Businesses go through a great deal of trouble to gather information. They collect facts, numbers and words, as well as anything that they can get their hands on for the purpose of making informed decisions. Still, there is more to data collecting than just that, as it also allows businesses to stay on top of trends and do much more. Although one thing is certain; back in the day, data collecting was a very difficult process. However, with technology and advanced software, tools can now make this process much easier, and limit the steps taken to meticulously collect data.
Tools used for data collecting have come a long way since pen-and-paper methods. They have passed through many phases, going from the primitive way of piling up documents by hand, to being as easy as typing the name of the document you are looking for on your desktop PC. Still, these tools continue to develop and evolve, and it has become much easier to gather data today thanks to the help of advanced technology.
Here are the tools that have facilitated the hassle of data collecting.
Wireless Sensors
When you are looking for a quick and effective way to collect data, this tool gives you exactly what you need. By quickly connecting to your computers and mobile devices, the data you want to gather can easily be collected for analysis and interpretation. These devices work with any interface and are paired effortlessly. Wireless sensor manufacturers explain that these sensor products can come at low costs, while still featuring a wireless weather sensor with a GPS feature for better accuracy. They are also simple enough for young students, which makes this tool useful to both educators and learners.
Mobile Phone Surveys
By utilizing handheld gadgets, data collectors can quickly collect accurate data for decision making purposes. Either by USSD or SMS technology, data collectors can deploy mobile surveys, and achieve what they are looking for without needing to move around. They are cost-effective; they work well on all mobile phones, and they are also an unobtrusive method to collect data. Mobile phone surveys are also capable of collecting large samples at once, which makes them a viable method in the finance market, as well as many others.
GPS Tracking
More and more businesses are beginning to use this method of data collecting due to its ease and simplicity in collecting data. GPS devices can track the movement patterns of their customers, and then based off the information gathered, the business can act accordingly. Businesses have discovered that location is a key driver of consumer decision-making, which makes this tool especially important. It is also used by companies like Google, and their Google Maps app, while every Google application also makes use of this technology.
Web Tracking
Web tracking technologies are very popular in the craft of data collecting. This method relies heavily on tracking the hours that users spend on certain websites. They also monitor the number of times a link has been visited, as well as the precise time during which users visit a particular webpage. By using this method, data collectors gain a better and deeper understanding of a user’s behavior in the online world. This enables them to make informed decisions based on the analysis of the results they have assembled.
Electroencephalography (EEG)
Electroencephalography, or EEG, is a relatively new method that is quickly becoming more popular in the marketing field. This technique employs technology, which maps brain electrical activity, and people’s emotional response to different marketing materials and methods. It allows data collectors and researchers to understand the financial-investor behavior, and the process of their decision making as well.
Eye-Tracking
Technologies are being developed each day to make data collecting easier, to the point that some tools may seem to be unworldly. However, as unrealistic and futuristic as they may seem, they do actually exist. Eye-tracking technology is real, and it allows researchers to track a person’s eye movement in real time. By knowing what people are watching, and the things they pay attention to, data collectors can tailor advertisements that better suit public interests.
Technology has invited ease into day-to-day operations by upgrading the tools a data collector would use. This job has never been easier as it is right now, seeing as business collectors can now gather the information they need at the press of a button. From the unbelievably futuristic technologies that can track a person’s eye movement, to the simplicity of a wireless sensor, the future of data collecting tools definitely looks bright.
