In doing analysis for web company that provides online solutions for managing commercial and residential contractor bids and work processes, we were looking for examples of great technology integration stories. We immediately raised up the seamless integration between the iPod and iTunes as a great customer experience. It is so easy that there is no user manual needed, but this is a rare exception.  

In looking for other ideas, I was thinking about integration between Google Maps and GPS devices and searched Google for examples. To be fair to Google, since I love their products, this example is now a bit dated. However, let’s go through the ”quick” online instructions about how to do the Google Maps / TomTom integration, which was the top hit that I found. The concept of integrating Google Maps with a GPS had my mind racing about the big ideas, ease of use and maybe being able to put street-level pictures as landmarks on your GPS, which would be so useful and cool. However, the instructions became an immediate deflator to my expectations. A promise of 20 minutes work, talk of finding disks and cables that came with the device and checking software versions titled, “2.1.2.121″, left me feeling like there is no need to go past number 2 on the 9 step integration process. It sounded like the old world of MP3 players and Napster, when the customer experience was very fragmented and a barrier to adoption. If you are working to launch a new service or product, make sure your customer experience is nothing like the instructions copied at the end of this post.  

The main point of this post is to point out how a poor customer experience can quickly take away all of the excitement and leave deflated expectations with your customers. By the time I finished looking at how Google Maps and TomTom could work together, I was sure that I wouldn’t even attempt it. I started thinking about if Apple had all of that wrapped up tight on an iPhone app anyway. And I also thought that if Google would put together a solutions team to build a well integrated map/GPS application across the web and a GPS-enabled Android phone, that could be great.

So then I searched on ”Google Maps Android GPS” and found what I would have expected from Google. If you haven’t seen this site and video, it is worth a look and maybe even the investment to work with a beta product. http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/#p=default. Now this looks like something to get excited about again!

As you look to launch your next cool web-app, think about your customer’s journey in using your solution and if the excitement and expectations will be met by a customer experience that is a barrier to purchase, wait until you are ready to do it right.

Michael Kanazawa is Chief Executive of Bedrock Dissero and co-author of Big Ideas to Big Results.

Google / TomTom Instructions: 

Here’s How:

1. You will need a TomTom brand in-car GPS receiver to make use of this feature. Google Maps does not currently support other brands.
2. Install the TomTom Home software from a disk that came with your GO or ONE device. Update your Home software to the latest version (2.1.2.121 or later) for free by visiting the TomTom PLUS services page. Apple-compatible Home software is available for download, as well.
3. Connect your GPS receiver to your personal computer with its included USB cable or docking station. Turn on the GPS, and touch “yes” when it asks to connect to the computer.
4. You are ready to search for and upload a destination into your GPS. Open your Web browser and go to Google Maps .
5. Type a destination into the “Search Maps” box in Google Maps. Google Maps has powerful search features, a good reason for using it in concert with your GPS.
6. When you have identified the destination you sought, click on the “send” link (with the envelope icon) in the upper right of the destination map window.
7. A dialog box will apear with the options to send to “e-mail,” “car,” or “GPS”. Choose GPS. This selection will automaically start your TomTom Home software with the selected destination information (and its exact coordinates) in place.
8. The TomTom Home software has now captured your chosen destination, and you have the options of showing on a simulated GPS map, navigating to the destination, or saving the destination to your favorites file. I find saving to favorites to be the most useful of these three options.
9. Now that you’ve mastered Google Maps-to-GPS, you can quickly update your favorites, and plan trips around pre-selected and pre-uploaded destinations. You’ll spend more time on fun or business, and much less time looking for destinations!

Bookmark to: