Mobile Data Collection in BFSI: Case Studies from Around the World

How Does Mobile Data Collection Work?

Mobile data collection is a modern approach to recording and managing data that works in the following steps:

1. Form Design: Creating Flexible and Dynamic Digital Forms

Survey authoring tools enable BFSI personnel to create custom data collection forms that can handle various data types such as text, GPS coordinates, barcodes, images, and voice recordings.

These tools help design, test, and deploy digital data collection forms.

Some mobile tools used in form design include:

1. XLSForms – Excel-based form design standard used by ODK, KoboToolbox, and CommCare.
2. ODK Build – Drag-and-drop form designer for ODK users.
3. Kobo Form Builder – Simplified visual form creator for KoboToolbox.
4. SurveyCTO Designer – Enterprise-grade form-building with conditional logic.
5. Google Forms – Basic web-based form creation tool.
6. Magpi Forms – Mobile-friendly form designer for surveys and data collection.

Mobile data collection enables professionals to design user-friendly digital forms on tablets or smartphones for efficient and accurate data entry.

2. Data Collection Using Mobile Devices

Many mobile data collection tools support multiple functionalities such as barcode scanning, GPS tracking, image capture, voice-to-text input, digital signatures, and many other functionalities.

Mobile data collection tools also offer offline functionality, allowing users to capture data without an internet connection and synchronize it later when connectivity is restored.

Some of the tools used to collect data using mobile devices include:

1. ODK Collect – Open-source mobile app for mobile data collection using ODK. ODK Collect can collect data offline.
2. KoboCollect – Mobile app for data collection using KoboToolbox.
3. SurveyCTO Collect – Secure, offline-first data collection platform.
4. Survey123 by Esri – GIS-enabled app for geospatial data collection.
5. CommCare – Mobile case management tool used in health and humanitarian projects.
6. TaroWorks – Salesforce-integrated data collection tool.
7. Magpi+ – Supports multimedia data input.
8. Dimagi CommCare – Supports longitudinal tracking and case management.

3. Offline Data Collection in Areas With Limited Internet

Mobile data collection tools allow uninterrupted work, even without internet access, by storing data offline and automatically syncing it when a connection is available.

Some of the mobile tools for offline data collection include:

1. ODK Collect – Stores responses offline and syncs later to a cloud server.
2. KoboCollect – Stores responses offline and syncs later to a cloud server.
3. Magpi+ – Designed for low-bandwidth regions.
4. TaroWorks – Works offline and syncs with Salesforce CRM.
5. CommCare – Enables offline case tracking for healthcare and NGOs.
6. Surveys on Tab – Offline-first solution for market and corporate surveys.

Offline seamless mobile data collection enables users to gather and store data without internet access, ensuring uninterrupted workflow and automatic synchronization once online.

4. Data Synchronization: Uploading & Syncing to the Cloud

Mobile data collection tools automatically upload recorded data to a centralized cloud or physical servers for processing as soon as an internet connection is established.

Some of the mobile tools for data synchronization include:

1. ODK Central – Store and manage synchronized data.
2. ODK Aggregate – Store and manage synchronized data.
3. KoboToolbox Servers – Store and manage synchronized data.
4. Google Sheets API – Auto-syncs data to spreadsheets for easy access.
5. RedCap – Secure data management for research and healthcare projects.
6. ODK Cloud, Microsoft Azure, AWS S3, Digital Ocean, Google Cloud – Secure cloud-based data storage solutions.

5. Data Management: Cleaning, Processing, and Storage

Once collected, the data is cleaned, processed, and organized to facilitate analysis and informed decision-making.

Some of the tools for data management include:

1. Microsoft Excel & Google Sheets – Used for basic data cleaning and filtering.
2. Power BI – Dashboard creation and business intelligence reporting.
3. Python & R – Advanced data processing and analytics.
4. Tableau – Data visualization and storytelling.
5. QGIS – GIS software for geospatial data mapping.
6. Google BigQuery – Cloud-based big data warehousing.

