Pitney Bowes Re-engineers Desktop Mapping & Location Intelligence

STAMFORD, Conn., May 3, 2018 – Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), a global technology company that provides commerce solutions in the areas of ecommerce, shipping, mailing, and data, today announced its continued focus on the user experience through the latest version of MapInfo Pro. MapInfo Pro version 17 is designed to satisfy the growing need of business and government analysts for more simplified user interfaces within robust Geographic Information System (GIS) software.

Over time, the development of new product features within legacy technology can lead to complexities that deter ease of use and halts productivity. The explosion of new capabilities across GIS software has fueled these complexities, making it difficult for users to meet evolving market needs.

“We launched MapInfo Pro over 30 years ago. In fact, it was the first Windows GIS product to hit the market. You can imagine just how many features have been added over three decades,” says Bob Guidotti, EVP and President, Pitney Bowes Software. “We recognised our clients’ desire to get back to the basics, so we took proactive steps to evaluate how to deliver an optimal user experience. MapInfo Pro Version 17 is our response, and based on client response during extensive beta testing, we’re confident this technology is a game changer for the GIS community at large.”

Today, GIS professionals want technology that is fast, stable, and easily integrated into their technology stack and workflows. They also want it to be intuitive for end users who consume their projects, and they want to operate independently of their IT groups. While MapInfo Pro had always been designed to support these requirements, version 17 represents transformation in how they are delivered, with significant advances in user experience, analytics, support and engagement, and productivity.

Simplified User Experience

For people new to Location Intelligence, users are greeted with a Welcome window that includes quick links to information to help them perform their jobs with ease. In addition, the user interface is highly customisable, bringing the most used features to the forefront, including:

• Quick access tools that streamline the workflow for key product functions and deliver productivity gains
• Access to value-added data through the Pitney Bowes Software and Data Marketplace
• Integrated cloud services, such as geocoding and drive time calculations delivered by the Pitney Bowes Commerce Cloud
• Access to the Li360 customer collaboration community

One of the most popular enhancements among the MapInfo Pro beta testers is the “mini-toolbars,” which can be customised by users applying a new search tool capability.

“I have been using MapInfo Products for 19 years, and the Right Click "Mini tool bar" is awesome! I currently use the 64-bit Version 16, I started with MapInfo version 4.0. I can't wait for the Version 17 [to] customize my "Mini Tool bar." –Alfonso Garrido, Veteran MapInfo Pro User.

Collaboration with Customers

In late 2017, Pitney Bowes announced the global availability of Li360, an online community for clients, product engineers, partners and the “GIS curious” to explore Location Intelligence capabilities, applications, and tools to resolve challenges in the market.

Since its launch, Pitney Bowes and its clients have collaborated side-by-side through the community to share best practices, analyze case studies, participate in real-time discussions, and identify development needs for Location Intelligence solutions. Thousands of professions rely on Li360 each day as their go-to GIS resource.

MapInfo Pro v17 was thoroughly tested by over 300 beta users who generated more than 100 suggestions, leading to over 50 enhancements. The beta group will be established as a permanent forum for ideas and improvements to MapInfo Pro in the future.

“I must say I was originally a bit skeptical about Li360, as other companies sometimes make these platforms and then they themselves don’t really put any effort into using it. But I have been very impressed by how responsive everyone from Pitney Bowes have been, and how it’s suddenly possible to get a dialog with the actual developers behind your programs. A big thumbs up from here!” - Jonathan Langholz Jensen, Li360 Community User

Productivity Enhancements

As stewards of location-based data, GIS professionals are integral to the success of organisations that have made a significant investment in collecting geospatial information. The new release MapInfo Pro incorporates the patented Multi-Resolution Raster (MRR) compression format, an unrivaled solution for analyzing, visualizing and sharing rasters of virtually unlimited size, while addressing the challenges of processing new data sources with speed.

MapInfo Pro also stands out for its powerful scripting and programmability, which can automate repetitive functions, benefiting both GIS professionals and end users who need only push a button to access complex spatial processing routines.

MapInfo Pro v17 is easier to use and more powerful than ever, meaning I am more productive than ever.”– Ryan Richter, GIS Network Data Analyst

Driving Value in the Market

MapInfo Pro is part of the Knowledge Fabric from Pitney Bowes, which helps clients surface relevant business insights by understanding the relationships between people, places, and things. MapInfo Pro is a proof point of how software and data can be brought together to enhance business outcomes, namely improving decision-making, increasing customer engagement and reducing risk. For example:

• Local and State Governments can improve outcomes in urban planning, economic development, utility planning, asset management and emergency response.
• Telecommunications providers can better optimize the buildout of new 5G networks, plan new services to reduce customer churn, and visualize network coverage maps based on true signal data rather than estimations.
• Retailers are using the technology to more efficiently analyze their customer base and their target markets to personalize promotions, optimize their physical footprint, and determine the mix between brick and mortar stores and ecommerce offers.
• Insurance providers are using location intelligence to visualize risk and opportunity in their portfolios, pre-rate new policies to enable ecommerce, and perform related analytics based on access to highly accurate and global geocoding data.

To learn more about MapInfo Pro v17, download a free 30-day trial today.