Case Histories

Contract People

The Company

Contract People manage hundreds of field staff on behalf of organisations such as Masterfoods, Mars and Grants. Their job is to collect merchandising and marketing information from multiple locations across the country. Collecting data on paper based forms is problematic as not only can forms be completed with errors, these forms must also be collected and manually inputted into a database. This process proved to be a time consuming and costly affair. These delays presented an additional problem to Contract People. The longer it took to collect and collate data the less valuable that data became to their customers.

Overcoming the paper trail was only part of the story. Contract People required a system with which they could easily change and create new data collection forms. This would free them from getting involved in costly bespoke software development each time they wished to add new data collection forms to their system.

Once field staff reached their call destination the efficiency of their work was often reduced. This was because the latest information relating to that call location was not always available.

Finally Contract People had a requirement to streamline the management of their field staff call scheduling.

The Solution

To solve their problems Contract People employed the Call Collect software solution from Topaz Software. O2’s XDA II hardware devices were selected to run this software solution. Field staff collect field data electronically on their XDA II handheld computers and transmit it directly to head office using the O2 GPRS network. This network proved to operate reliably even in remote areas.

Call Collect was designed with ease of use in mind. This meant the administration of Call Collect is managed by a non-technical member of the head office staff. This reduces the burden on a typically busy IT department. The Call Collect administrator creates data collection e-forms and assigns them to field staff. Complete up to date call schedules are downloaded to the XDA II handheld computers. Once at a call location field staff may view a variety of information relating to that location such as contact details, sales history, call history and current promotions.

Once call data has been uploaded to head office up to the minute reports may be generated. Office staff no longer need to go through the laborious task of data inputting.

The Benefits

• Data collection e-forms may be created easily and quickly. This means no expensive bespoke development costs when new data needs to be collected.
• Reporting on the data collected is now possible minutes after field data has been transmitted to head office.
• Office staff now save huge amounts of time as they no longer have to manually input data.
• The complete suite of system activity reports in Call Collect means Contract People have complete visibility of the activities of their field staff.
• Field staff operate more efficiently with access to the latest call location information.
• Field staff productivity is increased as they no longer need to call into the office; this means more calls achieved on a daily basis.
• Call Collect’s automated e-form error checking greatly increases the correctness and completeness of data collected in the field.
• Training requirements are minimised due to the simple to use software interface.

 

"Call Collect has had a hugely beneficial impact on our business and we are absolutely delighted with the overall increase in our productivity and reduction of our cost base”

Tom Davis, General Manager, Contract People Limited.

 

SPCL Limited

The Company

Sales Placement Contract People Ltd (SPCL) is part of the Sales Placement Group of Companies, who are the leading Recruitment, Contracting and Field Marketing sales and marketing recruitment company. Formed in 1973 it has offices in Belfast and Dublin.

They recruit across all sectors of industry, including pharmaceutical, healthcare, FMCG, consumer, commercial, information technology, telecoms, financial and engineering.

Sales Placement Contract People organise and coordinate field marketing activities such as blitz sales, seasonal promotions and core brand development.

Field Marketing is where market share and sales can be won and lost. It is where the product meets the market and it is where Sales Placement Contract People can be at their most effective on a client’s behalf.

Working with major blue chip it is vitally important to keep delivering that extra edge. SPCL wanted to improve their product offering to their clients and wanted to be just that little bit different from their competitors In addition SPCL had been approached by clients looking for digital data delivery but where unsure of the best route to take to deliver the extra functionality that was required.

The Solution

SPCL came to Topaz Software and we worked with them to utilize Call Collect for their clients. We mapped out their data collection requirements and after successful testing and localised implementation Call Collect was rolled out throughout the whole of Northern Ireland.

The Benefits

The results have been impressive: our customers have – throughout the whole of Northern Ireland – revolutionized the way they collect and manage field sales and merchandise data and have delivered impressive savings in terms of data transmission and management time. More importantly, the increased reporting functionality has allowed them to focus resources where they are most needed resulting in tighter and more effective delivery across the region.

“Call Collect has been a revelation in data collection terms. It is easy to use and does exactly what it says on the box and above all it delivers valuable cost and time savings”

Allan Rutherford, Director, SPCL Limited.