The New Marketing Geography – Six-Digit Postal Code Boundaries

Location intelligence has become an essential tool to helping businesses expand and grow their markets. Making use of marketing analytics to drive their business activities has become a standard practice for most enterprise. Today, using the new marketing geography – Six-Digit Postal CodeOM boundaries, acquired through location intelligence solutions, businesses can achieve optimum levels in trade area delineation, market segmentation and serviceability.

There are approximately 818,000 active postal codes (FSALDU) for residences and businesses in
Canada. In the past, experts promoted the use of government administration boundaries as the ideal geographic unit for marketing activities. Only recently, a six digit postal code geographic boundary fabric has been created that covers all urban and rural areas across Canada.

Postal code boundaries are typically smaller geographic units representing smaller clusters of households and individuals. The maintenance and updating of geographies is also significantly different. Census geography is determined for the primary purpose of collecting descriptive statistics regarding the populations within their boundaries. Businesses with GIS software, access to vector street data that is ascribed with address verification ranges, and customer data that has been address-referenced, have the ability to delineate and study the trade areas where the majority of their customers are located which includes where they live and work. Companies can also focus direct mail advertising campaigns on their own trade areas, or their competitors’. Furthermore, GIS can be used to analyze the socio-economic characteristics of the population within trade areas, enabling businesses to make sure that the products and services they offer meet the needs and preferences of target populations.

Data acquired from location intelligence solutions that provide a more granular and present view of the market place provides the following business benefits:

• The business is able to locate higher value customers that have higher purchase value and purchase frequency.

• The ability to achieve higher sales conversion rates by more accurately targeting marketing activity to specific customer profiles.

• The business is able to reduce marketing campaign costs, from analytics through to distribution.

Six-Digit Postal CodeOM boundaries data provides increased precision to the marketing professional. As well, increased granularity in marketing geography allows marketing researchers to identify more subtle variation in geodemographic variables. This new capability enables business benefits directly associated to the use of six digit postal code boundaries when driving marketing analytics where location is a relevant consideration.

Postal addresses are now used for more than just sending mail. Businesses now have the ability to use location intelligence solutions to identify key information from postal code data to better identify and develop markets and determine potential risks so that they can effectively grow their business. Location intelligence solutions such as Postal Code mapping software will have the most comprehensive and detailed collection of Canadian postal geography products that provide a robust marketing analytics and distribution data solution, with unmatched neighbourhood level precision. By using Six-Digit Postal CodeOM boundaries as the new marketing geography acquired through location intelligence solutions, businesses can now achieve the most favourable levels of performance in trade area delineation, market segmentation and serviceability.

Location Intelligence: Leveraging the Power of Canadian Postal Code Mapping

In the business world, location is the new intelligence. Providing a location based view to business intelligence helps businesses maintain a competitive edge. Today, a postal address means much more than just sending mail. Businesses are able to use location intelligence to leverage Postal Code data to better address market opportunities and risks in an effort to grow their business and make business operations more efficient.

When defining Location Intelligence, it is often described as the ability to visualize geographic and spatial data to gain vital business insights and make better business decisions. Location intelligence software allows businesses to view detailed color-coded maps and work with interactive analytics. By consolidating a geospatial database enterprise, businesses are better able to leverage location based data such as postal codes to gain a more insightful view when they evaluate their competitors, profile customers and potential customers, manage their marketing budget assets, and identify new business opportunities.

Location intelligence services help a business better target marketing potential, reduce risk, and streamline operational efficiencies. By using Address Recognition and Address Geocoding web services and software, a business is better able to leverage address recognition where they have the ability to correct, standardize, and verify addresses. Utilizing address geocoding gives businesses the ability to visualize a validated address while also geocoding other places in the area using postal codes such as streets, nearby businesses, competitors, supply routes, intersections, and more, with the highest level of accuracy. Location intelligence databases provide access to real-time updates of reliable location content. The database contains a wealth of not just addresses, but also address-related content. The result is reliable information about a potential market that allows for better addressing of risk and opportunity.

