Get the Correct Data to Generate True Value

Q: What factors differentiate AppTec from other data consultants in the industry?

A: AppTec's core differentiators are the quality of our service, our team's deep knowledge and specialization, and our customer-centric DNA. We do not just collect data; we make sense of it. Raw data only becomes valuable when it is correlated and analyzed to provide a clear picture of what is happening. Our main goal is to help businesses make informed decisions based on real data, rather than on intuition.

Q: How does AppTec collect and organize large amounts of data to make it useful for its clients?

A: The first step is to understand the client and their industry thoroughly. We work with large companies like Telcel, Coppel, Home Depot, and La Comer, so we understand their specific needs and the challenges they face. We then go through a meticulous data curation process. Data comes from many sources and systems, like an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), a Customer Relationship Management (CRM), a point-of-sale, or a network management system. We standardize and model all this information so decision-makers can easily use it.

We focus on key industries, including telecommunications, financial services, and retail/consumer packaged goods (CPG). Each industry has unique challenges, and we encourage our team to specialize in specific sectors. Our people are not only experts in data technology but also in the business context of our clients. Our goal is to advise clients on the correct way to handle their data.

For us, the "correct" way to handle data means identifying what data can produce a meaningful result that aligns with the client’s strategy. If we do not understand a business strategy, we cannot provide valuable data. For example, if the goal is to grow a career in media, we can help with data from social media. But if the business is B2B, consumer data will be irrelevant. We want to prevent clients from wasting time collecting large volumes of data that they cannot use.

Q: What does the "correct" data handling look like in practice?

A: Our purpose is to generate value for all stakeholders by treating data correctly. Treating data correctly involves ensuring it is protected, clean, and accessible to the right people at the right time. For example, a supermarket chain like La Comer generates a sales receipt with every transaction. This receipt has a lot of information, but if the customer pays in cash, we do not know who they are. To solve this, we complement that data. We look at purchasing history and consumption patterns to predict who the buyer might be. If we see five receipts with the same three items bought around the same time and at the same cashier within a month, it is highly likely to be the same person. This kind of insight allows us to get to know the customer. Similarly, we can use geolocation data from phones to predict things like the number of young people traveling on a specific street during certain hours, which is invaluable for a telecommunications company.

Q: What are the most relevant data challenges affecting the retail sector?

A: The biggest challenge in retail is achieving micro-personalization, which means understanding and serving each customer on a one-to-one basis. For large companies like BBVA or Coppel, it is crucial to identify the consumption patterns and needs of every single customer. If they cannot get this information, it becomes difficult to understand what their customers need and to offer them the right products. This is why loyalty programs have existed for years; they are a way to exchange benefits for customer data. However, they are not a complete solution, and businesses must evolve their methods to get this information.

Q: What measures is AppTec deploying to safeguard the data it collects?

A: Data security is a constant challenge. Recent data shows that 50% of executives are concerned about who can access data and how it is controlled. They want to know who has access to sensitive information, whether it is from human resources, finance, or sales. We advise our clients on how to create the right controls for their business so they can manage data access and protect themselves from potential risks.

Q: How can brands build customer loyalty without this level of micro-personalization?

A: Loyalty is built on two core pillars: an excellent product and great post-sale service. If one has those two things, they are at about an eight out of 10 on the loyalty scale. To get to a 10, one needs to create a more personalized connection with the customer. This is about a deeper, more personal connection with the brand.

Q: What measurable benefits do AppTec’s proprietary solutions like Emma, Liam, and Noah provide compared to traditional BI tools?

A: Emma is our data pipeline solution. It is a method and software that transfers raw data from various sources into a clean, structured repository for analysis. For example, it can take sales data from La Comer and combine it with other information, like customer opinions, to create a natural language model. This allows a store manager to ask simple questions and get a clear, data-driven answer. This connects a company’s private data with a general large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT to create a custom conversational agent.

Noah is our predictive modeling solution. It helps companies forecast future sales or consumption needs. For example, we used Noah to help Costco predict the sales of non-traditional items, like a specific mug that might only be sold once. Without a predictive model, it is nearly impossible to know how much to order, leading to either huge losses or missed sales opportunities. Noah also helps financial institutions assess credit risk, allowing them to make better decisions on who to lend to.

Liam is our methodology and software for migrating data from on-premises servers to the cloud. We help clients move large databases, like those from SAP, to the cloud smoothly and without major disruption. These products can be used individually or together to create a comprehensive data management system.

Q: What are AppTec's priorities for the next 12 to 24 months?

A: Our purpose is to make decision-making perceptible through data for all communities. If our clients succeed, we succeed. We aim to be recognized as the best data and analytics consulting firm in Hispanic America. We have offices in Colombia and Mexico, and we plan to expand into Spain and other Latin American countries.

We are a small team of 55 people, but we all share a passion for what we do. We believe in constantly reinventing ourselves and providing our best version to our clients, which is our DNA. 

AppTec specializes in analytics, big data, business intelligence, AI, and data warehousing. It is dedicated to developing technology infrastructure projects for financial institutions, retailers, and telecommunications operators.