As a premier IT service and data/software solutions provider transforming agriculture, we constantly seek ways for technology to improve our clients’ operations. It’s not just a job. It’s a mission, and we are passionate about creating solutions that will benefit the entire industry.
We recognize that the Ag industry has a unique pace in adopting operational technologies. Machine learning enhances packing lines, and robot palletizers optimize docks. Our Data and Software Services team sees this as an opportunity for collaboration and growth.
How data is unlocking business growth
Through conversations with our clients and other leaders in the industry, we quickly discovered the best way to make a transformative impact – with data to deliver business insights.
Data collection has become more prevalent throughout the food supply chain, but a significant portion still needs to be tapped and transformed into business insights.
Enter ZAG’s newest business insight solution, Syncrova.
Businesses rely on Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs) to manage their day-to-day operations, collecting a wealth of information. However, the evolution of these systems often lags the pace of business growth, leaving executives constrained by the limitations of existing systems.
“Agriculture finds itself constrained by margin pressures, limiting the capacity to maintain extensive internal IT teams, yet the industry demands simple, user-friendly tools to access and manage data to deliver faster, smarter insights,” said Thuan Ngo, ZAG’s VP of Data and Software Services. “I believe we need to go beyond technology to transform the processes and culture around data and what the industry can do with it.”
The underlying need
Like any idea, it starts with a spark of inspiration to solve an underlying problem.
We often hear that data is the new commodity for ag companies, and using their data as a competitive advantage will help them grow in the industry. So, before development, we spoke to more clients and leaders across the industry about their data challenges.
I was pleasantly surprised by respondents’ openness in sharing their challenges, admitting “they don’t know what they don’t know,” asking to be taught more and expressing genuine interest in what data analytics can do for their business.
I expected my research to be challenging, but what I didn’t expect was to be inspired by their openness and even eagerness to grow and learn through technology.
Through these discussions, ZAG’s data services team first identified the main pain points surrounding data collection and dissemination using today’s tools. Those pain points include and are not limited to:
- A lack of compatibility between systems
- Challenges locating and pulling data
- Difficulty understanding data outputs
- Challenges creating meaningful insights
- Time-consuming, manual data processes
The Solution
Syncrova is an enterprise software that transforms messy, difficult-to-access data into a valuable and actionable resource. Designed for ease of use and flexibility, you can continue using your existing ERP and reporting solutions.
Not having to learn new systems dramatically reduces costs and learning curves while delivering the ability to use your data to grow your organization.
“That’s one aspect of Syncrova that I find so exciting and wouldn’t rest until we solved,” said Thuan. “Syncrova allows the use of already established ERPs for daily operations, avoiding overhauls of modern systems.”
Among some of Syncrova’s transformative capabilities are its:
- Flexibility to evolve with your organization as goals and strategies change
- Individualization, able to be tailored to each organization’s specific needs
- Ability to grow and expand with increasing organizational needs
- Delivery of data in comprehensible formats
- Distribution of data in user-friendly, straight-forward data topics
The Data and Software Services team
The journey from concept to reality has been far from an individual endeavor but a testament to a passionate team’s power. Fueled by a shared commitment to innovation and more coffee than you can imagine, everyone played a pivotal role in bringing the Syncrova vision to life.
Drea Wiggington, one of ZAG’s product managers, applied new concepts to support the product’s development. “I’ve worked on teams and developed some amazing solutions, but building a solution that is 100% user-focused and not product-focused was a new opportunity and provides customers with a truly intimate experience.” She continued, “No shortcuts. We took the long way to ensure we delivered on every identified need, without question or caveats.”
Jared Van Dyke, the manager of Data and Software Delivery, added, “The collaboration never stops, and we never get lost in the tech or lose focus of the customer. I love that about our team. Syncrova is just a starting point, and we haven’t stopped looking for new ways to elevate the industry.”
ZAG remains dedicated to creating solutions that deliver on clients’ desired business outcomes. To increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve margins.
Syncrova’s promise to make that happen is simple: business decisions faster. Contact us today for a demo.