Geocoding is an essential component of location intelligence. The process of geocoding an address involves assigning a unique latitude and longitude to a physical location. It can pinpoint the location down to the building rooftop. By leveraging location intelligence using postal code mapping, businesses can integrate data about policies, terrain, geographical boundaries, routing, and demographics. They have the ability to visually and identify their risk exposures, and mitigate those risks.

In terms of sales, marketing, and distribution, location intelligence using postal code maps helps businesses leverage such vital business operation areas. Such knowledge and benefits that can be extracted include: optimize sales processes, identify areas of market potential, and match networks, sales, and marketing, in order to make the most out of that market’s potential. As well, businesses can utilize demographics, consumer buying trends, and lifestyle information to better understand their customers and develop better customer service programs in order to realize the highest sales potential.

Today, more businesses are realizing the benefits and necessity of using location intelligence solutions to grow and expand their business while maintaining competitiveness in such a highly competitive world. Using such solutions as postal code maps allows businesses to gather vital data to help them make better businesses decisions that ultimately leads to success. Using postal code maps definitely improves a businesses bottom line.

Location Intelligence Solutions Optimize Infrastructure Investments

The goal of any enterprise must be to address and resolve the following operational issues: improve government regulatory compliance, generate a high return on investment, improve customer satisfaction, determine and streamline provisioning requirements, and optimize infrastructure investments. Today, in order to stay competitive, businesses must find effective solutions to optimizing their infrastructure investments. Fortunately, advancements in business intelligence technological solutions have resulted in effective solutions to such business issues. Developments in location intelligence solutions now enables enterprise to optimize networks and manage their assets with rich, relevant, and dependable next generation content. Location Content Cartridges (LCC) are advanced solutions that are designed to address specific business infrastructure investment needs.

Location Content Cartridges (LCC) provides the next generation content for optimizing infrastructure investments and other operational functions such as the provisioning of services. It allows businesses to improve customer satisfaction by administrating accurate pre-sale qualifications and decreasing the service interval. This gives enterprise the ability to plan and track millions of dollars worth of infrastructure and assets. By doing so, they are able to maximize market penetration while controlling network investments. Engineers will be able to identify current infrastructure locations, evaluate how to best service current customers, and analyze data to determine the best markets to construct new infrastructure.

LCC provides rich. applicable, and dependable content that has been specifically configured for the client’s specific industry’s product or service lines. As well, a business will benefit from the addition of new content layers. The result is more precise location information. Enterprise will be able to identify the rate of change and customer opportunities to support growth in new markets. For enterprise involved in leveraging the next generation content for planning and design, risk analysis, infrastructure analysis, and regulatory compliance, they will benefit from considerable cost savings and increased revenue when using LCC.

LCC solutions can be easily integrated into enterprise IT environments and it is designed to boost existing business work-flow performance. Businesses will boost customer acquisition more efficiently, manage risk effectively, and gain a competitive edge. Specifically designed to address a businesses’ unique administration challenges, Location Content Cartridges (LCC) combines numerous core geospatial solutions with new content making it the right choice to help businesses resolve their most urgent operational issues.

Today, businesses have a wide range of business location intelligence solutions available to help them grow their business. With technology becoming such a vital part of running a successful enterprise, it is essential that a business harness the power of innovative business solutions in order to stay competitive. With so many businesses now having the ability to expand in all domestic regions and even internationally, location solutions is an important business investment. Location solutions enables a business to effectively optimize their infrastructure investments while saving money. Developments in location intelligence solutions such as Location Content Cartridges (LCC) now gives enterprise the ability to optimize networks and manage their assets with relevant, rich, dependable next generation content so they can make the decisions that will best benefit the company.

The Future of Business Intelligence: Innovations in Location Intelligence

In the coming years, many business analysts are predicting that Business Intelligence (BI) will play a central role in the success of a multitude of different types of businesses. This is due to the fact that more businesses are recognizing the benefits of spatial data analysis in making smarter business decisions. Employing business intelligence solutions provides such benefits as: identifying the location of targeted customers, understanding customers better, reaching targeted customers, optimizing business operations, managing revenue more efficiently, minimizing risks, and forecasting potential problems. Because of changing consumer lifestyles that now includes incorporating technology in their daily lives, the future and innovation of location intelligence is expected to focus on such technological innovations as the internet and mobile technology such as iphones. The result of utilizing location intelligence solutions in a world where technology is now a part of nearly everybody’s life is greatly improved business performance.

