GeoXploit 2.0 brings more power, speed and accuracy to business users

October 28, 2010 — Customers choosing GeoXploit, MapMechanics’ powerful, intuitive and affordable package of software and data for mapping and geographical analysis, are set to benefit from a variety of added-value enhancements in version 2.0, which is launched this month.

GeoXploit broke new ground when the original version was launched by MapMechanics last year, combining the power of a high-end geographic information system with the usability of a more consumer-oriented product, and bringing sophisticated map-based analysis within reach of organisations that may not have advanced GIS expertise.

The new version of this wide-ranging package offers even more up-to-date mapping with more detailed features; greater precision in identifying locations on maps; improved performance; and more detailed demographic data, opening the way for even more precise business analysis.

In addition, growing popularity of GeoXploit has prompted MapMechanics to make it available as an “off-the-shelf” product that users can buy online. Visitors to MapMechanics’ stand-alone GeoXploit web site ( www.geoxploit.com) can now order and pay for it with a credit card, using the widely-established WorldPay payment handling system.

GeoXploit is built round the powerful GeoConcept geographic information system, but its unique appeal lies in the inclusion of a variety of features designed to short-circuit the setup and learning processes and get users working with their mapping as quickly as possible.

To give users a flying start, MapMechanics supplies GeoXploit along with a wide range of ready-to-use mapping, business data and demographic data – pre-configured for quick, convenient implementation. Users can import their existing customer or corporate data using drag-and-drop functionality, and can take advantage of a range of pre-set processes to display colour-coded data on maps and review and analyse the information it contains.

The mapping data in GeoXploit 2.0 is now supplied with more features including counties and districts, and also contains a number of footpaths, making walk-time catchments more accurate.

Obtaining exact geographical locations from postcodes is now more precise, thanks to changes in the underlying data. GeoXploit can now plot a location to within 1 metre of the property closest to the centre of a given postcode.

Drivetimes calculated by GeoXploit are now more accurate. This is the outcome of changes made by MapMechanics in response to user feedback. Specifically, road speeds have been fine-tuned to more closely reflect variations in typical journey times experienced in different parts of the country. New GeoXploit journey-time packs are also now available, enabling users to specify (for example) truck speeds or night-time travel.

The demographic data supplied with GeoXploit has been enhanced by the inclusion of Census ward and output area boundaries. Output areas are much smaller than postcode sectors (in some cases a tenth of the size), which means users can analyse their data to a much higher level of granularity. For instance, a business holding data on the use of particular products or services could pinpoint the location of users much more precisely, and analyse patterns and clusters more closely in relation to the local geography.

In keeping with the “out-of-the-box” simplicity of the GeoXploit ethos, MapMechanics has made sure that features such as this can be invoked quickly by the use of new pre-configured analysis options, which are accessed with ready-made tabs on the relevant screens.

Version 2.0 of GeoXploit also enables users to tap more readily into the immense power behind the GeoConcept GIS that powers the system. Some features have been made more accessible, and others are addressed by a new range of training options.

Armed with these resources, users can now for instance take advantage of a proximity search feature, which makes it possible to find a chosen number of nearest and next-nearest locations to a specific point, and rank them according to distance or journey time. As an example, they could find the five nearest dealerships to a new customer location.

Retained from the original version of GeoXploit is the wide-ranging selection of supporting mapping and data, whose suppliers (in addition to those mentioned above) include NAVTEQ, Royal Mail, Microsoft Bing and the Office of National Statistics.

The original version of GeoXploit has already attracted users from a wide range of market sectors including logistics, healthcare, telecommunications, milk production and sales territory management.

Version 2.0 is expected to build on this success, appealing even more broadly to business users who want much more than basic mapping and geographic analysis, but may not have the time or resource to come to grips with conventional high-end GIS products.

As before, MapMechanics supplies GeoXploit complete with a full version of GeoConcept; no features have been suppressed. So users who become proficient with GeoXploit’s pre-set features can go on to take advantage of GeoConcept’s more advanced capabilities – all within the standard price.

About MapMechanics

• MapMechanics uses digital map-based technologies to offer an extensive range of solutions for a variety of business applications, from business analysis, territory management, site selection and customer profiling to vehicle routing and scheduling.
• MapMechanics distributes a wide range of data products including AA, NAVTEQ and Ordnance Survey digital mapping, as well as leading business and demographic datasets from many sources throughout the world. This data is listed in the Data Catalogue, which is probably the most extensive and up-to-date printed listing of its kind in Britain. It is published at least once a year, and is also available on the Internet.
• MapMechanics is a major supplier of software solutions. It is the UK distributor of the GeoConcept geographic information system, which is used extensively in a diverse range of fields such as retail planning, marketing, healthcare, environmental planning and management, transport and logistics, site selection, network planning and territory allocation, telematics and command and control applications, policing and broadcasting, and central and local government.
• MapMechanics also develops, supplies and supports TruckStops, one of the world’s best-established scheduling solution, and OptiSite, a widely-deployed network modelling tool. Backing up its extensive product range, MapMechanics offers a comprehensive service of implementation support and training.

Contact:

Katy McKenna
MapMechanics
Canal Court, 155 High Street,
Brentford, London, TW8 8JA
Email: Email Contact
Tel: +44 (020) 8568 7000 Fax:+44 (020) 8568 7400