WinField and Agworld Team Up to Address Retailer Challenges

From coordinating busy schedules and record keeping to tracking field applications, we know you have more than enough on your plate. This year, several WinField retail locations throughout the nation have been using Agworld, and it has helped them save time and improve efficiency considerably. A preferred partner of WinField, Agworld will be available through Answer Tech™ to additional retail locations in the near future.     
 
Agworld helps improve the people, processes and measurement systems of your business, and is catered to your location, size and business needs. For smaller locations, the software functions as a collaborative platform for farmers, consultants and other stakeholders. For larger locations, Agworld is more of a built-to-scale system that offers tools to enhance work in the field.  “We understand that no two businesses are the same, so we built Agworld to be flexible. The technology works to fit you—not the other way around,” says Zach Sheely, Agworld president.
 
Wilco, a WinField cooperative partner, has been using Agworld since 2013 and the results have been overwhelmingly positive. All of the co-op’s 26 agronomists use the tool every day on approximately 270,000 acres, which is roughly 25 percent of the Wilco market area. Jeff Freeman, Wilco marketing and supply manager, notes, “Agworld, at its heart, is a grower-based program, but it’s also a valuable tool for the ag retailer.”
 
While working with Agworld offers several benefits, here are the top three based on user feedback:
 

1. Creates efficiency

Agworld creates efficiency in the workflow process for farmers, agronomists and retailers. The software takes care of record keeping, and documenting every step, recommendation and application. Agronomists no longer need to write down plans or application recommendations during the day, eliminating extra trips back to the office. On average, this saves Wilco agronomists about one hour per day. “Agworld helps agronomists start and end each day in the field—where they provide the most value to the grower,” adds Freeman.
 

1. Demonstrates retailer value

Because Agworld logs all activity and communication, it helps clearly demonstrate a retailer’s measurable value to the farmer. For example, even if a farmer isn’t with a retailer when an in-season application is made, the tool notifies the farmer of when and how the application took place. The tool can help turn an observation while scouting into a recommendation with a proposed solution.
 

1. Standardizes services

Through detailed record keeping, Agworld standardizes services and creates consistency for all employees throughout the business. Through this, the tool leverages a retail location’s most important asset: its people. Interns, recent college graduates and agronomists with 25 years of experience are all equipped with the same knowledge. “Agworld accelerates intellectual property transfer among our entire staff,” says Freeman.
 
If your retail location is considering Agworld, we encourage your team to first identify the most important areas of your business that need improvement, and consider what would provide the most value to farmers. Because the software is flexible, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. “I highly recommend Agworld, but having the right business model is crucial. You need to have a system that is easy to use and mobile, because Agworld has web-based and iPad app components,” says Freeman.
 
We recommend retailers look into using Agworld, a preferred WinField partner, to find out how it can help your business. To learn how to start using Agworld at your retail location, watch for more information on answertech.com. To speak directly with a representative from Agworld, contact Kristin Jerkovich at Kristin.Jerkovich@agworld.co.