Businesses use location intelligence solutions to gather, organize, and analyze consumer data through the use of geographic patterns and relationships. Because consumer trends are shifting to using such technology as the internet, iPhones, etc, on a daily basis, business intelligence teams must now harness the opportunities this technology has created in order to improve their marketing strategies and reach their targeted market. In addition, the changing economic environment has resulted in diminished marketing budgets which have made the development effective and successful marketing strategies even more vital.

Today the internet has created a world wide market that does not have any geographical boundaries. For instance, it has been estimated that 1 billion people will access social networks by the year 2014 and most of the users will use a location based application. Businesses now have the ability to communicate directly with their targeted customers and meet their demands in order to gain a competitive edge. As well, marketers will be better able to identify current consumer trends and forecast future trends. It will also help them create and implement more effective business strategies that have a better chance of achieving success. A business will be able to better understand customer behavior, recognize and take advantage of unexpected opportunities, and predict problems before they occur.

Social computing, cloud computing, and mobile computing, are now a part of most people’s daily lives. Future innovations in location intelligence will allow companies to harness these technologies to develop effective strategies to reach their customers. For instance, taking advantage of consumer driven technological applications will involve incorporating such areas as marketing, product promotion, customer loyalty, point of purchase, etc., into these applications. As well, using Real-Time Business Intelligence to gain instant information will become essential to achieving success.

Because of the emergence of huge spatial data sources such as Google maps, more consumers are adopting location based applications such as iPhone Apps, businesses must now engage in innovative thinking to capitalize on the data. In the future, technological advancements will result in business intelligence undergoing a fundamental shift that will revolutionize the way business decisions are made. Businesses who do not embrace this shift will definitely be at a serious disadvantage when trying to succeed in such an intensely competitive world.

Mapping Postal Codes

In order to stay ahead of the competition, businesses must actively seek out and locate their targeted customer in order to effectively market their products and services. Today, there is much more involved to finding effective methods to reach potential customers than just advertising in traditional places such as the Yellow Pages. It often involves effective business analysis of various regions of the market. Fortunately, advancements in technology have now given businesses the ability to gather consumer data and target potential customers. One such technology is geocoding software.

Mapping postal codes allows marketers to target customers by gathering and analyzing such information as the type of dwellings in an area such as homes, apartments, and condominiums, dwelling characteristics such as if the home is located on a farm or in an urban area, and whether the home is a single or two person or more family, As well, there are specialty business mapping solutions that provide such data as demographics, consumer expenditure, location of retailers and other businesses, the distance consumers are to businesses in the region, types of businesses in the area, etc.

The idea behind postal code mapping is that it allows a marketer to make the most out of a sales territory, select the best retail locations, and create defined and targeted marketing strategies. For instance, if a business wants to open up a fast food restaurant, they will be able to acquire the necessary data to help them select the best location that attracts the most targeted customers. Part of this analysis will include such characteristics as the location of other fast food restaurants in the area, the number of homes with families in the area, and the average income of people living in the area. It may also include looking in an area that is near schools and other places where young people tend to congregate. By utilizing postal code map software, a business will have access to a wide variety of data that can be analyzed from a number of different angles for creating marketing and sales optimization strategies. The fundamental goal is to reveal new and innovative opportunities in a particular market place and also list cleaning.

Today, there are a number of postal mapping options. For instance, a custom postal code map allows a business to view exact areas and the information about the area. One can view a province, municipality, town or city, neighborhood, school district, specific street, transport route, or specific landmark. A business can also take the gathered and analyzed information to optimize a sales territory, improve delivery, improve direct mail marketing, and better target a specific demographic. With all of the information gathered and analyzed, a business will be better be able to make effective business decisions, improve productivity, and have better evidence to support business decisions.

