Business intelligence comes to Google Maps

For manufacturers with multiple sites of interest, WebFocus for Google Maps is potentially a significant development since it has the potential to enable very easy and intuitive access to online performance data. It also marks Google’s entry into the enterprise market – again blurring of boundaries between consumer and business technology. The new web application essentially allows businesses to directly compare key data for different locations, simply by holding the mouse over the site on a Google Map – for example, covering stocks, sales or production data, with the facility to drill down. Gerald Cohen, founder and CEO of Information Builders, says that by overlaying maps with operational data and reports – such as those created using its own BI software – users will gain clearer insights into all sorts of performance data, and be able to quickly identify local and regional trends. He cites volume of service calls made to a call centre, or stores with low inventory on certain line items. “We are constantly looking for new ways to innovate and stay ahead of market trends,” says Cohen. “The popularity of mash-ups, coupled with the growing trend around GIS applications, led us to the concept of a rapid web application development for WebFocus. Since Google Maps is a free and widely available service, by putting the power of WebFocus behind it, we can bring geographic business intelligence to the masses.”