In the light of heightened competition in today’s times, it is important for industries like retail and construction to adopt a proactive approach to process improvement. Field reporting is one of the most important avenues through which such industries can identify lacunas in the system and initiate the process of fixing it. Traditionally, field data collection has by and large been a process involving manual collection and reporting of data using spreadsheets and paper. A big negative of such an approach is the delay in the flow of information that happens from the field rep to the decision-makers. On top of that, there is always a scope of human-errors when it comes to reporting of this data.
Let us explore some of the top trends in field reporting that you must keep an eye out for in 2021 and beyond.
Top Trends in Field Reporting
Mobility – The advent of field data collection software has made life a lot easier for supervisors to quickly get a sense of the data shared by the field force and initiate steps to improve the processes. Notifications via emails and text messages can be received by supervisors alerting them if supplies are running out or something urgent deserves their attention. The field representatives can even click and share photos and receipts that can help their supervisors validate customer case history and make informed decisions.
Internet of Things (IoT) – IoT is a buzzword in the technology world today. It is a system of integrated physical devices, machines, software, sensors, and a lot more. The area of Field Service Management is also set to benefit from IoT as it will help them predict things like whether any equipment will break down or not. World’s leading research firm Gartner sees a definite link between field service management and IoT.
Automation – Doing away with error prone paper-based reporting system and relying on field reporting software is one example of automation. Some other good examples to cite here are mapping out routes for the field workforce, tracking workers, scheduling, invoicing, etc. Customized forms can be designed to get the right information from field reps.
Conclusion
Using mobile data collection software, supervisors can in a few clicks and taps on their smartphone or tablet devices get access to real-time data that their field force is reporting to them. The invaluable insights thus gained can help expedite the decision making process and make timely interventions in a proactive manner instead of adopting a reactionary approach to issues. This is something that can help retail and construction companies gain competitive edge and improve customer satisfaction levels to a great degree. Enforcing such a software-driven field reporting system will help detect and resolve issues in time and make efficient utilization of resources as you can assign a technician only when there is an actual need for it. You will be able to reduce costs, boosts revenues, and even delight customers through just this switch to a field reporting software. So why wait? Go ahead, and see the difference!