What's Happening in Mapping

The Franchising and Retail sectors are continuing to benefit from the advancements in digital mapping technology and spatial solutions. Franchisors are always looking to provide more value from the marketing contributions they receive from their franchises, utilising available technology to make the group more profitable.

Do you remember your first website? Read the white paper on the evolution of online locators and see how digital mapping has been there from the start.

Today, digital mapping can help your business in a number of ways. Consider:-

Front of shop

* Interactive, user friendly, Online locators - customers finding where you are

* Door-to-Door Driving Directions and Routing - how customers can get there

* Integrated booking/ordering systems - call based routing

* Strategic (Local) Marketing activities - understand your client base

* Population movement - Day time and night time numbers

* Value of capturing a postcode at POS - review marketing and promotions

Back office

* Selecting new locations

* Territory creation and re-alignment

* Sales territory management

* Demographic profiling

* Targeted marketing

* Day time and night time population analysis

* Market segmentation

* Expenditure profiles

Operations

* Planning routes - Optimising delivery schedules or sales calls

* Benefits of vehicle tracking - displaying them on a "live" map

* Increased field support - Proximity to another vehicle, repair centre or depot

* Proof of delivery - Helping to balance costs against customer service

National Franchise Convention, Perth, 19th - 21st Oct

Next month is the National Franchise Convention in Perth and MDS will be there to discuss any mapping services you may need. Increase the profitability of your franchise group, arm yourself with easy to use tools that will provide local benefits for each of your territories.

Stop by and see Loretta and Tony at Stand 19. Find out how a combination of an interactive website with site selection, franchise area definition and geo-demographics can help increase the profitability of your franchise business.

During the conference Loretta can be contacted on 0413 200 550 and Tony on 0404 861 858 to talk about your franchise requirements.

If you would like to make an appointment ahead of time to discuss your needs in more detail, please contact them directly. Loretta Pearman can be contacted via email or +61 2 8436 2811 and Tony Maber via email or +61 2 8436 2845.

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Product News

Data Update News! News! News!

MDS is shipping the latest RoadNet updates for Australia and New Zealand prior end September.

QuickLocate Address Ranged Spatial Database updates will follow shortly thereafter.

If you are not on a current MDS subscription maintenance licence (shame) but would like an update, please do not hesitate to contact Margreet via email or +61 2 8436 2812.

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Customer Corner

Optus says “Yes” to MDS helping to map customer territories

Digital mapping specialist MDS has completed a major project to enable leading telco Optus to streamline the provision of inbound services, dramatically simplifying what was once a difficult task.

Inbound telecommunications services appeal to almost any organisation with a network of branches or offices which wants to streamline customer service. With just one phone number customers can contact the organisation, regardless of where they are in relation to that organisation. Read full story

MDS Drives Repco Rally Volunteers to Starting Positions

MDS was pleased to announce its support of Repco Rally Australia 2009, part of the World Rally Championships held early this month (3-6 Sept). MDS provided the organisers with the digital mapping services needed for the smooth running of the event, held over 4 days with 35 competitive stages across the Northern Rivers of NSW. Read full story

MDS to provide live traffic via the cloud

MDS was pleased to announce that they signed an agreement with Intelematics Australia Pty Ltd (Intelematics) that enables MDS to receive digital traffic information. This allows MDS to access information on accidents, road works and congestion, then display and utilise that information when delivering digital mapping products and services via the web (or cloud). Read full story

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Did you know?

There's a lot we know about Australia, NZ and beyond

There is a lot that you can do with the MDS road network data. MDS has built a range of products and services designed to help your business increase profits, reduce operating costs, allowing you to incorporate science when making important business decisions.

I bet you've always wondered which letter of the alphabet is the most common starting letter of street names in Australia.....you did? Great!

* ABC, it’s as easy as twenty three...."A","B" and "C" is the starting letter in 23.35% of street names

* "B" is the most common starting letter, nearly 10% of the street names

* The most common vowel to be used is "A", but it is only the 11th most common starting letter

* The top 7 starting letters (B C M S W H P) account for over 50% of all street names

* People in TAS are the most unique when it comes to street names, as there is a unique street name for every 46 people. NSW is the most boring place to live with over 106 people per unique street name

* VIC has the highest number of unique street names with 73,733 whereas NT has the lowest with 4,466

* NT has the letter with the biggest negative difference to the national average with over 1.5% less occurrences of streets beginning with S than everywhere else

* ACT has the letter with the biggest positive difference to the national average with over 1.2% more streets beginning with the letter H than everywhere else

Impressed? I thought so!

Let MDS help you with data, analysis, services and more... We know more than you think!

To talk to us now, please call +61 2 8436 2800 or email us.

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Extraordinarily good business mapping products, services and advice for Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

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