What is the cost of adopting an image recognition solution in retail?
A few years ago, field surveys were carried out by hand, a tedious and time-consuming task for your field teams. With this method, little information was gathered and the surveys were non-recurring This meant that the results of the sales and marketing strategies implemented could not be assessed.
To be more effective, linear survey tools have appeared on the market. Based on photos or videos, online or offline, with or without a connection and integrated or not with your CRM, these solutions offer a wide range of possibilities.
After months of testing by our teams, these solutions sometimes fail to live up to your expectations, and are poorly adapted to your specific needs and constraints. That’s when it becomes clear that you need a new tool.
Unsatisfactory first approaches to the field survey.
Many field survey tools, particularly the first generation of on-board solutions, have major drawbacks.
Firstly, the accuracy of recognition is often unsatisfactory, which compromises the reliability of the data collected. Secondly, the shelves are generally untidy, and you can find all kinds of products, from small to large, in rigid or flexible packaging. The shelves change all day as customers come and go, and some products are turned or not in the right place. These are all constraints that have an impact on the quality of your field survey.
What’s more, their dependence on an internet connection makes them unusable in some shops, penalising team members working in the field. With some tools, once a sector manager has completed his survey, he has to send the photos or films via 4G or a wifi network in order to obtain his analysis report. Once they have been sent, if they manage to do so, they may have to wait a few hours or even the next day for the results of the data collection… The KPIs and other arguments for negotiating with the floor manager therefore arrive late. The area manager may save time in carrying out his surveys, but he loses time in implementing actions on the ground.
Secondly, the collection and analysis process, especially taking photos and loading data, can take several hours, delaying the results and compromising the responsiveness of the teams. It takes time to take 10 photos to collect information from a shelf. For a photo, it is often necessary to take several shots to get the best possible result. A video, on the other hand, can be taken in a single movement, which saves time when using the tool.
EnFinally, the lack of homogeneity of KPIs between different regions or countries complicates the comparison and analysis of performance. You are a DNV and once a month, quarter, half-year or year, you have to cross-reference the data from the different regions. However, it takes you days to analyze them, and you have to arbitrate between different calculation rules used in the different regions to simplify and group the reports.
These issues have made it necessary to explore new alternatives. This is where video image recognition 4.0 solutions come in, providing instant KPIs designed to give management a global view.
Overcoming the fear of change with 4.0 solutions
In the face of these challenges, cutting-edge field survey solutions offer an innovative and effective response.
Firstly, thanks to their artificial intelligence, they guarantee accurate image recognition. In fact, you can achieve a 98% recognition rate for your products right from the start, improving the quality of the data collected to reach 100% within a few weeks.
This reliability means you can detect even the smallest differences between products. Take hair coloring products, which are often similar in color, only the number changes. These new technologies make it possible to identify the difference between these often very small numbers.
What’s more, solutions now work in offline mode, enabling teams to carry out field surveys anywhere and at any time, without being limited by the availability of a network or an Internet connection. You no longer need to leave the shop, or even wait for several hours or even go home to get your data analysed.
These latest-generation tools also guarantee perfect uniformity of KPIs across different regions and countries, eliminating discrepancies linked to different calculation rules and reducing the risk of errors when analysing and comparing performance.
Given the constraints of these tools, switching to a more powerful 4.0 solution seems like a natural progression. After an initial disappointment, the change may give rise to apprehension. It represents a crucial step in the evolution of your field survey strategy. But the question remains: at what cost?
Change to a 4.0 solution
From a human point of view, the introduction of a new technology often requires adequate training to ensure successful adoption. It is essential to set aside time and resources to train your teams to use the new tool effectively, but this can be done quickly. After all, your teams are already familiar with a tool, so it’s simply a question of improving it rather than integrating yet another new tool. These 4.0 solutions are powerful and easy to use. However, clear communication about the benefits and functionalities of the new solution is crucial in order to ensure that your teams embrace the change.
In terms of hardware, adopting a latest-generation solution may require you to acquire new devices or update your existing ones. Image recognition solutions cannot be used with a Nokia 3310! It’s important to carefully assess your equipment needs and plan an upgrade if necessary, to avoid unforeseen delays or obstacles when implementing the new solution. In any case, image recognition, via photo or video, is very powerful on many of today’s mobile devices, compatible with IOS and Android for example.
When it comes to financial costs, it is sometimes difficult to accurately assess the total cost of a state-of-the-art solution. Factors such as licence fees, implementation and maintenance costs need to be taken into account. In addition, pricing models can vary considerably from one supplier to another, making it difficult to compare costs and predict future expenditure. Surprises related to unclear pricing, restrictions on the number of photos or videos, or additional charges for new products or configuration changes can also impact your budget.
At EasyPicky, we’re aware of all these factors. We’ll advise you and work with you step by step to equip your teams with the solution best suited to your needs, taking into account your constraints.
EasyPicky THE 4.0 field survey solution.
What sets our solution apart is its ability to eliminate all the difficulties encountered when making the transition to new solutions.
With EasyPicky, you can easily carry out video field surveys in a single gesture. You can instantly obtain exhaustive data in the application in 100% offline mode, so you can better control, organise and improve the presence and visibility of your products in-store. This consolidated data is then transmitted directly to head office via our dedicated management interface, for effective marketing and sales analysis.
This customer-centric approach aims to simplify every aspect of the adoption of our cutting-edge technology. We understand the challenges of introducing new tools and are committed to supporting our customers every step of the way.
We understand the specific challenges of your business sector and anticipate the training needs of your teams with a simple and agile process, the application is very ergonomic. You’ll be up and running in just a few hours. To carry out a shop survey with EasyPicky, simply activate the video mode on your smartphone or tablet and walk through the shop aisles. All your sales staff are able to use the application anywhere and at any time, which considerably improves the effectiveness of your visits.
However, the power of our technology will depend on your device With a relatively recent device, the recognition rate is close to 100%. Our solution is compatible with a variety of devices, from iOS systems to Android devices, but we make sure that your equipment is adapted to our requirements. We’ll advise and guidance you in choosing the best tools to get the most out of our solution.
Our pricing model is clear and straightforward: an initial cost for creating and customising the solution, plus a monthly licence per user. The amount varies according to the project specifications we define together, including more or less functionality, at your request.
We provide you with detailed information on the costs associated with our solution, enabling you to plan your expenditure with confidence and maximise your return on investment.
The EasyPicky solution standardises field surveys, guaranteeing reliable, usable data. It provides access to crucial KPIs, improving the productivity and performance of teams in the field. So by implementing targeted recommendations to improve your retail execution, you’re harnessing a genuine growth driver for your sales.
In conclusion, an incomplete and ineffective tool will not enable you to maximise your sales compared with a complete, reliable and consistent solution. As well as ensuring the reliability of the data, this saves a significant amount of time. Your teams will be able to increase the number of visits and achieve significant growth in sales.