Today, businesses must meet the challenge of wide range of diverse regions and people. In the past few years, effective and innovative postal mapping software has been developed allowing businesses to easily gather information for marketing analysis. Then main benefit is that it will help a business gain a competitive edge.

Business Management And Location Intelligence; A New Way To Increase Efficiency

In today’s economy is absolutely essential that every business is run as efficiently as possible. It is important for every manager to take advantage of every technique and every idea to squeeze the most from every day and every product. This will require a keen understanding of the market, product and customer. To be successful, every enterprise will have to focus on business management and location intelligence, a new management concept, if they hope to succeed.

The goal of every business is of course to make money, and it had one has to sell a product for a profit. This seemingly simple task, however, becomes exponentially more difficult during a recession like the one we are currently experiencing. Times like these drive businesses to carefully evaluate every step in the process of getting a product of the manufacture to the shelf and out the door with the customer.

Standard management techniques begin with a careful review of all the processes involved and business. Frequently we see management, document such processes and forms of flowcharts for the purpose of identifying each step. In the analysis and process is to identify the time manpower and money required for each step in the flowchart. This allows the manager to quickly identify which processes require the most resources. Identifying the areas that cost the most allows the process manager to focus his energy where he can make the greatest improvement.

Drilling deeper into the process, the manager looks for a customer supplier relationship between each increment in the process as a whole. This gives a manager a better feel for which steps are the most critical in the overall process. Those which require little manpower and assets, such as automated steps, can be glossed over, while those that are manpower intensive can be given a careful review.

At this point, the manager is looking for better ideas, and more efficient ways to do the same job I either faster, cheaper, or with fewer man-hours. Finding success in any of these areas means that the overall process becomes more efficient and increases profit margin. Ideally the successes come from the ideas of those who are actually encompassing each step and tremendous savings, and then recognized just by listening to the employees who very often do have a better way to accomplish the same task.

In addition to this quality management approach, also known as lean thinking, new concepts in management are constantly being developed. One of the newest is known as location intelligence and postal code map. This is the notion that there are location centric pieces of data embedded in most of the management processes in a business. Mining that data and converting it into actionable information holds great promise for industry.

While location intelligence is a result new concept it is not complicated. It is simply the notion that in addition to product and marketing analysis as usual, the component of where the product is being sold is equally important. For example, in a service industry, knowing in which locations the greatest density of product requirement exists would allow a company to most efficiently position its fleet of service personnel, equipment and vehicles.

Using sound management practices from the past and complementing it with new ideas like location intelligence can get a company an edge in a difficult market. Both companies identify those pieces of data which provide location intelligence and included into their standard business management have the greatest opportunity for efficiency. In difficult times, business management location intelligence, combined to provide a powerful business tool for managers at every level.

Using Address Verification Software to Help Merchants

Address verification software will help a merchant reduce fraudulent transactions and increase revenue. It is essential software for any business that processes credit card transactions.
In this technologically advanced world, the internet has become a popular way to shop for products and services. Merchants that accept credit cards online, over the phone, and through the mail, understand that there is a certain level of risk of credit card fraud. On the internet, it is easy to assume someone’s identity using a stolen credit card. Fortunately, there have been many improvements in credit card processing security features to reduce the instances of fraudulent transactions. Address Verification Software (AVS) is a method used by increasingly more credit card processors to verify that a customer’s ordering address matches the address  database in the customer’s record. By using this type of technologically advanced software, the merchant will promptly discover if the credit card does not belong to the customer and take action to stop the transaction process.

1. When using address verification software, the credit card owner’s name, billing address, ZIP code, and shipping address are checked against the credit card billing information of the cardholder to make sure they match. The verification software can use single address processing to search a single address, or the software can employ multiple addresses processing which enriches entire databases. High tech verification mechanisms confirm whether the addresses match up.

2. When entering a sale manually into the sales terminal, there will be a prompt for the customer’s address and zip code. Upon receiving the prompt, one will then enter the street number for address verification.

3. The credit card terminal will automatically dial out to attain address confirmation and approval. The ZIP code and numerical billing address will be compared to the registered physical address account information of the actual credit card holder.

