Smart Tools can Unlock Data’s Hidden Value for Agribusinesses, says Proagrica Report
LONDON, July 15, 2019 : Businesses can derive competitive advantage from data without having to ask front-line staff to change from familiar tools, according to a report by Proagrica, the leading independent provider of connectivity and data-led insight across the agriculture supply chain. The report outlines advanced tools to unlock greater value from existing data, including a new understanding of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), smart procurement, and analytic tools that deliver genuinely actionable insight from data in ERP systems.
“For a productive and profitable future, agribusinesses must harness the full power of connectivity solutions and unlock their data’s value,” says Iain Lennon, Director of Product Management at Proagrica. “This is not just about agribusinesses seeking new tools. It’s about utilizing what they already have in a smarter way. Every business collects data – with the right solution, it’s now possible to derive more from that data than has ever been possible before.”
In particular, the report outlines key ways that ag retailers and distributors can benefit from actionable insights:
- Make agronomy tools behave like a CRM – use captured data to provide insight on in-field sales/agronomy teams and farmer markets.
- Order electronically, supported by analytics – best practice in procurement for a secure source of supply, at class-leading cost.
- Use ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) data for real-time insight – a complete view of customer, store, division and category performance and the means to respond to the market while the season is live.
Distributors and ag retailers possess immense value within their data but are held-back by the complexities of legacy systems, friction of user-adoption and the need for strict controls over business-critical and private data.
“Agribusinesses are now positioned to use the full power of data to unlock greater value for themselves,” adds Iain Lennon. “The means to extract/combine data and derive real-time insight from existing agronomic, financial and procurement systems is providing an unparalleled means to spot and meet market opportunities, satisfy customers and reduce costs in ways that were just not possible even a few years ago. With these tools agribusinesses are now able to transform their businesses and lead their markets.”
