Field Force Automation System in Nigeria
Field force automation captures field sales or services information in real-time using communication technology, such as mobile devices, tablets, and computers. The captured data synchronize with backend systems, ERP, CRM, or accounting systems through wireless connectivity. Field service suites use automation for scheduling and dispatching, working with dispatchers (or drivers) on their way to customer locations, and documenting specific customer requests on the spot, while also providing certain customer services.
Improving the customer-business relationship is the aim of a Field force automation system. The “selling point” of FFA is “automation” and “near real-time.” By gathering and sharing data spontaneously across a consistent platform, businesses can increase communication with the headquarters, leading to more productivity and better customer service. In order words, companies can make informed decisions.
In a nutshell, FFA establishes continuous feedback loops between the field and HO. This phenomenon means that, once an organization has these FFA foundations, many other optimization capabilities can be layered on top. For example, a field service dispatch software.
How it works; web and mobile — two sides of a coin
A Field Force Automation Platform is usually a cloud-based system with both the web application and mobile application. The web application is generally operated by the Business Owner (or authorized personnel) while the field offers or agents use the mobile application. From the web application, the Business Owner (BO) can access the field force system platform from any browser and communicate with their field employees through their mobile devices because the field force system enables the BO to have visibility into operations in the field.
With a field force system, mobile employees log in to start their shift and immediately see their current job list. The field officers receive new updates in real-time with all the required information. FFAS usually have customizable forms for any industry to ensure workers are capturing data in the field quickly and consistently, reducing manual rekeying errors.
The field force system helps mobile employees close the loop by snapping a picture for verification purposes, getting a signature (if required), or asking customers to fill out a survey. All of the information captured on the mobile device, including time and mileage, are sent back to the management console (the web application.)
The field force automation system manages everything automatically. It alerts business owners to business-critical information by email in real-time, so supervisors do not need to be at their desks to remain informed.
Advantage
- Reduction in time delay: with data collected in real-time, the office can make decisions swiftly.
- Avoids redundancy in data entry.
- Enhances field force productivity from an operational perspective: field officers collecting data without using paper and pen, but a smart device increases their morale. Reducing the stress of the field officers is beneficial to the business.
- Market research: with data collected and aggregated and displayed in a chart format, it is easier for business owners to know their business aspect that needs improvement. The platform provides Business owners with insightful, detailed reporting to better manage their business.
- Make better and informed decisions for improved operational execution and compliance.
- Field force automation systems are usually cloud-based. Therefore, Business owners will be up and running in days, not months with no hardware or development investments. It is easy to set up and fit into the workflow of an organization.
- The mobile application lets Business owners know the location of their field officers and customers.
- Streamline Inventory.
Disadvantages
- Bad user interface: The look and feel of the application (both web application and the mobile application) are critical to users. A terrible user interface is more likely to hinder a user from completing an action. Paying more attention to the User experience and User Interface of the application will be one solution to this disadvantage.
- Connectivity at the location of information captured: In rural areas where internet connection is not reliable for the field officers, they might find it challenging to collect data from the customers in that region. A solution is to store the collected data in the mobile device’s cache to capture the information and sync once the field officers are in a better connectivity location.
- Digital divide
- Digital literacy: In most cases, there is a need to train users to use the application.
FFAS in Nigeria
The Field Force Automation Market is gaining pace, and businesses have started understanding the benefits of analytics in the present day highly dynamic business environment. The market has witnessed several significant developments over the past few years, with mounting volumes of business data and the shift from traditional data analysis platforms to self-service business analytics. As it seems that the world has technological advancement, some parts of the world are still far from adapting to the new trend, such as third-world countries.
Taking Nigeria as an example, the common mode of data collection is by using paper and pen. As expected, the process is tedious and increases redundancy in the data. Some technology companies saw this “challenge” and decided to do something about it by providing a solution.
Example of a few companies in Nigeria that deliver FFAS includes:
- Fieldinsight — Fieldinisight provides an avenue for businesses to collect their data in a structured manner with a mobile app and make sense from it by visualizing and analyzing the data on a web platform. With these, making a decision is now quick and effective.
- Senri — Senri provides a similar service as Fieldinsight. However, “offline functionality” differentiate the two products. With Fieldinsight, field officers can still collect data from customers in a not-so-good internet location and data syncs as soon as the field officer gets to a better connectivity location. However, Senri does not have this functionality.
- Salestivity — Salestivity, like every other FFA mentioned above, stores data and visualizes it in different chart formats. However, the downside of Salestivity is the manual inputting of data into the web application.
Although companies still have a long way to improve their products' efficiency, it is essential to note the effort and growth in this industry's last couple of years.
What organizations can benefit from this technology?
Usually, any company or organization with distribution, marketing, or sales team is a good fit to use a field force automation system. To mention two examples:
Fast Moving Consumable Goods (FMCGs): FMCGs need to know information such as the locations of their customers, the location of the field officers at a given time, the number of goods their customers are purchasing, the orders their customers are purchase (their competitors), the ratio of their competitors, the number of buys per week, month, quarter, or year. This information is only available for FMCGs from aggregating and interpreting data.
Logistic companies: Logistic companies are more concerned about the pickup location, delivery location, dispatcher location at a point in time, the number of goods picked up, the number of goods delivered, the weight of goods. A Field force automation system fits into the operation of a logistics company.
How can FMCGs benefit from FFA?
Specific example:
Part of the data collected from the field (or customers) by the filed officers of a particular FMCG in Nigeria (name withheld) includes customer location or address. The data collected is aggregated and visualized using an analytic tool. Knowing the location of the customers will strengthen the logistics of an FMCG company.
