Accurate geocoding is essential for successful deliveries. This guide focuses on preventing geocoding problems before they occur and providing quick fixes when they do happen, complementing our existing troubleshooting resources.
Understanding the Impact of Geocoding Issues
Poor geocoding can lead to:
- Drivers arriving at incorrect locations
- Increased fuel costs and increased delivery time
- Customer dissatisfaction and failed deliveries
- Manual workload for dispatchers and support teams
Prevention: Setting Your System Up for Success
Optimal Flow Configuration
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Set appropriate geocoding thresholds
- Default is 80% - lower thresholds increase automation but risk accuracy
- Higher thresholds (90%+) improve accuracy but require more manual review
- For critical deliveries, consider 85-90%
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Choose the right geocoding providers
- Google Maps: Excellent for consumer addresses and points of interest
- HERE: Strong in European countries with detailed street-level data
- ESRI/ArcGIS: Often better for rural or industrial areas
- Consider enabling multiple providers for challenging regions
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Enable address validation features
- Activate "Verify zip code" to catch postal code mismatches
- Consider whether to skip street number verification based on your region
Data Quality Best Practices
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Standardize address formats across systems
- Create clear guidelines for address entry
- Train staff on proper address formatting
- Consider implementing address validation at order entry
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Critical address components
- Always include country codes (ISO format preferred, ex: FR/GB/BE/DE..)
→ For example: Using BE instead of België/Belgique/Belgium - Never abbreviate street names in automated imports
- Include building/apartment numbers in the correct field
- Use postal codes that match the official format for each country
- Always include country codes (ISO format preferred, ex: FR/GB/BE/DE..)
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Special cases handling
- Create protocols for rural addresses
- Internally document the handling of delivery locations represented by business parks, large complexes, etc...
- Establish standards for new developments not yet in mapping systems
→ For addresses in new developments not yet recognized by geocoding providers, use the manual correction feature during announcement and save to the Address Book. Consider adding detailed delivery instructions to help drivers locate these addresses
Quick Fixes for Common Issues
Address Not Found or Incorrectly Placed
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Check for simple errors
- Transposed numbers (e.g., 123 vs 132)
- Misspelled street names
- Incorrect postal codes
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Try alternative formats
- Remove apartment/unit numbers temporarily and add them into the instruction case instead
- Try official postal service formatting
- Add landmark information if available
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Manual positioning
- Use the map interface to place the pin correctly
- Save to Address Book for future use
Batch Import Failures
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Analyze failure patterns
- Look for common elements in failed addresses
- Check if failures are region-specific
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Correct in batches when possible
- Export failed addresses
- Make systematic corrections
- Re-import the corrected batch
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Temporary threshold adjustment
- Consider temporarily lowering the threshold for bulk imports
- Review flagged addresses afterward
Address Book Conflicts
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Identify problematic saved addresses
- Search for addresses with unexpected geocoding scores
- Look for duplicate entries with different coordinates
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Clean up systematically
- Remove or correct problematic entries
- Consider regular Address Book maintenance
Common Scenarios & Solutions (Q&A)
Q: Addresses in new developments consistently fail geocoding
A: Map providers typically update quarterly.
For new areas:
- Add detailed delivery notes/instructions
- Consider manually positioning pins and saving to Address Book
- Create a special flow with lower geocoding thresholds for these areas
Q: Multiple similar addresses are geocoded to different locations
A: This often happens with:
- Addresses missing postal codes
- Similar street names in different municipalities
- Always include full postal codes and city names to avoid this issue
Q: French addresses with "Avenue"/"Rue" abbreviated are failing
A: Geocoding for french addresses is sensitive in terms of format.
Always use the full street type:
- Use "Avenue" not "Ave"
- Use "Boulevard" not "Blvd"
- Include postal codes for all French addresses
Q: Business addresses in industrial zones are poorly geocoded
A: Industrial addresses often lack precise street numbers:
- Include business name in address when possible
- Consider using what3words.com or plus codes as supplementary information
- Create Address Book entries manually for frequent destinations
Q: Addresses with accented characters fail geocoding
A: Ensure your systems properly handle UTF-8 encoding:
- Don't strip accents when importing addresses
- If issues persist, try both accented and non-accented versions of the word (ex: écrire vs ecrire)
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
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Track geocoding error rates
- Monitor percentage of addresses requiring manual correction
- Look for patterns in problematic addresses
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Regular Address Book maintenance
- Schedule quarterly reviews of saved addresses
- Correct or remove outdated entries
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Feedback loops
- Collect input from drivers about incorrect locations
- Update Address Book based on field experience
In-Depth Resources
For detailed troubleshooting steps and specific error resolution:
- How to troubleshoot and fix geocoding issues - Comprehensive troubleshooting guide
- How to correct validation and geocoding errors - Step-by-step error correction
- How to define and implement a flow - Configure optimal geocoding settings
Need additional help? Contact our Support Team with specific examples of problematic addresses.
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