27 February 2009

Capscan Launches Nearcode For Enhanced Website Experience & Self-Service

New Easy To Integrate GIS Application Improves Online Customer Service And Website Stickiness

Capscan, a leading supplier of UK and international address management solutions and data integrity services, today launched the new enhanced version of its ‘nearest’ look up solution – Nearcode. The software tool delivers a Geographical Information System as a web self-service application that engages with online visitors, enabling them to quickly and accurately find the outlets, offices, or premises in or around their chosen location.

Nearcode is easily integrated into an existing website without any need for costly re-engineering. Once the user interface is in place on the webpage the visitor is able to use a simple search box to enter a postcode, partial postcode, place name or grid reference. Nearcode will instantly return a sorted list of the nearest locations to the search criteria, displayed in distance (in both miles and kilometers) and show the visual location of the nearest outlets when linked to mapping software. Using the tool it is also possible to specify the number of outlets within a certain radius, as well as listing all of the locations in or around a designated area.

The software is ideal for numerous web self-service applications including searches for retail outlets, hotels, government/council services and house hunting searches.

“The new version of Nearcode improves the quality and flexibility of search that a website visitor may need to perform,” comments Managing Director of Capscan, Terry Hiles. He provides the following examples: “A shopper might need to find a store in a specific postcode, whilst a businessman may want to find the hotels closest to his meeting the following day in city. All of these search types are possible with Nearcode.”

For the website administrator Nearcode is easy to maintain, as the back-end database requires no re-building when updates are made. This means that existing records can be amended or deleted and new records can be added, simply and easily. Further, the new version also allows for ‘Natural Boundary checking’ and will assign grid coordinates automatically to your custom locations based upon their postcode.

In addition to web self-service, Nearcode is a highly valuable desktop tool for commercial and public sector contact centres. It ensures agents are able to respond to customer/citizens ‘location related’ enquiries quickly and accurately, meeting service expectations and reducing call times.

The latest version of Nearcode is available now. An online demonstration of Nearcode is available at: http://www.capscan.co.uk/nearcode_demo.aspx.