Google Maps Coordinate brings geo to Team Organization

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fluKWYRC_w&feature=player_embedded

This is an interesting new tool from Google today (feels like something Google would unveil at Google I/O, but it might have been booted from the roster. If so, it bodes well for this year’s announcements!)

When a business signs up for Google Maps Coordinate, it gets access to the Google Maps Coordinate web and mobile apps.

Employees in the field download the mobile app to their phone, and then they can:

• Share real-time location. Google Maps Coordinate is built on Google’s mapping and geolocation infrastructure so the app will send an accurate location, even if you’re indoors (Google Maps Coordinate integrates with Google Indoor Maps).
• Record data. Mobile teams often need to collect information while out in the field. Google Maps Coordinate allows the admin to customize the fields that the mobile team needs to capture and collect – from measurements to client contact details – directly in the app.

Meanwhile, a designated dispatcher in the office can:

• Create teams. Add team members to a Google Maps Coordinate team and see their locations in the Google Maps Coordinate web and mobile app. For example, our electric utility company might create a special team for home electricians and another for line repairers.
• Manage jobs. Easily create jobs, precisely locate the job, assign the job to the nearest team member and notify them instantly. The next time there is a downed powerline, the operator at the utility company will have no problem identifying the closest team member and assigning them to investigate the issue.
• View past jobs and locations. Get the hard data you need to make strong business decisions. With Google Maps Coordinate, businesses can easily visualize the locations of all their jobs and teams, including current and past jobs. Businesses can assess where they should be assigning or hiring more workers and how to optimally place their teams.