By marrying MapObjects with data from CorBel's health-care provider directory, company operators can conduct proximity searches and locate medical specialists for benefits managers at client firms, says Bossard. That's just the beginning, she adds. Working in conjunction with a global positioning system, MapObjects can be used for real-time tracking, which could enable 911 operators to trace and route emergency vehicles, or help delivery companies pinpoint their vehicles in the field. In the travel industry, hotels and visitors bureaus can use MapObjects in kiosks to help visitors locate restaurants, theaters, landmarks, and tourist attractions. Retailers, restaurateurs, and real estate brokers can use it for site selection or for determining franchise buffer zones.
Banks can use it for positioning automatic teller machines or locating branches.
Banks can also use the tool to create maps of their lending activity, which they can compare with demographic data to ensure they are meeting government lending requirements. The opportunities for mapping are limited only by the information already collected by internal business applications, says Bossard. About 80 to 85 percent of the data in corporate America has a spatial relationship or a spatial component. Whether you're looking at a zip code or an address, everything is someplace, and that spatial component can be very important to understanding your business. Governments grasped that concept early on, using data cartography for land management and census information.