Sometimes we know an innovation is beneficial to our business, but to what extent is sometimes a bit hazy. That’s why Google, in an effort to bring some extra validation to its mapping services, commissioned research marketing firm VansonBourne to conduct a survey of 250 marketing managers in transportation, finance, the public sector and retail, asking them what effect mapping technologies have had on their businesses.
The results, while not shocking, are pretty impressive and definitively point to the growing importance of mapping technology across a variety of work sectors. According to the survey, 90 percent of the marketing managers surveyed are using or plan to use mapping and geospatial technology as part of their strategy and 62 percent of those using the technologies said it has had such an impact that it’s forced them to reconsider their product strategy.
Another 67 percent of those surveyed said they are experiencing better customer engagement as a result of mapping implementation while 46 percent said their businesses have improved productivity, efficiency and have seen reduced costs as a result.
“Organizations in all sectors are harnessing the power of geospatial technology to improve customer service and business processes and drive sales,” Said Sanjay Patel, head of Enterprise GEO EMEA at Google. “However, in the transport and logistics sector, its use is particularly widespread. Our research shows that those businesses who have not started using it are now on the back foot and should act quickly to ensure they can benefit from the mapping technology their competitors are already using.”
Despite such excitement over mapping, Google and VansonBourne’s research revealed that adoption has been slow – nearly one-third of surveyed marketers cited “internal politics” as a reason why they have failed to adopt the technology as well as costs.
Making data more accessible and easier to digest, mapping technologies can help service businesses in a variety of ways, allowing them to analyze information more effectively, spotting trends and patterns and boosting efficiency in numerous areas. DHL, for instance, uses the technology to look at data from delivery trips, which it then analyzes and leverages to train dispatchers on how to streamline deliveries. With mapping’s ability to allow customers to track delivery location, the worldwide courier service has enhanced its customer service as well.
We’d love to hear how you’re you using mapping technologies and how effective they’ve been.
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