case you missed it, we recently discussed The Hidden Risks of ROT (Redundant, Obsolete and Trivial) Data and how removing ROT can reduce storage costs, strengthen compliance, and improve efficiency across your organisation.

However, with data professionals spending up to 80% of their time cleaning and organising data, cleaning up ROT can also turn wasted resources into measurable return on investment (ROI).

So, in this blog, we focus specifically on ROT and the importance of data clean-ups.

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TL;DR: Why Data Clean-Up Matters

• ROT = Redundant, Obsolete, Trivial data that clutters systems.
• Risks: Compliance fines, higher storage costs, and inefficiency.
• Solution: A structured clean-up process turns ROT into ROI.
• Action: Partner with experts like Crown Information Management for compliance-driven clean-ups.

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Why Removing ROT Data is Essential

1. Compliance and Risk Reduction

Holding on to unnecessary data increases your exposure to regulatory risks, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and The Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. Regulators expect organisations to manage information responsibly — and ROT data makes it harder to prove compliance.

Under GDPR’s data minimisation principle, business should only hold on to data that is necessary. While “necessary” is not specifically defined by GDPR, data should be:

• Adequate – you should have enough data to carry out your stated purpose.
• Relevant – the data you collect should have a link to that purpose
• Limited to what is necessary – you should only have what you need for that purpose.

💡 By removing ROT data, businesses demonstrate regulatory compliance and avoid sanctions. Remember – GDPR fines can reach up to £17.5 million, or 4% of global turnover for serious offences!

2. Operational Efficiency

ROT data clogs up systems, making it harder for employees to find what they need and slows down IT performance. It also has potential to impact business decisions, with 72% of people admitting that too much data has contributed to decision paralysis, and 86% saying that data made them feel less confident.

💡 By removing ROT:

• Search and retrieval become faster.
• IT infrastructure runs more efficiently.
• Storage costs and backup times decrease.
• Less chance of decision distress

3. Cost Savings

Previous UK data storage practices have resulted in an annual cost of up to £3.7bn within the private sector, which is shocking when you learn that an estimated 41% of data had no reason to be saved.

When British businesses are spending an average of £213,000 per year on storage and management of information, eliminating ROT can significantly reduce these expenses.

💡: Regular clean-ups free up space, reduce reliance on costly legacy systems, and extend the lifespan of your IT investments.

How to Remove ROT Data: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Assess Your Data Landscape

• Conduct a data audit across physical and digital repositories.
• Identify file types, volumes, and ownership.
• Pinpoint obvious ROT categories (e.g., duplicate files, outdated versions, trivial drafts).

Step 2: Define Policies and Retention Schedules

• Apply clear retention rules aligned with legal, compliance, and business needs.
• Create a governance framework to classify data as business-critical vs. ROT.

Step 3: Automate ROT Identification

• Use AI and automation tools to flag redundant or duplicate files.
• Implement metadata tagging for easier identification.

Step 4: Securely Dispose of ROT Data

• For physical records: Use secure shredding services.
• For digital data: Ensure certified digital destruction and proper decommissioning of devices.

Step 5: Establish Continuous Monitoring

• Data hygiene is not a one-off task.
• Schedule regular audits and embed data clean-up into your information governance strategy.

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From ROT to ROI: The Business Benefits

• Faster decision-making through better access to accurate information.
• Lower costs by reducing storage and IT overheads.
• Enhanced compliance with GDPR, FOI, and sector-specific regulations.
• Improved sustainability by reducing energy used for unnecessary storage.

In short: every file you remove saves time, money, and risk exposure.

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Summary

Eliminating ROT is not just about tidying up data — it’s about unlocking operational efficiency, reducing risk, and achieving measurable ROI. The process may feel daunting, but with expert support, it can be transformative.

👉 Get in touch with Crown Information Management today to start your journey from ROT to ROI. Our experts will help you assess, remove, and future-proof your information management strategy.

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FAQs

1. What does ROT data stand for?
ROT = Redundant, Obsolete, and Trivial data that provides no business, legal, or compliance value.

2. What does ROT data look like?

ROT may take shape in the form of duplicate documents and emails, outdated project files, expired contracts, and irrelevant personal emails.

3. How much data is typically ROT?
Studies suggest 20–30% of enterprise data is ROT, though in some sectors it can reach over 50%.

4. Is deleting ROT data risky?
Not if you follow clear retention schedules. Deleting ROT is safer than storing it unnecessarily, which could expose you to regulatory fines.

5. How often should businesses clean up ROT data?
At minimum, conduct a review annually, but high-volume industries (finance, healthcare, government) benefit from quarterly clean-ups.