9 mapping tools, visualize to better understand the customer experience!
Mapping tools are essential for companies seeking to effectively visualize and interpret their data. Going beyond simple geographical maps, these tools facilitate strategic decisions, geomarketing, and improved customer experience. In this article, we explain what a mapping tool is used for, their different types, and a comprehensive list of the best tools on the market.
What is a mapping tool?
A mapping tool is a computer program forming part of a Geographic Information System (GIS), used to express different categories of data graphically or schematically.
A mapping tool enables information to be stored, analyzed and represented using thematic maps or graphs. As such, it can be used in a wide range of business sectors and by different departments to :
- carry out geomarketing analyses or location studies ;
- manage marketing campaigns;
- manage delivery zones;
- create mind maps;
- visualize business processes;
- organize the interventions of technicians or sales representatives in a geographical area...
Mapping tools are designed to :
- make data easier to understand through visualization ;
- highlight links between two or more parameters (actors, phenomena, etc.);
- aid decision-making (e.g. strategy implementation).
How to choose your mapping tool: selection criteria
To help you in your choice of mapping tool, here are the features and functionalities that are essential in most business sectors:
- An automation function for periodic scanning,
- Simple, fluid operation,
- A network mapper,
- Intuitive customization,
- Responsive support,
- An effective monitoring and alerting tool.
Focus on 9 must-have mapping programs
Here's a selection of 9 efficient and comprehensive mapping tools. There are 3 main types of mapping tools and their respective software, which will be discussed below:
- Business process visualization and analysis tools: Microsoft Visio, Gliffy, Lucidchart & Visual Paradigm.
- Customer experience management tools: Custellence, UXPressia, Smaply
- Geomarketing and market research tools: Smappen, Carto.
All the software discussed in this article can be found in this comparison table. All prices were updated in April 2024.
1 of 4
 Gliffy |  Smaply |  Lucidchart |  Smappen |
|---|---|---|---|
| For all companies | For all companies | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees |
| See software | See software | See software | See software |
| Learn more about Gliffy | Learn more about Smaply | Learn more about Lucidchart | Learn more about Smappen |
Microsoft Visio
This software lets you create a wide range of graphics: diagrams, flowcharts, architectural plans, technical plans, etc. It includes dozens of ready-to-use templates and thousands of customizable shapes to make diagram creation as easy and straightforward as possible. Microsoft Visio is sold separately from the Microsoft Office suite.
Main functions
- creation of flowcharts,
- creation of UML diagrams,
- creation of floor plans,
- representation of computer networks,
- idea search,
- real-time collaboration.
Prices
Offer from €4.20 to €12.60 per month per user. License from €479 to €889. Free 30-day trial.
Gliffy
This online tool, designed exclusively for businesses and professionals, is used to transpose organizational structure, workflows or technical systems. It offers a wide range of shapes that you can easily insert into a blank page via drag & drop and customize.
Key features
- professional diagrams (process graphs, workflow graphs, etc.),
- diagrams for design projects (wireframes, mind-mapping...),
- IT diagrams (UML, architecture, etc.),
- collaborative tool,
- revision history,
- add-on modules for Atlassian users.
Rates
Subscription of around €8 per user per month (for professionals with up to 9 users) and €6 (for professionals with 10 to 50 users). Special rates for companies on request. Two weeks free.
Gliffy
Custellence
This customer relationship management tool is useful for creating and sharing journey maps and recording customer experience data (customer type, level of satisfaction...). It is compatible with other collaborative solutions (Google, Slack, Trello, Jira...).
Key features
- drag-and-drop function,
- customizable cards,
- multimedia library with numerous predefined templates,
- collaboration tools,
- export in PDF, PNG and CSV formats,
- definition of different map access levels and tracking of modifications.
Pricing
Free version. Professional subscription €26 per month per user. Corporate package on request.
UXPressia
The customer experience management platform lets you create journey maps, personae and impact maps. It is a useful tool for designing a customized and interesting customer experience. UXPressia offers a variety of predefined templates.
Main functionalities
- user search analysis,
- customer experience and customer management,
- drag-and-drop function,
- detailed chart customization (channels, objectives, ideas, images...),
- online and real-time collaboration tools,
- card export in PDF or PNG format.
Prices
Approximately €16 or €36 per month per user. Subscription for companies with rates on request. Free trial version.
OmniGraffle
With this MacOS and iOS-specific software, you can create a multitude of diagrams, drawings and graphics for different sectors (wireline design, customer experience, interior design...) and then share them with collaborators by integrating a message or note.
