The Complete Guide to Digital Data Collection for Your Small Business

Information and data: you can’t avoid these words online. Big businesses are even learning to anticipate their customers buying behavior. Information has become crucial for not only competitive advantage but also for staying relevant. Collecting information has become easier than ever with technology. All sorts of businesses need to gather data, including small businesses.

Is Paper Dead?

In today’s digital era, many people are moving away from paper forms—and for good reasons. Paper forms tend to be slow, bad for the environment, require redundant data entry, and are easy to damage, lose, or misfile. More than a pain, they’re hurting your business financially. PWC reports that up to 11% of paper forms get misfiled or lost every year. If you lose just 5% of your invoices a year that lengthens your sales cycles, and you lose the opportunity to work with more customers or provide additional services. Paper forms also require extra data entry and storage, costing you thousands of more dollars a year in redundant work and storage costs.

Paper forms were the best solution for the 20th century. But today? They’re only holding you back.

Transform Your Small Business with Digital Data Collection

In 2014, this race to collect information felt like a game only open to the big guys: the businesses with money and resources for data analysts and hundreds of developers. If you’re a plumber, a landscaping service, or even a daycare facility, you’re trying to keep up with the day-to-day. The algorithms and tech side of the story can seem overwhelming and unavailable to small businesses.

With digital data collection on the rise, small businesses can track their data collection with the simple use of a digital data collection device. These devices can transform your workflow and transform your small business.

Digitally Gather Quantitative and Qualitative Data

If you have a mobile device and a computer, you have all the hardware you need to get started. Businesses in all sorts of fields can collect better information on smartphones and tablets. Some of the benefits include:

• Collect more information (Photos,GPS, Signature, Calculations)
• Share information in real-time
• Eliminate redundant data entry
• Validate information externally with location or time and date stamps

Digital Data Collection Methods for Small Business’

The mobile forms experts at GoCanvas created a FREE 80+ page guide to help you get off the ground running: The Ultimate Guide to Digitally Collecting All Types of Data for Your Small Business. Chapters include:

1. Productively Collect Customer Data for Your Business

Helping business owners understand the full benefits of mobile, and how you can tailor it to your business needs is very important. Consumer data is important to collect. Collecting customer data through digital data collection methods like data analytics will help you better understand your target market, improve your customer service, and make more informed strategic decisions.

2. Utilize Data Collection for Workflow Decision-Making

Discover what information you need, what to lose, and how it can grow your business. Too much data can be just as crippling as too little. Collect only the business information you need, and use it to create new opportunities, improve your workflow, and make better decisions for your small business.

3. Choose the Right Data Collection Device for Your Marketing Strategy

Ruggedized to consumers, there’s a huge variety in devices. Ensure you get the right devices, and policy, for your business. Finding the right mobile device for your small business data collection needs is important to your success.

4. Save Money By Going Digital

Bonus Chapter: Going mobile is just one way to save time and money. We’ve got tips and tricks to keep you focused and using your time wisely.

Enhance Your Small Business Workflow with GoCanvas Mobile Apps

Enhance your workflows and customer experience with GoCanvas. Mobile apps and forms help you ditch the paper and transform your business workflows. Learn more about how GoCanvas can benefit your business. GoCanvas offers a variety of mobile apps and digital forms to meet your specific business needs.