Bank executives review data from a laptop screen. Picture/Courtesy

6. Reporting & Action: Analyzing Data for Decision-Making

With processed data, organizations create reports, visualize key insights, and drive informed decisions.

Some of the tools for reporting & action include:

1. Microsoft Power BI – Interactive data visualization and reporting.
2. Google Data Studio – Cloud-based business intelligence platform.
3. Tableau – Advanced analytics and visualization.
4. SPSS & Stata – Statistical tools for complex data analysis.
5. QGIS – GIS mapping and spatial analytics.
6. Looker (Google Cloud) – Data-driven business intelligence platform.

Case Studies on the Successful Implementation of Mobile Data Collection in the BFSI Sector

The following are real-world examples of the transformative impact of mobile data collection in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sector:

1. SurveyCTO for Enhancing Data Collection in Third-Party Monitoring of the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)

The World Bank’s Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) is the primary source of government-managed development funding in Afghanistan, supporting key sectors like education, healthcare, agriculture, rural growth, and governance.

Afghanistan bears the deep scars of decades of conflict following a protracted war between Western powers like USA and perceived terrorist organizations operating in the country.

The brutal war left the country’s infrastructure, economy, and its people significantly devastated.

Project Details

1. In its efforts to rebuild the country, The World Bank hired a consortium of companies in 2014 to begin a continuous process of checking the presence and responsibilities of government employees.
2. This effort was expanded in 2020 into a full-scale monitoring program processing yearly verifications for 4,000 civil servants throughout Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
3. One of the organizations (ATR), adopted SurveyCTO, to enhance the efficiency and reliability of their data collection processes.
4. ATR managed to digitize key existing government forms (M16s and M41s) into SurveyCTO, linking them to streamline data flow and reduce redundancy.​
5. Each civil servant was assigned a unique ID within SurveyCTO, minimizing errors and ensuring accurate data tracking.

Challenges Before the Adoption of SurveyCTO in Monitoring the Civil Workforce in Post-War Afghanistan

1. The reliance on paper forms and Excel spreadsheets made the verification process labor-intensive.
2. Manual data entry into Excel allowed inconsistencies, with different enumerators inputting data into various fields, leading to potential errors.
3. Collecting diverse data types involved multiple steps, including photographing documents, sharing them via WhatsApp, and compiling them into Word documents. This raised data quality concerns.

Armed Taliban fighters patrol the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan. The Islamic took over the country after two decades of fighting against Western occupation. Picture/Courtesy

Key Benefits After the Adoption of Mobile Data Collection

1. SurveyCTO linked key government data collection forms, streamlined data flow, and reduced redundancy.
2. SurveyCTO minimized errors and ensured accurate data tracking.
3. The platform facilitated the secure collection of photographs and other media, ensuring comprehensive documentation of each verification.
4. Features like audit fields and review workflows enabled supervisors to monitor data collection quality, addressing issues like absenteeism effectively.​

Source

How the World Bank’s Third-Party Monitoring reduced data collection time and improved data validity – SurveyCTO

2. Open Banking APIs for Credit Scoring in a Norwegian Bank

Open Banking APIs have revolutionized the way financial institutions access and utilize data for credit scoring.

Credit scoring is a statistical analysis used by lenders to assess an individual’s creditworthiness, predicting the likelihood they will repay debt.

Open Banking APIs facilitate the secure exchange of financial data between banks and authorized third-party providers, including payment service providers, FinTech Apps, and credit reference agencies.

Project Details

1. A 2022 Risk and Financial Management Journal described how a Norwegian bank adopted Open Banking APIs to enable seamless data collection and enhance the accuracy of credit assessments.
2. By using these APIs, the bank was able to access a wide range of financial data directly from customers’ bank accounts, including transaction histories, income patterns, and spending behaviors.
3. This data provided a more complete picture of an individual’s financial health and trustworthiness.
4. The bank was able to improve data collection for credit assessments, providing a more efficient and accurate way of evaluating potential borrowers.

