AWI rolls out its controversial WoolQ portal

By: "Farm Tender" News
Ag Tech News
Mar 15, 2018
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Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has today launched the first phase of the WoolQ portal.

WoolQ, formerly known as the Wool Exchange Portal, has been created after three years of consultation and discussion in response to industry demand for a centralised digital information platform.

WoolQ facilitates online collaboration between woolgrower, classer, broker and buyer. The digitalisation of this process allows a wide range of rich information to be accessed anytime and anywhere via desktop or mobile App. This increased transparency and traceability is a feature increasingly sought by growers, consumers, manufacturers, retailers and brands.

The first phase of WoolQ is the launch of the eSpeci tool. The WoolQ eSpeci is an alternative to the current paper speci and allows woolgrowers and wool classers to accurately and efficiently capture their in-shed clip data at the time of shearing. By recording this data electronically, not only will it reduce errors, it will enable easier sharing of documentation and a central source of rich information from multiple users.

Where no Wi-Fi or internet connection exists, the WoolQ App allows users to access, record and store critical information to be uploaded automatically when internet connection is available.

Once the eSpeci is complete, it can be sent electronically to the broker or shared with any other contact for visibility, traceability and collaboration. The eSpeci has been trialled successfully across multiple working shearing sheds across New South Wales and Victoria.

Property Manager Matt Crozier from Cavan Station, Yass, tested the WoolQ tool and said, "we trialled the WoolQ eSpeci during February and we can see clear efficiencies for both shed operations and communication between ourselves and our brokers during shearing time."

Raelene Laidlaw, a Master Classer from Victoria said, "I love how it keeps things organised and helps prevent manual errors. Digitising the paper speci is a really good thing not just for current wool classers but also for the next generation."

Neil Jackson, a Western Australian woolgrower said, "the WoolQ eSpeci is really easy to use. I can see how a digital record of all my specis will enable me to view my wool and better understand my farm's performance."

The functionality within WoolQ will be extensive, with users able to do any of the following on a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop or desktop computer - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

* Complete and submit a speci digitally

* Monitor their inventory

* See all their data at a glance

* Track wool price movements

* Connect with the wool industry.

AWI's Chief Executive Office Stuart McCullough said "this is a significant development for the wool industry and one I am very excited about. It comes after exhaustive discussion and it's time now to support the wool industry into the digital age through the innovation of WoolQ."

WoolQ can be accessed by any member of the wool industry, from woolgrowers to classers, through to brokers, buyers and industry associations. Users first need to register at www.woolq.com and will then be prompted to set up a profile.

Peita Piper, Project Director for Wool Q said, "our approach is to release the various pieces of WoolQ functionality as they are developed. This will allow users the opportunity to start benefiting from the tool as early as possible and when further functionality is released in July and December this year, users will be familiar and confident in their use of the tool."

To support users as they learn to adopt WoolQ, a customer assistance service is operating at info@woolq.com, or 1800 070 099 and easy-to-follow video tutorials and user guides are also available on www.woolq.com.

For more information on WoolQ, visit www.woolq.com

WoolQ background

The WoolQ portal (formerly known as The Wool Exchange Portal) allows the wool industry to embrace digital opportunities to achieve future growth and efficiency. The WoolQ name emerged from the concept of a Wool HQ - a digital headquarters for the Australian wool industry where information, data, selling choices and trading opportunities are visible and accessible in the one location to woolgrowers, their agents and other industry professionals in a single online destination.