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 Thousands of maps can be generated automatically in minutes by long-established property agency Christie & Co with a package of bespoke programming, software and digital data provided by MapMechanics. The system has allowed the company to bring an unprecedented level of detail and accessibility to the analysis service offered to customers by its corporate services division.
This is just one benefit gained with the MapMechanics products, Christie says. It has also enabled the company’s professional services division to prepare much more detailed reports on premises, and complete them more quickly.
In addition, the new mapping capabilities have enabled the company to brighten and enrich its web site, where maps of premises can now be displayed alongside textual information.
The package from MapMechanics is based on the Expert version of GeoConcept, the leading computer mapping and geographic information system supplied by the company. It also includes a range of mapping and related data such as Andes raster road mapping, Code-Point grid referencing data and postcode sector data.
Christie & Co is specialist in various commercial property markets including hotels, public houses, retail stores and care homes. The need for the multiple map generation feature arises when the corporate services division is preparing reports involving a large number of premises at different locations.
In one classic instance, the company was doing an estate valuation for a regional pub chain, and needed to produce three thousand individual maps showing the location of each outlet in its local context. Using the new mapping system, the company completed the whole process in “a matter of an hour or so,” according to IT director Tim Moxon.
He adds: “In the past we would have struggled to create each map manually. In fact with such a large number of premises, it simply wouldn’t have been possible for us to contemplate the task all. With the new system it’s a breeze. It allows us to present customers with a much more accessible way to visualise the location of each property.”
The image generation facility harnesses the scripting capabilities of GeoConcept. Initially the coordinates of each location are supplied as in spreadsheet form. These are plotted on a digital map, and GeoConcept then simply works through each of them in turn, automatically generating a JPEG image of the surrounding area. MapMechanics prepared the entire utility specially for Christie & Co.
The analytical capabilities new mapping resources have also proved invaluable for Christie & Co’s professional services division – particularly in relation to the care home sector. Tim Moxon explains: “Individuals or organisations thinking of buying premises might want an analysis of similar facilities in the area, and a demographic breakdown of the local population – providing an indication of competition and likely demand.”
To produce these reports, Christie uses bought-in data on care home provision, along with employment and demographic data supplied by MapMechanics. Tim Moxon explains: “GeoConcept does a lot more than just mapping. It is also able to analyse the data in relation to the local geography, and product statistical reports in a wide variety of textual forms.”
However, he adds: “GeoConcept also produces maps showing the spatial relationship of resources, and we can overlay thematic symbols to show what it all means. The maps put a highly accessible graphical face on the analytical process.”
A further application of GeoConcept has been found in Christie’s web site, where visitors can do property searches by region, business type and various other criteria. GeoConcept is used to generate maps showing each location in its geographical context, and registered users can pop these up at any time.
The scale of the resultant online maps is set to reflect the urban or rural context. In smaller towns and villages, the premises are shown on a road map of the surrounding area. In larger urban or suburban areas they appear on a detailed road map.
Having initially bought an earlier version of GeoConcept, Christie & Co has upgraded to version 6.0 at the same time as introducing these latest features. Tim Moxon says he has found its additional capabilities useful – especially for creating ad hoc maps more easily. Version 6.0 introduced a whole range of new and more user-friendly features, such as the ability for users to define and vary symbols more flexibly to reflect their own preferences.
Christie & Co was founded more than 70 years ago. It has headquarters in London and a network of 16 offices, with an IT department based in Milton Keynes. The company has various specialities including hotels, pubs, restaurants, retail premises and care homes, and as well as acting as an agent, it also offers valuations, rent reviews and a range of advisory and analytical services.
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