Challenges Before the Adoption of Open APIs as a Credit Data Collection Tool

1. Traditional credit scoring systems relied heavily on historical credit data, which did not provide a comprehensive view of a borrower’s financial behavior.
2. Data collection was slow, often requiring manual processes that could introduce errors and delays.
3. The bank’s systems were not integrated, making it difficult to collect and process data from multiple sources.

Open Banking APIs enhance credit scoring by providing secure access to real-time financial data, enabling more accurate and inclusive credit assessments. Picture/Courtesy

Key Benefits After the Adoption of Open Banking APIs in Credit Scoring

1. With real-time data access from multiple banks, the bank was able to perform more accurate credit assessments.
2. The automated nature of the API data collection allowed the bank to process applications faster, reducing wait times for customers.
3. Access to up-to-date financial data enabled the bank to better assess the risk of lending to a customer, thereby reducing the likelihood of defaults.

Source

The Value of Open Banking Data for Application Credit Scoring: Case Study of a Norwegian Bank – The Journal of Risk and Financial Management

3. Adoption of KoboToolbox for Data Collection in the Study of E-Banking Adoption in Bukavu, DRC

The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing a surge in digital banking involving mobile and internet platforms, which is expanding access to financial services, simplifying transactions, and boosting efficiency.

Leading banks such as Rawbank, EquityBCDC, and CRDB Bank are instrumental in providing these digital solutions.

The Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP Bukavu) is a higher education institution in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, focused on teacher training and pedagogical research, with a mission to prepare qualified and ethical educators.

Project Details

1. Researchers from the ISP Bukavu conducted a study in 2024 about the adoption and use of e-banking by customers of commercial banks in Bukavu, DRC.
2. The study sought to explore how customers interacted with digital banking services.
3. KoboToolbox was adopted as the primary data collection method to facilitate efficient, real-time, and accurate data capture in a region with varied access to resources and infrastructure.

Challenges Before the Adoption of KoBoToolbox in Banking Field Studies

1. Researchers depended on paper surveys, which required time-consuming manual entry of responses into digital formats. This increased the risk of errors, delays, and inconsistencies.
2. Many areas in Bukavu lacked reliable internet or technology infrastructure, which hindered the ability to access and collect data consistently.
3. Storing data on paper posed significant security risks, as it was difficult to ensure safe storage and management, especially in the face of potential loss and theft.

Bukavu, a DRC city on the southwestern shore of Lake Kivu near the Rwandan border, has recently experienced significant turmoil due to the ongoing war involving the M23 rebels. Picture/Courtesy

Key Benefits After the Adoption of Mobile Data Collection

1. KoboToolbox enabled real-time submission of survey responses, allowing researchers to monitor data as it was collected, ensuring quick adjustments if needed.
2. With the use of digital surveys, the risk of data entry errors was minimized.
3. KoboToolbox’s offline mode allowed data collection in areas with unreliable internet, where researchers could later sync their data once connectivity was available.
4. KoboToolbox saved both time and operational costs, allowing researchers to focus more on analysis and insights.
5. The research provided commercial banks with insights into how these customers used e-banking services, helping banks to improve their digital offerings.
6. The insights gathered helped local banks understand customer needs and behaviors, leading to better-targeted financial products and services.

Source

The Determinants of the Adoption and Use of E-banking by the Customers of Commercial Banks in Bukavu, DRC – Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP Bukavu)

4. Google Forms to Study Youth Perception Towards Mobile Banking in Mangalore, India

In an increasingly digital world, mobile banking has emerged as a critical component of financial inclusion, particularly among the youth.

India’s young, tech-savvy population is driving the rapid adoption of mobile banking, leveraging smartphones for everyday financial transactions.

