In today’s rapidly evolving world, Point-of-Interest (POI) data has become the lifeblood for various sectors including retail, logistics, and travel. Whether you are a data scientist creating predictive models or an operations manager overseeing a distribution network, the quality of your POI data can make a world of difference. That’s why we took it upon ourselves to put our POI datasets to the test against two of the world’s largest mapping providers, especially focusing on the dynamic markets in Asia. What we found not only reassures our faith in our data quality but also reveals glaring gaps in some of the most trusted mapping databases today.
The Challenge at Hand
Given the rapid development in Asian markets, one would expect the quality and recency of POI data to be on point. Unfortunately, many mapping databases suffer from fragmented, outdated, or entirely missing POI information. Businesses and individuals who rely on such data often find themselves at a loss, facing operational inefficiencies or making ill-informed decisions.
Our client, a global mapping provider, aimed to evaluate the accuracy, coverage, and recency of POI data, comparing their existing datasets with Geolancer’s. To make the comparison even more thorough, we also added data from the world's leading mapping technology company.
The Comparative Analysis: A Closer Look
We performed a rigorous validation on 40,000 POIs spread across four Asian countries: India, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This validation involved search queries, street view verification, and image recency checks.
The results were staggering. We found that a whopping 72% of POIs recently collected by Geolancer were not available in the control datasets from two of the most respected mapping platforms globally.
But the differences didn’t just end at volume and coverage. Geolancer’s imagery was also superior, offering users a more visually accurate representation of locations. Our data not only added missing POIs but also corrected inaccurate attributes in the client's existing database.
By the Numbers: Hard Facts
Here are some highlights from our comparative analysis:
- 72% of Geolancer's POIs were missing from the control dataset's API calls.
- Geolancer provided 35% more geographical coverage than the leading mapping software providers.
- Geolancer’s images were more recent and provided a better visual reference for POIs.
In the control dataset of one leading mapping provider, we found that 69% of their POIs were not present compared to Geolancer's dataset. The other provider fared even worse, with 76% missing data points across the board.
The Visual Difference: A Case in Point
Consider the quality of images. When it comes to POIs like convenience stores, a clear, recent image can be the difference between a successful store visit and a customer lost to a competitor. In our study, Geolancer's imagery stood out for its clarity and timeliness, offering an enhanced user experience. 
Description: On the left, we can see an image of a convenience store from the client's control dataset. The image on the right is a photo of the same convenience store from Geolancer's database. The latter clearly offers a better visual representation of the POI, making it easier for users to find it.
Similarly, we corrected slightly displaced coordinates in the client's dataset. Accurate coordinates are critical for effective navigation and wayfinding, and here too, Geolancer proved to be the superior solution.
The case study’s findings are clear: Geolancer’s POI data is more extensive, recent, and accurate compared to two of the most trusted mapping platforms in the world. If you are a mapping provider looking to validate and enrich your data, it’s time to consider Geolancer. Our superior data quality ensures that you can make better decisions, create more effective strategies, and ultimately provide more value to your customers.
Interested in leveraging our extensive POI database to enhance operational efficiency and drive growth? Fill out the form below to speak with one of our data consultants.
