Optimising Large-Scale Field Operations with Clappia: The Success Story of Pace Digitek

Pace Digitek has been a leading name in power management, optic fiber laying, energy solutions, and telecom infrastructure since 2003. Over the years, the company has worked on projects ranging from large-scale telecom infrastructure to innovative energy storage solutions. They have also contributed to smart city initiatives, exploring ways to improve sustainability and optimise energy usage. The company operates across India and has expanded its reach globally to countries like Africa, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. With over 4,000 professionals, they have serviced more than 100,000 products, managed over 25,000 service sites, and provided energy services to over 600 locations

Their work is vast and covers multiple sectors, from telecom to renewable energy. In addition to their core services, they have taken on government-backed projects that require precision and reliability, demonstrating their expertise in handling critical projects. But with such a diverse and large-scale operation comes one major challenge: data management and process efficiency.

"Collecting data at the field level was a crucial process. We were doing some of it manually, which resulted in unclear data, improper sanitisation, and difficulty in extracting useful insights. - Vikraman, Head of IT at Pace Digitek"

This is where Vikraman, Head of IT at Pace Digitek, knew things had to change. With support from leadership, he had the flexibility to experiment with new solutions and rethink how processes could be optimised. The challenge was not just about improving efficiency but also about ensuring that the solution was adaptable to multiple use cases across the company’s varied projects. The company needed a solution that could streamline data collection, simplify workflows, and ensure seamless integration across their teams. After evaluating different approaches, they chose Clappia’s no-code solution as the best fit.

The Challenge: Managing Large-Scale Field Operations

Pace Digitek runs multiple projects that require real-time data collection from field workers. One of their biggest projects was a government-backed fiber-laying initiative. The challenge? They needed accurate data collection from remote locations.
Vikraman noted that one of the biggest hurdles was that field teams would submit reports late, causing delays in project tracking. There were instances where last-minute data corrections were needed because of missing or unclear information, causing rework and delays in decision-making. Despite trying various external tools, they struggled with user adoption, as the platforms were either too complex or failed to integrate well with their existing systems.

Before no-code, the process was entirely manual:

• Employees recorded information on paper or spreadsheets.
• Photos were taken separately on WhatsApp, with no structured reporting.
• Errors were common—from inconsistent formats to missing details.
• Tracking site visits was difficult without real-time updates.

Since these operations were spread across multiple regions, consolidating data from different teams became a major challenge. Workers often followed different methods for documentation, making it difficult to maintain a uniform standard. Reports were compiled manually, increasing the risk of discrepancies and updates were frequently delayed due to the time taken to verify and sanitise data.

This made decision-making slow and quality control difficult. The company initially invested in vendor-provided solutions, but those systems failed.

"We spent money on vendor solutions, but the performance among users kept dropping. The applications weren’t user-friendly, and adoption was low. We needed an alternative."

Finding the Right Solution: Why Clappia for No-Code?

Vikraman explored different options, including custom development. But building software in-house had several challenges:

• Development time: Creating a system from scratch would take months.
• High maintenance costs: Ongoing infrastructure and security costs.
• User training issues: Training employees on a coded system would have been time-consuming and impractical.

While Vikraman had a background in programming, he recognised that Pace Digitek was not an IT-focused company. Developing an in-house solution would mean dedicating resources to hiring developers, setting up infrastructure, and maintaining the system in the long run. Even if they built a working solution, ongoing updates, debugging, and user support would require constant involvement, which was impractical given the company’s operational demands.

Instead, he looked for a platform that allowed rapid implementation without heavy coding.

"We needed something where we could tailor applications to our needs without spending time on software development. We wanted to implement solutions immediately."

One of the biggest advantages was the ability to make instant modifications without relying on external developers. If a team needed a change, whether adding a new field, modifying a workflow, or adjusting access permissions; it could be done in minutes. This flexibility meant that applications could evolve in real time, ensuring they always matched operational needs.

Clappia ticked all the boxes:

• Easy to build and modify without developers.
• No steep learning curve for employees.
• Quick integrations with existing tools.

