Arrowpointe provides sales teams with critical customer data using Google Maps APIs

Client

Arrowpointe is a technology company focused on developing interactive mapping applications to help organizations obtain geospatial insights and apply geodata to business processes. The company’s core focus is Geopointe, an interactive mapping application that integrates with Salesforce, allowing users to uncover new opportunities by viewing and interacting with customer information through a geospatial platform.

As the leader in integrating Salesforce with mapping technology, Geopointe adds a map tab to Salesforce, allowing users to use Google Maps as the interface into their Salesforce data. From there, users can draw geographic shapes or use a library of saved shapes to pull information within that area. Customers can also pull in data from Salesforce and other sources and layer it on the screen, providing visual clarity to support strategic, data-driven business decisions.

Business challenge

Until recently, Arrowpointe was leveraging a variety of technologies to power its applications. However, the company was in the process of making a shift towards Google geospatial technology to unify resources and improve the functionality and user experience of its application.

The effectiveness and ease of use of Geopointe was limited in particular by its previous geocoding platform, which lacked accuracy in correctly translating address variations into the correct geographic coordinates. This issue was especially challenging for its international clients, as no other geocoding engine had international data strong enough to support effective geocoding. Both local and international clients struggled with trusting the application to get the coordinates right every time.

Solution

Amidst ongoing conversations with the Google Maps API team, Arrowpointe connected with SADA, named 2014 Google Maps Global Partner of the Year and a Google Cloud Premier Partner, to assist with integration of Google Maps API and provide consultation services and opportunities to leverage Google’s geospatial technology.
Scott Hemmeter, CEO of Arrowpointe, explained, “SADA served as our subject matter expert for everything Google Maps. SADA’s insights guided us through the whole process, from licensing to resolving technical challenges and outlining opportunities, in order to further improve our application with Google geospatial technology.”

The primary project to which SADA contributed value was Arrowpointe’s transition to Google’s geocoding engine. “Google, in addition to having the most comprehensive mapping layer, is a more forgiving geocoder,” said Hemmeter, “It is the best at interpreting the addresses people type in and seamlessly converting that to the correct geographic coordinates.”

Results and benefits

As of right now, all of Arrowpointe’s applications run purely through Google. Opportunities are made possible both for domestic and international Salesforce users through the accuracy of Google’s geocoding engine. “Instead of forcing customers to standardize address data, Google accurately interprets that data for them, whether they are in the US, Europe, Australia, or almost anywhere in the world.”

Within the application, if a sales rep is planning a trip and wants to see which customers are in that area, they have the ability to use Google Maps as an interface to search for and display results. “By integrating Google Maps data with Salesforce data, sales reps can see exactly where the opportunities are,” said Hemmeter, “Who are my contacts in Denver? Where do I have an open opportunity closing in the next 60 days?”

Better yet, if a client cancels an onsite appointment last minute, the sales rep can instantly look for prospects in the area, on-the-go from their mobile device, and never let a nearby opportunity slip by while making the most of their time on the road. Arrowpointe’s customers can also strategically plan marketing campaigns or events. Instead of piecing together different zip codes, a company can view everything in the New York metro area, add filters, view customer information on a map and easily load it into a marketing campaign.

Hemmeter shared, “With Google Maps’ global presence and accuracy, our clients can interact geospatially with customer information Salesforce whether they are in the United States or on the other side of the world.”