Assignment 4: Geocoding Tabular Data

Problem:
The Problem for this assignment was to use GIS to map a stores customer base using their customer information database. With this map the store should be able to more effectively target where to advertise to potential consumers.

Analysis Procedures:
1. Strategies: For this procedure ArcGIS 10.1 was used along with the data provided by GIS 520. We were given the data for: Wake County zipcode area titled Wake_ZipCodes_2011_11, Wake County boundary titled Wake_Boundary_2010_01, Wake County streets titled Wake_Streets_2013_08, and also a customer database with customer addresses and zip codes titled Customer$. Using the data given we should be able to map the customer locations by zip code and address using the geocoding feature in ArcGIS. This will result in a map that can help the customer decide where they need to focus their advertising efforts. 2. Methods: Using the data given we geocoded the zip codes using the Customer$ database table and the Wake_Zipcodes_2011_11 layer to see what zip codes the customers came from. This process did not totally match because some of the information was incorrect or missing from the customer$ database table. Some of this was fixable but the output map for this did not give detailed enough information to use. Next we added the Wake_Streets_2013_08 layer to ArcMAP along with the Wake_Boundary_2010_01 layer. Then the customers specific addresses were geocoded using the information from the customer$ database and the Wake_Streets_2013_08 data layer. A new field was created that combined the street number and Street name as this was necessary for geocoding the addresses properly. This gave us an output layer that showed each customers location on the map of Wake County. This gave us the information that the customer needed for effectively targeting their advertising.

Results:

This map shows all of the zip codes that have been represented on the customer database from our

store.

This map is an overlay of all the customers by street address on top of the map that show all of the zip codes represented on the customer database.

Application and Reflection:

Problem Description: This process could be used to map out a customer delivery schedule to be proactive in getting product to a customer whenever an outbound truck is going in that general direction. Using this process we could add customer information to a map showing what product and how much product they receive. Then when orders come in from another customer in the vicinity we can easily locate the best places to deliver to before it becomes urgent. Data Needed: To do this we would need a list of all customers along with the products they order and how much of each product they order. We would need to combine this information on a map of the United States with each customers location. Analysis Procedures: We would use the same process but on a larger scale. We would geocode the addresses from our customer database table that included the product information we need. Then we would project that onto the Map of the United States to see the location of each customers location. Once we have the table and locations linked we can use them to better route trucks for deliveries. As many customers do not order by the truckload, we can use the map to help solicit orders to fill the rest of a truck up when a customer orders a partial load. We could set a distance based on Cost Benefit Analysis as a guide to see what proximity would be financially suitable area to search out customers for our remaining truck space. Within that buffer we could use the customer locations to identify products and amounts from the database and solicit the remaining product space on our truck.