Implementation: From Field Data to Full Process Automation

The first implementation of no-code was for the fiber-laying project. Field employees could now:

• Enter data directly into a Clappia app instead of spreadsheets.
• Capture GPS locations and photos within the system.
• Automate reporting and approvals, reducing reliance on WhatsApp for field data collection.

"We tested the platform in real-world scenarios. After multiple field trials, we saw significant improvements in data collection. Teams were able to automate key processes, and feedback from stakeholders was positive."

As the team grew more comfortable with the system, they started modifying applications to better suit their needs. Seeing its success, Pace Digitek expanded Clappia’s usage across multiple teams:

• QC and Implementation Teams: Used for compliance tracking and project execution monitoring.
• Service Teams: Managed maintenance requests and issue tracking.
• Internal Workflows: Streamlined approvals and interdepartmental communication.

Over time, they built more than 80 applications to manage different aspects of their operations. From tracking vendor service requests to task assignments, Clappia became deeply integrated into their workflows.

Key Benefits

1. Eliminating Unstructured Reporting

With multiple Clappia apps, data was more organised and structured across departments, making it easier to retrieve.

"Before, we had hundreds of messages coming in from different field teams. Now, everything is structured and accessible instantly."

2. Offline Data Collection

Many projects were in remote areas with no network connectivity and Clappia’s mobile app in offline mode allowed employees to collect data offline and sync it once back online.

"Before, teams had to manually write down details and later enter them into spreadsheets. Now, they enter everything offline, and it syncs when they’re back online. This has saved us hours per site."

3. Live Tracking for Field Teams

With Clappia’s live tracking block and GPS Location block, the team’s site visits could be tracked in real-time.

"Previously, verifying field visits was difficult. With live tracking, we have real-time visibility into where our teams are and what they’re working on."

4. Automated Reports and Compliance Checks

With Clappia’s validation rules, workflow automation and automated reports feature, ensured accurate documentation, on-time notifications and reports sent on a timely basis.

"Instead of waiting days to compile and validate reports, we now get real-time updates. This has improved compliance and decision-making."

5. Cost and Time Savings

Pace Digitek eliminated:

• Developer costs, since applications were built in-house.
• Infrastructure costs, by using a cloud-based system.
• Delays in software deployment, since modifications could be made instantly.

"We don’t have time to wait for traditional software development. Clappia allows us to focus on operations instead of fixing software issues."

AI & Automation: How Clappia’s AI Feature Sparked Interest

During the discussion, Clappia’s AI Block was brought up as a potential tool for automating manual tasks. Vikraman immediately saw potential when the AI Block was mentioned as a way to extract details from handwritten notes or automate parts of the reporting process. This was particularly relevant for their operations, where field teams often had to manually record data, and any errors or inconsistencies could slow down approvals. Automating this step could mean fewer manual corrections.

This led to a discussion on Clappia’s AI feature’s broader impact on Pace Digitek’s processes:

• Image recognition for analysing field photos.
• Document validation for verifying invoices and reports.
• Automated workflows to speed up approvals.

"AI could help us automate processes like image recognition and document verification. Instead of manually reviewing site photos, AI could help analyse and process site photos more efficiently."

Vikraman also considered the potential of the AI feature in making sense of vast amounts of data generated from field teams. It could classify and verify these and also highlight anomalies or inconsistencies, reducing the time required for manual review.

Pace Digitek is now exploring AI-driven automation but remains focused on practical use cases.

"We won’t implement AI just for the sake of it. It has to solve a real problem. For now, we’re experimenting to see where it can add real value."

Conclusion: A Future Built on No-Code

Pace Digitek’s adoption of Clappia has changed how they manage field operations, data collection, and project execution. The company has:

• Eliminated manual inefficiencies.
• Improved real-time tracking and reporting.
• Gained complete control over building and modifying applications.

For businesses handling large-scale operations, Pace Digitek’s experience shows how no-code solutions can increase efficiency, cut costs, and drive innovation without the need for a dedicated software team.

"Regardless of the challenge, no-code has allowed us to build, test, and deploy solutions immediately. We’re not waiting—we’re acting."

With AI and automation on the horizon, Pace Digitek continues to push boundaries, proving that Clappia is not just any alternative.