6FootMedia, a multimedia company

Client:
Water Tech

Synopsis:

Developed a customer relations management system (CRM) integration  which allows the manufacturer to synchronize their ACT! database with the webserver.

Using this information, users can search for dealers, order product directly from dealers or order directly from the manufacturer if no dealer is in the vicinity of the consumer's location.

• Proximity Search
  See WaterTech's proximity search in action by visiting this link!
• Press Release
  A press release detailing the work done for this development.

Other projects for this client:

• Water Tech Introduction
• Media Rich Website
• Underwater Environment
• Virtual Decal
• CSS Site
• Consumer Packaging
• Owner's Manual
• Product Visualization
• NSPI 2004
• Product Brochure
• NSPI 2003
• Underwater Photography
• Trade Ad
• Consumer Brochure
• Large Upright Banner
• Product Virtual Reality
• siteCMS: Water Tech

About This Client

Water Tech is an innovative manufacturer located in New York City. The client developed a revolutionary handheld, battery-operated pool cleaner, the Pool Buster, which has stirred up a storm of interest in the pool industry.

About This Project

Drawing on a similar success with a healthcare client, 6FootMedia came up with a novel use for a familiar application: A dealer locator which allows consumers to search for dealers based on their distance from a given reference point such as an address or ZIP code. The technology behind this feature is termed geographic information systems (GIS) because it employs a process in which dealers (which are considered points of interest or POIs) are positioned on a map by assigning their respective longitudes and latitudes. When a user searches for a dealer, the server identifies dealers within a circle radius of the search.

Proximity Locator Address: www.watertechcorp.com/html/locator/

Special Features

• The dealer locator is an extremely fast geolocation lookup system which takes less than 50 mSec to lookup a database of thousands of records to locate dealers geographically within the range of a consumer. We use routines developed by 6FootMedia to optimize Geocoding and perform geospatial comparisons between data records.
• Web & phone integration: 6FootMedia teamed with ThinkingVoice to allow consumers to call dealers at the press of the button and at no charge. The system initiates a call to the consumer's home phone, then conferences them with the dealer they located using our proximity locator. A report about this activity is sent to Water Tech so that marketing department can monitor the referrals created by the company's website and the business it is generating for its dealers. This provides Water Tech an opportunity to assume a leading role as a proactive marketing entity which supports its dealer network using sophisticated telephone technology.
• Viral Marketing: Each user search results in 5-10 "hits" - dealers within a certain search area. All the dealers in the search radius are notified of the inquiry by email and by fax automatically. This activity stimulates interest in the company's products and significantly increases dealer support level.

The Development

Since 6FootMedia had already developed the GIS platform for Geocoding addresses (6FootMedia’s Proximity Locator), WaterTech’s proximity locator development took under 2 weeks to complete! The proximity locator uses DHTML and special software which communicates with the web server to predict user input without any special plugins… required by the visitor. For example – when a visitor types in their ZIP code, the system prefetches… the city and state referenced by the ZIP code without reloading the webpage where the visitor is on.

It is what takes place behind the scenes of the proximity locator that is truly significant: When a consumer searches for a dealer, they are asked if they would like to have a dealer contact them. If so, their information is forwarded electronically and by fax to the dealers closest to the consumer. In addition, the system sends notices to other retailers who do not yet sell the company’s product yet are within range to the consumer and alert them that an inquiry has been made by a consumer interested in buying the certain product.  These notices are sent via Email or Fax, depending on the existing relationship between the manufacturer and the retailer. Consumers are identified by their initials and town of residence and the dealer is encouraged to contact the manufacturer to establish dealership relationship in order to handle future inquiries (a “tickler alert”).

The system is loaded with information about existing dealers and all other potential retailers across the world. This data is geocoded and resides on the website server and is used to handle consumer inquiries and tickler alerts. With an average of 400-500 proximity searches daily at the high season in May-August, the system creates a self propelling marketing solution for WaterTech whereas legitimate consumer inquiries not only feed existing dealers but stimulate the growth of new distribution channels for the company at a very low cost.

Proximity Locator Address: www.watertechcorp.com/html/locator/

Telephony technology by ThinkingVOICE: www.ThinkingVoice.com

Press Release on eMediaWire