Key features
- automatic layout function,
- text and shape scaling,
- extensive library of graphic objects,
- file import/export,
- document synchronization,
- creation of customized templates.
Pricing
Subscription solution at around €13 per month or purchase at €150 (standard version) and €250 (pro version). Free 14-day trial.
Smaply
This web-based customer experience management solution lets you create customer journey maps and stakeholder maps. It also enables data to be analyzed by customer type, providing a better understanding of the customer experience.
Key features
- online and offline channel management,
- collaboration tools,
- storyboard creation,
- comment function available to authorized collaborators,
- predictive analysis,
- survey management.
Pricing
- 199 € per year per user for the basic version,
- 299 € per year per user for the pro version
- corporate rates on request.
Smaply
Lucidchart
Easily create all kinds of diagrams: business process maps, programming flowcharts, data flow maps, brainstorming... Lucidchart integrates with many applications (Google, Atlassian, Microsoft, Salesforce, Slack...).
Main functions
- freehand sketching,
- creation of wireframes, mockups, network diagrams...
- chat and messaging,
- multiple diagram creation, with synchronized modifications,
- template library for all diagram types,
- alerts and notifications.
Prices
Flat rate from €8 excl. tax for one user and from €9 excl. tax per user for a team, with free trial. Company rates on request.
Lucidchart
Visual Paradigm
Visual Paradigm is an online tool for designing business and technical diagrams as part of programming. The platform is compatible with a wide range of environments and applications.
Key features
- Agile and Scrum toolset for project management,
- enterprise architecture tools,
- creation of customizable reports in PDF, Word and HTML formats,
- analysis and manipulation of source code such as Java and C++,
- ability to generate diagrams from existing code or to produce source code from existing diagrams,
- work simultaneously and collaboratively on the same project.
Prices
Four subscriptions:
- Modeler at around €6 per month,
- Standard at around €19 per month,
- Professional at around €35 per month,
- Enterprise at around €89 per month.
Smappen
This online mapping solution is used to create, visualize and analyze catchment areas on a map. Thanks to its flexible functionalities and zone-related data, the application can be used, for example, to carry out market studies, analyze point-of-sale performance, manage delivery zones and organize local marketing campaigns.
Main functionalities
- calculation of catchment areas in travel time or kilometers, creation of areas by administrative division (communes, zip codes, IRIS) or manually,
- extraction of a list of postal codes, communes or IRIS within a zone,
- access to INSEE data on population and SIRENE data on businesses & services,
- import and visualize data on the map,
- automated report generation in Word format,
- visualization of a territorial network (white zones, cannibalization or exclusivity zones),
- export and import of zones in KML format,
- map sharing.
Pricing
Free version available.
Three no-obligation subscriptions with different functionalities:
- Essential at €79 excl. tax/month for one user,
- Plus at €149 excl. tax/month for one user,
- Pro at €199 excl. tax/month for one user.
Smappen
Carto
Carto is an advanced mapping and geospatial analysis platform, designed to help companies harness the potential of geographic data. The solution provides an in-depth understanding of market dynamics and consumer behavior through interactive maps and detailed analysis.
Key features
- In-depth Geospatial Analysis: Analyze and visualize data by geographic location.
- Interactive Map Creation: Facilitates understanding of trends and patterns through intuitive visualizations.
- Geomarketing tools: Ideal for studying consumer behavior and local market trends.
- Multiple Data Integration: Easily integrate data from different sources for enriched analysis.
- Card Personalization: Offers a wide range of personalization tools to meet specific needs.
- Reporting and Sharing: Generate reports and easily share maps and analyses.
Pricing
Carto offers three Enterprise packages on request: Small, Medium and Strategic.
- Enterprise Small focuses on small businesses with advanced spatial analysis needs.
- Enterprise Medium is designed for medium-sized companies with large teams requiring large-scale analysis.
- The Strategic offer is aimed at large companies with complex analysis requirements and multiple teams. They are granted unlimited access to the platform.
Mapping tools: in a nutshell!
Essential to the management of a wide range of activities, mapping tools help structure and analyze data flows. In this sense, they facilitate the understanding of information, supporting and illustrating arguments. And as the solutions generally feature a library of shapes, they are very often accessible to beginners and experts alike. Rely on easy-to-use, comprehensive mapping tools to create a layout study, program flowcharts or manage your technicians' interventions.
Article translated from French