Field operations are an integral part of any marketing team, and more fortunes have been made on the field than from behind a desk. Most retail manufacturers and especially those producing consumables like food and beverages, depend highly on the efficiency of their on-field teams.
Managing a large work force, especially when they are on the field and not in an office, can be a challenging task. One that would normally would mean recruiting a large number of supervisors.
With the invention of mobile applications and workforce management tools this has changed considerably, and now keeping track of a large on-field workforce is quite simple. Field service management software has been around for a while, but only since smart-phones have arrived on the scene have they become really very versatile.
Common companies with large on-field teams are courier companies, restaurants that deliver, and FMCG companies with large sales and marketing teams. Keeping track of employees is now as simple as having them report regarding completion of certain tasks, and since everything is online it is possible to keep track of all progress in real time.
Field Reporting Tools and Analysis
Collecting reports from the field is an important strategy and the smoother the communication the quicker changes can be implemented.
Marketing companies are always updating and upgrading strategies, some of them even resort to giveaways and compensations to have retailers stock their products. For example, a popular instant noodle brand offers a gold coin to the first retailer to sell a million packets, the effectiveness of this strategy and the extent to which it is profitable can be analyzed quickly and efficiently using field reporting apps.
Another good example would be a courier company that launches a customer satisfaction campaign and would like feedback from each customer that accepts delivery of an item. This exercise can be carried out simply and effectively by sending a text message directly to each customer’s phone or by having them give their feedback on the app.
Gathering reports from the field were always subject to human error in the past and with the inclusion of software that basically automates everything, the margin for human error has been reduced to almost negligible.
Marketing Strategies and Tools to Aid Them
Marketing, sales and after sales service, are some of the common fields where a large number of on-field staff is required. Security and event management are also such fields.
Whenever employees need to be managed in large numbers, it is always wise to have a good communication system between the people on field and the people behind the desks.
The back office support is often overlooked and this is where a lot of people get it wrong, any on-field team is only as good as their support and that is why communication is so important. A lot of great tools aid in smooth communication between departments and FreD by 360fieldreporting.com is one such tool. This great little application features a GPS tracking system as well as a log so you can actually physically track each employee and remotely survey their progress.
This is really a blessing for anyone managing a large work force and eliminates the need for on-field supervisors. Hiring supervisors is often a lot more expensive than hiring employees and the elimination of this need for supervision really saves a huge chick out of one’s budget.
Field Reporting Tool Benefits
Field reporting tools provide speed and increase transparency and accountability on the ground. These tools, instead of using manual updates and traditional supervision methods, empower businesses with the capabilities to monitor activities in real-time and have important attendance and precise performance information.
Reductions in costs can come in the form of features such as: Task checklists, photo sharing, geo-tagging, and live updating to streamline field operations and reduce downtime or confusion.
Such tools also enable companies to determine the existence of bottlenecks rapidly, optimize team pathing, and act swiftly to adjust to changes in the market.
In retail execution, sales and delivery, field reporting tools provide smooth coordination between the field personnel and the management. In brief, they enhance productivity, reduce operational costs, and improve decision-making with evidence-based information.
The Best Tool to Help You Support Your Employees
The on-field staff aren’t the only ones that benefit from a great tool like FreD from 360fieldreporting.com, but even the support staff find that it makes their life a whole lot easier.
The GPS system on the software is a great tool for marketing managers who want to map out territories for their sales and marketing reps as well as helps them plan routes and journeys. For managers in the retail field, keeping track of which stores are stocking your products and which stores need to start stocking your products is a difficult task. With tools like “FreD” this not only easily accomplished but also efficient and accurate.
This great tool was created by Mahimm Gupta and Sarvesh Bagla of 360fieldreporting.com, and is available on the website as well as the Google Play Store. The cool thing about this tool is you can set it up and have it running in less than 24 hours, no more waiting and analyzing and collecting field data for months before you can launch a new project.
Another cool feature about this app from 360fieldreporting.com that’s definitely with mentioning is the pricing module. Now while most applications have a flat rate that you need to pay, this application has a usage based pricing module and this means your payments are directly proportional to your usage, which makes this app a very cost effective option indeed.
Conclusion
Field reporting systems such as FRAMe are revolutionising brand control on the ground. FRAMe simplifies workforce management with easy-to-use functionalities such as real-time tracking, selfie-based attendance, geo-tagged updates, and instant reporting. It minimises physical supervision, decreases operational expenses, and multiplies operational decision-making speed and accuracy driven by data–whether it is executed in the field, it is flowing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is field reporting?
Field reporting is the procedure that takes the information, news, and observations of employees or groups who work outside the office, usually in the sphere of sales, service or retail.
2. How does field reporting software work?
It allows them to post their activities, presence to and reports of on-field personnel, through mobile application to allow backend departments to know in real time and provide analyses of the activities.
3. What are some essential features of the best field reporting software?
Among such key features, there are GPS tracking, photo uploading, task checklists, real-time dashboards, offline reporting, etc.
4. How can field reporting tools benefit my business?
They enhance visibility, minimise human error, and amplify team productivity, minimise ref: cost because there is no need to allocate human resources to constant supervision, promote as soon as possible a decision making due to the presence of correct data.
5. Is field reporting software easy to use for non-technical staff?
Absolutely, the new tools such as FRAMe are friendly, intuitive, and easy to work with, not to mention that they do not need extensive training to operate by even the staff that does not have much experience with technology.