4. Once this information is verified, the merchant will receive a reply to the AVS request confirming the validity of the card holder’s address. The AVS code will be displayed on the terminal display screen and if there is an electronic printer attached to the terminal, an AVS code or message indicator will be printed on the customer’s receipt.

5. When there is a discrepancy in address verification, the merchant will be alerted so the transaction can be stopped. This will ensure a merchant does not become a victim of credit card fraud. This will save the business money as they will not lose out on sales and they will also not ship products of which they have not received payment.

6. Often when filling out address website forms, delivery and billing addresses entered are incomplete or incorrectly formatted and need to be verified before the transaction can go through. High tech verification software can resolve any website form mistakes by automatically locating the address. Address verification software also provides the merchant with more verifiable address information prior to shipping products as well as completing the transaction.

With over 248 million people in North America surfing and shopping on the internet, it is essential that a company, no matter how big or small, take security measures to protect their online customers as well as their own business. Unfortunately, there are criminals trolling the internet looking to steal credit card information and other personal financial data for their own personal illegal use. Fortunately, address verification software is one tool that will help stop criminals from using stolen credit cards. This type of software provides an extra layer of security to prevent fraud and loss of revenue. Using advanced Address Verification Software from a leading merchant solutions company will mitigate the risk of the instances of fraud. The result will be increased customer trust and loyalty which will ultimately increase revenue.

Compendium Of A Postal Code Maps

The use of the postal code map is becoming more popular as large companies and governmental agencies recognize the benefit of having a unique identifier for all of the cities in the world. Postal codes are used on a global basis with scanners in centralized postal stations that sort and distribute millions of letters, parcels and packages each day. The system of scanning posts is so efficient that the percentage of mail that is mishandled is minimal.

Many of the scanners used in centralized postal stations are designed to read bar codes that contain postal codes. Bar codes containing relevant data from the maps are affixed to envelopes and parcels and quickly distributed using the scanning machine.

Many of these scanners also are equipped to read handwritten letters and numbers on a parcel. When the letter goes through the scanning machine it translates the handwritten numbers and letters into codes that then transfer the letter to the appropriate distribution bin.

Postal stations are located in small towns and cities throughout the world. Postal employees collect and distribute mail in these small stations which are then collected by centralized postal collection teams. The centralized stations are located in large cities and often near airports.

The machines that are used in centralized stations are very large. They receive mail via a conveyor belt that narrows to a width that forces the letter under the scanner. When the letter has been scanned it is automatically transferred by conveyor belt to bins that are sent to distribution points locally, nationally, or internationally. When a department must manually sort mail that cannot be read by the scanner, the postal operator scans the handwritten numbers and letters. The data is then transferred to the main system which allows the scanning machine to read numbers and letters of that shape automatically when they are sent through the system again.

Inserting the wrong postal code can cause a letter to go awry. The letter or parcel may wind up in a foreign country and not be returned to the sender for several years. This is not the case when no number is put on the parcel. In that case a postal officer puts the proper postal code on the letter using information collected from the postal code map.

All scanning machines are connected using a global postal map that is contained in the hard drive of each machine. The data is regularly updated and is continually being improved to make the system more efficient. In some cases, the scanners are set to read the number closed to that shown on the postal map. When this number is incorrect, the letter can be lost.

When you need a postal code it is very easy to get the postal code map for your local area or region. Many people find that they are able to access a database of postal codes through websites that focus on the codes in different countries or regions.

Large companies are finding that using postal code maps as part of the electronic systems for tracking clients is cost effective and efficient. The codes assigned to each country, region, and city in the world are unique and make it very easy for large companies to electronically organize and store client records easily.

The Postal Code Map in the City

The use of the postal code map is becoming more popular as large companies and governmental agencies recognize the benefit of having a unique identifier for all of the cities in the world. Postal codes are used on a global basis with scanners in centralized postal stations that sort and distribute millions of letters, parcels and packages each day. The system of scanning posts is so efficient that the percentage of mail that is mishandled is minimal.

Many of the scanners used in centralized postal stations are designed to read bar codes that contain postal codes. Bar codes containing relevant data from the maps are affixed to envelopes and parcels and quickly distributed using the scanning machine.

