We all know how much technology has become a big part of our daily lives. People can be quick in incorporating technology usage in their lives, but this is often not the case with businesses. It’s easy to find a company that is still stuck in the old way of doing things. You can find their representatives or field technician filling out work paper forms while working, and data is entered manually into excel sheets. Methods like these are okay, and they have worked for many years, but they are not efficient. Not only do they consume a lot of time, but they also create room for many human related errors.
Are you wondering what you can do if you still rely on these old data gathering methods? Software development has changed how things are done. By using software designed for data gathering, companies can boost productivity while reducing costs. If you still rely on traditional data gathering techniques, then it’s time you considered investing in data collection software. Here is how you can know you need to make this important business decision.
Paperwork is never comprehensive
Have you ever tried going through reports that your team has submitted just to find that there are so many unanswered questions? You are then forced to start filling in the gaps since the paperwork isn’t fully completed. Moreover, when paperwork is submitted from illegible or incomplete fields, or worse still, the reports don’t come in at all, major problems arise. You will have to spend a lot of time trying to find the missing paperwork and information, and this slows up all your processes.
Your technicians are working remotely
Operational challenges arise each time employees are given the freedom and flexibility to work remotely. Whether your team is working in your locality or different parts of the world, it’s important that they ensure the office is updated on the work progress or the problems they may be encountering. Data collection software helps the techs to organize their reports and data in one system. This way you won’t have to search for what you need in different places.
Software development has made it easy for companies to get real-time notifications each time submissions come in. This means that you will be able to see if there are issues right away. You can also consider using a technology, which can work offline since sometimes the techs may be in areas that lack cell phone coverage or internet connection.
Company processes are prolonged
The company cannot run efficiently if you lack the information and data you need. What’s more, you have to waste additional time waiting for your team to bring in the data from the field. If the techs bring their reports to the office by the end of each day, or they submit their complete reports by the end of the week, you will be stalled until then.
Time is money, and your company can’t afford to waste time this way. Moreover, delays like this can make you lose business. When you have a system for receiving the information in real-time, you will remain efficient and the turnaround time for your projects will improve. In the end, customers will be happy and productivity will improve.
More time is spent on data entry
Entering data manually each day can take up a lot of your time. This gets worse if your company is relying on the processing of that information and data to run efficiently. You cannot afford delays. Avoid wasting more time by using software for collecting data. Reports, paperwork, and forms get filled out within one system, so additional data entry won’t be needed. You will also avoid typing forms manually when you opt to go paperless.
To maintain data integrity, errors must be avoided while conducting data entry. If you can get data quickly, you’ll get the chance to analyze and use it. Consider running the reports you require and filtering the data to know if it’s accurate. This improves efficiency since you can update plans and schedules based on whatever isn’t yet done.
Unintegrated systems
You are bound to get frustrated if the systems you rely on to work efficiently don’t integrate together. Or maybe, there isn’t a unifying system; all daily reports are emailed to a particular manager, site photos for jobs are stored in another place, and documents like inspection checklists are brought to the office. When you have information and data collected and stored differently, you will spend a lot of time uploading data individually. Software can integrate all systems and ensure that you get the right information at the right time.
If you have been struggling with all these data collection challenges, then you know the path you need to take. Consider using software for data gathering to remain efficient in your business processes.
