Standard address data is often not enough to pinpoint a job site. In this article, we’ll show you how to combine Google Plus Codes, the Google Address Validation API, and FME automation to turn vague, unreliable addresses into precise location data ready for field operations.
Field workers—whether they are telecom technicians, utility workers, drivers, or couriers—know this problem all too well: what’s in the system doesn’t match reality. A technician arrives at an empty plot of land and can’t locate the utility connection. A courier drives in circles around a newly built housing estate, unable to find the right door.
As a result, jobs are delayed, costs pile up (wasted fuel, lost time, repeat visits), and customers grow frustrated with the poor quality of service.
How can you ensure your team arrives at the exact right spot, even when the address isn’t in official registries, there’s no visible infrastructure, and street signs or house numbers are missing? The answer lies in combining three powerful technologies: Google Plus Codes, the Google Address Validation API, and automation via the FME Platform.
When the map says one thing and reality says another. Why does it happen?
Today, a traditional administrative address is rarely enough to effectively manage field operations. You need data that is up-to-date, highly precise, and easy to process.
Location issues usually stem from rapid spatial development that administrative processes and database updates simply can’t keep up with. In our experience, the most common scenarios where field crews “get lost” include:
The “Football Pitch” problem: projects on large plots of land
Imagine installing a utility connection on a cadastral plot covering several hectares. Providing only the plot number (e.g., 402/5) on the work order is like saying, “the ball is somewhere on the pitch”. The technician knows the general area, but finding the exact connection point turns into detective work.
The administrative time gap
A customer moves into a newly built house and wants to set up their utilities (like an internet connection). The physical building exists, but the bureaucratic process of assigning an official address and entering it into the national registry is still pending. In the telecom company’s system, the address “doesn’t exist”, even though the customer is calling from that very location.
New address, same house
As towns develop, a rural address like “Route 2, Box 100” might be officially renamed to “13 Lakeside Drive”. If the project documentation was drafted before this change, technicians will be looking for an address that is no longer on the map, even though the physical infrastructure hasn’t moved an inch.
Same address, completely different location
Another common side effect of urban sprawl is cities absorbing neighboring villages that happen to have identical street names. When this happens, the exact same address might exist in multiple districts across the city (e.g., 5 Main Street). The only difference is the zip code, and, of course, the actual physical location.
Solution 1: Plus Codes, a constant point of reference
The first piece of the puzzle is the Plus Code. If you have an Android or iOS smartphone in your pocket, you already have access to this technology. A Plus Code is essentially a simplified set of geographic coordinates represented by a short alphanumeric string (e.g., G2X3+8C).
How does this solve your field service headaches?
- They are static. Even if the local municipality renames a street, changes building numbers, or subdivides a plot into ten smaller ones, the Plus Code for that specific spot remains exactly the same. It acts as an anchor, keeping your data reliable regardless of administrative decisions.
- Pinpoint precision. The code identifies a location down to a specific square meter. No more searching for “the ball on the pitch”.
- Ease of communication. Dictating a long string of GPS coordinates (like 52.2296756, 21.0122287) over the radio or phone is asking for trouble. A short Plus Code is easy to read out loud and remember, drastically reducing miscommunication between dispatchers and drivers.
Solution 2: Google Address Validation API – smart data repair
However, coordinates alone aren’t enough. We still need to know if the address provided by the customer is actually correct. That’s where the Google Address Validation API proves invaluable.
This solution is far more than a standard address database. Google leverages a massive knowledge base crowdsourced by Google Maps users themselves. For instance, when a resident of a new housing development adds their home to Google Maps so the courier can find them, Google “knows” about this address long before official government registries do.
The Address Validation API also allows you to:
- Fix errors. The system automatically corrects typos, changing a misspelled “Milded Avenue” to the correct “Mildred Avenue”, for example.
- Confirm locations. The API verifies whether the provided zip code matches the city, preventing you from sending a crew to the wrong town (e.g., confusing similar-sounding cities like Irvine and Irving).
- Fill in missing data. The tool will suggest if there are sub-units or apartments at the main address (e.g., 1A, 1B).
Most importantly, every validated point is assigned its own Plus Code, creating a direct link between the administrative address and its physical location on the map.
Solution 3: FME – automated address verification at scale
Plus Codes provide precise field locations, and the Google Address Validation API ensures address reliability. But how do you handle thousands of addresses in a database or hundreds of new requests daily? Manual verification is simply out of the question.
This is where a low-code data integration platform like FME becomes essential.
With FME, we can automate two crucial processes:
No more getting lost, just higher efficiency
Combining the static nature of Plus Codes, the crowdsourced knowledge and validation of Google Maps, and the automation power of FME gives companies certainty. The certainty that a technician will arrive at the right place without driving in circles, and that equipment will be installed exactly where it belongs.
It’s a foolproof way to handle address data, even when that data theoretically doesn’t exist. Because while an address might not exist on paper, the location always exists on the map. Combining Google’s solutions with the FME platform ensures your team can find it without getting lost.
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This article is based on the presentation “How to Handle Address Data, Even When… It’s Not There: Google Maps and FME in Action,” delivered by Robert Jędrzejczak at the “Network 4.0: Digital Twins and Data Quality in Telecommunications, Energy, and Other Network Industries” conference, organized by Globema.
If you want to learn more about ways to ensure precise and error-free location data, write to us!
