Helping Your Business Put Tech to Work

As a busy ag retailer, you know how important it is for your customers to successfully implement and use technology on their farms. But what about the technology you use in your business? Is your retail operation optimally wired to communicate and coordinate operations internally and externally? Are you practicing what you preach in terms of using technology to drive business success?


Here are some tips to ensure your business technology serves both your needs and the needs of your customers.
 
Use technology to achieve efficiencies.
We all know it’s important for businesses to control costs and avoid duplication of work. Having a dashboard that lets you see your retail operation at a glance and monitor application equipment in real time, without staff members having to make phone calls or write notes, can help improve accuracy and decision-making, and enhance communication across departments.
 
Make sure you don’t already have what you think you need.
One retail business I worked with thought it needed a reporting tool and wanted to hear more about a particular product. However, the business already had a product in place that was similar to the reporting tool it was seeking. No one had told them what the tool was capable of or properly trained them on how to use it until the business went through a formal technology evaluation.
 
How WinField United can help focus your tech efforts.
Our retail technology team can perform an internal assessment of your current technology, identify gaps and overlaps, and work with you to determine what tools would be most effective to meet your business goals. Then we can help ensure you have access to the right technology for your business, and use the assessment data as a benchmark to gauge future success.
 
For example, we use our Accountability Matrix to map out what staff members are responsible for certain tasks or action items, which keeps business owners aligned regarding the current status and end goals of various projects. Having a tangible way to track responsibilities and project completions will help keep work moving and encourage the responsible parties to meet deadlines.
 
In today’s challenging ag marketplace, every penny counts. Make sure you are getting everything you need out of your business technologies. For more information on our technology consulting service, contact your WinField United retail technology specialist.