This demographic shift is transforming the traditional banking landscape, pushing for innovative and user-friendly digital financial services.

Project Details

1. A joint study by the Government First Grade College for Women and Srinivas University was conducted in Mangalore, India, to understand the youth perception of mobile banking usage.
2. Google Forms was adopted as the primary data collection method due to its ease of use, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness.
3. Served via Google Forms, the questionnaires aimed to capture data from college students regarding their attitudes toward mobile banking services, including usage patterns, challenges, and benefits.

Challenges Before the Adoption of Google Forms for Mobile Banking Studies in India

1. The use of paper-based surveys led to issues with data entry, including transcription errors, slow processing times, and high costs of printing and distribution.
2. Reaching a broad sample of youth across different colleges in Mangalore was difficult with traditional methods.
3. Storing physical responses posed a risk of losing sensitive information, especially when dealing with personal financial data.
4. After data collection, researchers spent significant time organizing and analyzing paper-based responses, which delayed insights.

Mangalore City in India boasts an increasingly tech-savvy youth population driven by high smartphone penetration, strong educational institutions, and a growing IT sector. Picture/Courtesy

Key Benefits After the Adoption of Google Forms

1. Using Google Forms significantly reduced costs, as there were no printing or physical distribution expenses.
2. With responses automatically stored in Google Sheets, researchers could monitor data as it was collected, allowing them to spot trends and adjust questions if necessary.
3. The online format allowed students from multiple colleges across Mangalore to participate easily,
4. The digital nature of Google Forms minimized human errors and provided secure storage of sensitive data.
5. Google Forms automatically organized responses, making data analysis faster and more efficient.
6. The study allowed students to voice their opinions on mobile banking usage and its impact on their financial behaviors.
7. Insights from the study provided valuable information to banks and financial institutions about the preferences, challenges, and expectations of youth.

Source

A case study on youth perception toward mobile banking usage with reference to students of Mangalore city – International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR)

Also read: Mobile Data Collection in Finance: Case Studies of Mobile Tools Modernizing Economies

5. ODK in Rwanda Revenue Authority’s Customer Satisfaction Survey

The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) is a government agency in Rwanda responsible for the assessment, collection, and accounting of taxes, customs duties, and other revenues.

Project Details

1. The RRA adopted the Open Data Kit (ODK) for data collection in its 2020 Customer Satisfaction Survey.
2. This survey aimed to measure taxpayer satisfaction with RRA’s services and identify areas for improvement, particularly in light of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. The adoption of ODK allowed RRA to streamline the data collection process and achieve more efficient, accurate results across the country.

Challenges Before the Adoption of ODK in Rwanda’s Taxpayer Satisfaction Studies

1. The use of paper surveys led to slow data processing, transcription errors, and increased costs for printing and distribution.
2. Collecting data from a wide range of locations across Rwanda was difficult without a reliable method to reach participants efficiently.
3. Lack of real-time data synchronization often led to inconsistencies and difficulties in tracking survey progress and quality.

Rwanda Revenue Authority personnel during a recent engagement with the UNDP Rwanda. Picture/Courtesy

Key Benefits After the Adoption of ODK

1. ODK enabled real-time data collection, reducing delays and eliminating manual data entry.
2. ODK’s validation rules ensured that only valid responses were recorded, reducing errors and increasing the reliability of the data.
3. ODK allowed RRA to collect data across multiple regions of Rwanda, including rural areas, ensuring that the sample was representative of the entire tax base.
4. The costs associated with paper-based surveys (printing, transportation, data entry) were significantly reduced, making the process more cost-effective.
5. By implementing ODK, RRA was able to improve the quality of data, which will inform future strategic decisions to improve customer service and tax compliance.
6. The insights gained from the survey will allow RRA to enhance its services, making the tax process more efficient and user-friendly for taxpayers.

Source

Customer Satisfaction Survey – Rwanda Revenue Authority