The beginning of a new decade provides the perfect opportunity to review your organisation’s data collection methods. In this article, we will discuss how mobile data collection technologies can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of your data collection processes in 2020.
Mobile data collection 101
Mobile data collection can be defined as a way of capturing qualitative and quantitative data via a mobile device (e.g. a smartphone or tablet). Mobile data collection software solutions store all of this information in a single centralised location, thereby eliminating the need for post-information-gathering data entry. Many tools also feature supplementary functionalities that support additional research tasks such as asking research questions, testing hypotheses, evaluating results and much more.
What are some of the benefits of mobile data collection?
One major advantage of these tools is that they can record data directly at the source. This has several benefits:
- It is an ideal means of gathering passive data
- They improve data accuracy by preventing memory bias
- The researcher does not have to input data into a spreadsheet afterwards
Combining chatbots & mobile data collection
If your company is looking to automate the data collection process even further, then you could introduce chatbots into the mix. Your questionnaire could take the form of an online bot that follows a scripted workflow. A well-designed chatbot can even be quicker and more pleasant to use than a web form. What’s more, chatbots tend to be quite cost-effective as they have the ability to run 24/7.
Find out more
If you are thinking about making the switch to mobile data collection, then you should read the below infographic from ERS IT Solutions. This informative graphic includes a jargon-free explanation of the technology and outlines the top reasons why your organisation should adopt this tech today. It also lays out some sample use cases and also offers advice on how to select the best software solution.
