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 EPI
Internet Direct is an authorized Microsoft MapPoint Web Services
solution provider.
This hosted service delivers a rich MapPoint experience to web site
developers, web site owners, software developers, EPI solution
partners and other EPI
clients for the delivery of Microsoft MapPoint Web Services.
If you require assistance creating your MapPoint Web Services
solution you may choose to partner with EPI or with one of our
authorized development partners for the design and
development of MapPoint related web site or other services.
What is
MapPoint Web Services?
Microsoft MapPoint Web Services
is a hosted, programmable web service that allows you or your
organization to integrate high-quality maps, driving directions,
distance calculations, proximity searches and other location
intelligence into your business applications, business processes
and web sites.
This service allows your organization to
deliver world-class mapping, routing and other related MapPoint
services as part of the solutions you develop and deliver to
your end-users or end-customers. By using the MapPoint
Web Services companies can improve business results through
better discoverability of store locations and business assets.
Today's Challenges
In today’s competitive business environment, it
is critical that companies connect with customers in as many
ways as possible. Customers are increasingly aware of the
spectrum of choices available to them and companies know the
cost of customer acquisition is significantly higher than
retention.
A complicating challenge is that customers are often just
interested in simply acquiring basic product information rather
than a total shopping experience.
In recent years, the Internet has provided
the foundation for a new way to market to customers. However,
businesses have struggled with the best way to use a web
presence to host services that will increase customer satisfaction.
For example, basic store location information and hours are
listed, but the information is not easily related to the
customer’s geographic location or product interests. Not only is
this approach inefficient, it risks the loss of customers to a
competitor whose location and products are easier to locate.
The Solution: MapPoint Web Service
The MapPoint Web Service is a core component of
the MapPoint System, focused on helping companies improve
business results through better discoverability of store
locations and business assets.
The MapPoint Web Service is a programmable web
service hosted by Microsoft and used by enterprises and
independent software developers to integrate location-based
services, such as maps, driving directions and proximity
searches into software applications and business processes. The
MapPoint Web Service also provides an extensive set of
mapping-related content such as business listings and points of
interest (POI) that can be used within applications.
Specifically, the MapPoint Web Service:
Benefits
The MapPoint Web Service helps companies
improve business results through better discoverability of store
locations and business assets.
Specifically, the MapPoint Web Service helps
companies:
- Improve customer satisfaction by seamlessly
integrating location of assets into web presence.
- Increase sales by improving the online purchase experience.
- Decrease costs by reducing the burden on phone centers.
- Share store location information between businesses.
Solution Scenarios
The ability to expose locations and driving
directions via the MapPoint Web Service enables a broad array of
business scenarios across a variety of industries.
Provide Nearby Points of Interest:
Companies can quickly and easily integrate key points of
interest (POI) associated with a specific location. For example,
hotels or restaurants can provide the nearest location of all
automatic teller machines (ATMs). Or a manufacturing company can
list all gas stations within a short drive from a supply center.
The MapPoint Web Service includes a database of more than
15,000,000 POI and customers can upload custom POI datasets as
well.
Search By Location Attributes: Companies
can specify up to 300 location attributes for use with MapPoint
Web Service applications. For example, a retail outlet can allow
website visitors to search for stores that are open early or
stores that handle return items.
Deliver Driving Directions: Companies
can offer driving directions with a map and step-by-step
instructions. For example, an insurance company can easily
provide driving directions from a customer home address to an
insurance agent location.
Features/Components
The MapPoint Web Service includes the following
features:
Finding Addresses. Find geocoded
addresses in North America, South America and Europe. The street
name can be combined with city, state, postal code or
intersecting street to deliver a specific search result.
Finding Non-Addressable Places. Search
for geographic entities such as cities, postal codes, states,
counties, rivers, lakes, airports, landmarks, and other
structures that do not have street addresses.
Reverse Geocoding. Access a list of
geographic entities that are associated with a particular
coordinate such as county or designated marketing area.
Finding Nearby Places. Quickly return a
list of points of interest based on the proximity to a selected
location. Searches can be performed for POI along a specified
route. MapPoint Web Service includes a database of more than
15,000,000 listings and customers can upload custom POI datasets
as well.
Customizing Locations. Easily geocode
and storing of custom databases to be used with MapPoint Web
Service applications is possible. Customers can include up to
300 searchable attributes for each record such as types of
services and hours of operation.
Routing. Provide optimized driving
directions with step-by-step instructions.
Map Rendering. Render maps in many
different styles and font sizes, optimized for a wide variety of
devices and applications.
To speak to an EPI Internet Direct sales
representative about MapPoint or MapPoint Location Server,
please call EPI at (800) 689-9034.
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