Many of these scanners also are equipped to read handwritten letters and numbers on a parcel. When the letter goes through the scanning machine it translates the handwritten numbers and letters into codes that then transfer the letter to the appropriate distribution bin.

Postal stations are located in small towns and cities throughout the world. Postal employees collect and distribute mail in these small stations which are then collected by centralized postal collection teams. The centralized stations are located in large cities and often near airports.

The machines that are used in centralized stations are very large. They receive mail via a conveyor belt that narrows to a width that forces the letter under the scanner. When the letter has been scanned it is automatically transferred by conveyor belt to bins that are sent to distribution points locally, nationally, or internationally. When a department must manually sort mail that cannot be read by the scanner, the postal operator scans the handwritten numbers and letters. The data is then transferred to the main system which allows the scanning machine to read numbers and letters of that shape automatically when they are sent through the system again.

Inserting the wrong postal code can cause a letter to go awry. The letter or parcel may wind up in a foreign country and not be returned to the sender for several years. This is not the case when no number is put on the parcel. In that case a postal officer puts the proper postal code on the letter using information collected from the postal code map in the city.

All scanning machines are connected using a global postal map that is contained in the hard drive of each machine. The data is regularly updated and is continually being improved to make the system more efficient. In some cases, the scanners are set to read the number closed to that shown on the postal map. When this number is incorrect, the letter can be lost.

When you need a postal code it is very easy to get the postal code map for your local area or region. Many people find that they are able to access a database of postal codes through websites that focus on the codes in different countries or regions.

Large companies are finding that using postal code maps as part of the electronic systems for tracking clients is cost effective and efficient. The codes assigned to each country, region, and city in the world are unique and make it very easy for large companies to electronically organize and store client records easily.

The Benefits Of Address Verification Software For Business

There are many benefits to using an address verification software for business. The software has become very sophisticated with functionality that could not even be imagined 10 years ago. Software applications can be integrated into e-commerce web sites and current software applications. Application programming interfaces are distributed to assist in customization of your current software. There is a wide variety of add-on advanced functionality available in the sophisticated software packages available today.

Incorrect address information flow into databases from data entry errors. These mistakes can be prevented with the implementation of an address verification system. An address can be verified as the data is being typed. Forms can be automatically filled with Intellisense and auto-complete features which also reduce the amount of keying. Data entry becomes faster which improves productivity. No longer will time be wasted as staff manually search for zip codes or correct spelling of cities and street names. Maintenance runs can be schedule that can correct old data which will ensure that data is clean.

Some systems include latitude and longitude mapping functionality. This can be used to improve route sales and delivery services. Map coordinates can be fed to a GPS Navigation system for quicker delivery. Zip code data can be used to assign sales leads to sales representatives helping turn a sales prospect into a customer.

Address verification software can reduce the cost of undeliverable mail that is returned. Having to re-mail is expensive in terms of supplies, postage, and manpower. You will have customers receive bills and invoices much faster so they will be able to pay you sooner. Improve your customer service by improving delivery times. You will see your expenses decrease and your cash flow increase plus you will have happier customers.

Compile customer demographic information that can be used to improve marketing. Group customers based on Zip+4, bar code information, congressional district or even census blocks. Target your advertising with the marketing data you have collected. The information you compile won’t just won’t be sitting on your database. Instead you will put your data to work for you to increase business.

Fraud can be greatly reduced. You can reduce losses by quickly identifying inaccurate or suspicious data. Some system will actually make phone calls. Phone notification functionality will schedule a call to verify telephone numbers and addresses. Stop false credit applications by using a cross-reference to the Social Security Death Index. Preventing fraud will lead to an increase of your bottom line.

There is a wide range of options available when choosing an system. Web portals like Google have an API which they make available. The US Postal Service has an API and a web service that you can subscribe to as do all the major delivery services. Many excellent software packages for sale can be found on the internet. Most have free trials and demo version so you can understand how they work before you buy.

An address verification software for business application will be a good investment. You will improve customer service, reduce costs and increase cash flow. The benefits are real.