Digital maps deployed as weapons of market dominance

The need of the hour was an intelligent MIS. The digital maps fitted just right in

Every company/brand in its pursuit for a larger market share has been trying to identify new markets or exploit competitors’ weakness and win over their customers. However, the efficacy and accuracy of the tools and methods deployed has at times been suspect. With an ever-changing on-ground scenario there was no way to visually display and demonstrate the interplay or impact of critical factors — market share, population density, income and education levels, un-serviced outlets/customers, individual territories, demographic, geographic and others and can be easily understood by one and all across the corporate hierarchy. That was the case until this happened!

The heady 90s was a watershed decade. The Indian market opened up to the world. And along came a million opportunities. This was the time when digital mapping began making inroads, as businesses started realising their utility as a potent marketing weapon. Every company was trying to reach out to the consumer. The battle for mind share had begun and for a good reason. The demand and buying power, till now repressed under the licence-permit raj, was finally unleashed. But there was just one problem — this market was not homogeneous, but so vast and diverse that each consumer group looked like a separate country. The roadmap to capture this very lucrative market was absent. Conventional segmentation/marketing models were static and just won’t work.

The need of the hour was an intelligent MIS (marketing information system) that was evolving and dynamic. The digital maps and GIS (geographical information systems) fitted just right in! Territories with clear demarcations and unprecedented detailing were there for all to see, simulated scenarios were no more the domain of a few intellectuals but came alive on screens at sales and marketing meets. The impact of advertising, BTL, direct marketing or a competitor activity could be lucidly demonstrated to the ground sales/marketing force. The distributor territories could be clearly marked out so as to minimise conflicts. Logistics and product availability so critical for any FMCG operation also got a big boost.

Today, map (digital)-based solutions are being deployed everywhere — sales, marketing, advertising, segmentation, and logistics (till the last mile). These solutions have proved to be game changers for both traditional and new-age businesses. With the advent of ecommerce, where delivery is strongly linked to customer satisfaction and brand equity itself, the importance of comprehensive mapping data can’t be overemphasised. Logistics are costly and reverse logistics, even more. It is critical that the delivery is done right the first time, every time! Recent developments like Flipkart taking up strategic minority stake in MapmyIndia are a tell-all! For companies like Uber, Ola and Grofers digital mapping is the backbone of their operations.

With solutions like geofencing and reverse geofencing the marketing activity can be so fine tuned that even a single consumer can be targeted individually.
 

A “geofence” is a demarcated radius on the digital map with a location at the centre. And as someone exits this circle an alarm sets off somewhere and reverse geofence is the opposite, setting off alerts when someone enters the territory. This can be very useful for businesses (like restaurant, retail outlet etc.). You may have been surprised to get an SMS of an offer in a restaurant, at lunch time while you were near the joint. This is no magic, but a reverse geofence at work. Since your cell number is registered with the company, the MIS was alerted of you being in the vicinity — automatically triggering the message dispatch.

Today, the advanced mapping technologies/solutions like 360-degree cameras, GIS, virtual reality and powerful computing technologies could create life-like, immersive user experience. At the comfort of their homes the customers are instantly transported into the middle of the action.

The author is Managing director, MapmyIndia