MapInfo Corporation has announced the release of MapInfo. TargetPro. version 4.0, the first analytical customer relationship management (CRM) solution that enables organizations to tightly link location analysis to CRM systems. For the first time, users will be able to access their own data from a number of relational database systems, to easily allow seamless integration with TargetPro’s demographic and geographic data for critical analysis. By combining customers’ proprietary customer data with MapInfo’s powerful location intelligence capabilities, TargetPro v4.0 enables organizations to gain a complete view of their customers for more targeted customer outreach and enhanced market analysis.
According to IDC, analytical CRM spending will surpass $2.3 billion by 2004. While corporations already recognize the need to derive more value from CRM through better analysis, they are only starting to understand the essential role that location plays in understanding customer behaviour.
TargetPro v4.0 is specifically designed to address the analytical CRM needs of enterprises. For example, a retail store chain could analyse customer data, such as sales, billing and purchasing information, from its current CRM system using TargetPro v4.0. They can then enhance that data with MapInfo’s demographic data to reveal business opportunities based on customer information. Customer analysis based on location can reveal sales trends, market clusters, and the location, demographics and penetration level of high profit clusters. With this information, a retailer can create more targeted marketing campaigns, decide on ideal store locations, how to stock the store and identify new customer prospects, resulting in increased revenue and decreased costs.
With TargetPro v4.0, users can now integrate, import and link to various forms of their own proprietary data and analyse this information along with TargetPro’s demographic and geographic data. The resulting reports can then be shared using other MapInfo products via the Internet or intranet for enterprise-wide analysis. Further, users can take advantage of TargetPro v4.0’s extensible platform to access the TargetPro engine from other MapInfo interfaces or industry standard CRM tools, bringing the power of location to every aspect of the decision- making process.
MapInfo TargetPro v4.0 will be available in the United States and Canada on June 15. Pricing for TargetPro v4.0 starts at $7,500 for a national system.
