Why Field Reporting Process Should Move Beyond Spreadsheets?
The process of retail field data collection includes two stages of activities: store-level performance data and subsequent procurement of insights and decision-making based on the data. While Excel can be a helpful tool for data analysis, the scope of errors that comes with using Excel becomes a problem for everyone involved in the process of field data collection.
The shortcomings which are a result of using Excel for field data collection include:
- No safeguard against possible manual errors
- No GPS-stamped tracking of activities
- No facility to add images of in-store displays in real time
- Collating and compiling data is not only time consuming but doesn’t contribute to overall productivity
- Incorrect data can lead to faulty field merchandising plans which can have an adverse impact on operations
So, what’s the more efficient way to streamline the process of data collection and analysis? Well! the solution to all the issues mentioned above is FReD, a cloud-based field reporting software which allows field-teams to easily collect data on the go. It has advanced contextual data capabilities which enable field teams to report in real time and account for better store-level performance.
Given its flexibility to be used as field reporting software as well as a field-reporting app, FReD is an easy to use yet comprehensive reporting tool which simplifies the process of retail field management. It can be installed as a field reporting app on any regular smart-phone device or can be accessed via the browser on any desktop.
Some additional benefits offered by using FReD are:
- Unlike the data entry procedure followed while using spreadsheets, FReD allows real-time data sharing and instant data review across teams and makes it possible for decision-makers to spot trends and draw meaningful insights. Piles of paper can be effectively replaced by mobile forms and photo reports which makes deriving reports from data a much-more organized and a less time-consuming task.
- Quick yet detailed analysis of the critical data collected through records of demand, supply and sales results in making retail merchandising activities more area-focused and product-centric, thus lowering merchandising costs and ensuring better sales in the long run.
- Furthermore, FReD is available with the facility of usage-based pricing which means you only pay for the features which you choose to use. This pricing can also be extended to accommodate any scale of operations – from a 5 member team to 5000 member team – you pay per user.
So, what do you think? Isn’t it time to bid adieu to obsolete ways of retail field data management in favour of cutting-edge technological innovations like FReD. In recent times, retail has somewhere lagged behind in keeping pace with evolving data and technology solutions. Due to the ubiquitous spreadsheet slump, a lot of issues related to merchandising, measurement and compliance come into the picture. It is high time to adopt a new field retail management solution and give frontrunners, like FReD, a chance to revolutionize your retail and field operations.
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