My name is Barbara, I’m 23 years old and an undergraduate student of economics at the Ludwig-Maximilian university of Munich, Germany.
I excessively use google and google maps. Several times a day and always before and after I visit a location.
Since I was born in Munich and always lived in a small town, close to the city, I spent most of my childhood and youth exploring the area. Other than most of the other people and tourists I visit the same location multiple times. Whether it’s a restaurant, bar, sports club or anything else, I can give very precise reviews about the (my) spots. I also love to try new things and to discover new places I’ve never been to.
As a level 6 Local Guide, I know how important it is, to constantly update the reviews and pictures of different locations. Due to my habits I’m constantly posting new pictures if something changes and update older reviews with more resent information.
Probably everyone knows, how for e.g. the quality of a restaurant changes over time, many of our favorite spots are already closed when we finally come back. There are also plenty of pictures and false information about various locations online. I always try to do my very best to correct these informations and to tell google maps, that some pictures actually don’t show this very location. As well as fake profiles of people & companies.
I believe that sharing information on Google Maps can make a great impact in the lives of people that need the information. All of us know, what it feels like to be in a new town and you don’t even know a good spot for lunch. I usually tend to feel very lonely in these situations, but I’m incredibly glad to have access to a base of likeminded “friends” online, that can help me out with their reviews and recommendations.
I started to share my experience with the internet, to help people who are in the same situation. This way no-one has to feel alone and lost in an unknown city. Because Google Maps is the go-to mapping service for millions of people around the world, the information we add can reach a great number of people. I’m very aware of the fact, that my opinion might be meaningful to small local businesses as well as potentiell customers. I always try to reproduce my objective opinion, for obvious reasons. As a future economist I always have a slightly different view on these kind of things, which helps to diversify the informations that can be found on maps.
What makes Google Maps so special, in my eyes, is that we have everything under one roof. A great, loving and helping community with an enormous amount of informations and reviews combined with a navigation system. It’s basically everything out of one hand. And since it’s pre-installed on most of the modern smartphones and tablet it is super easy and comfortable to use.
I only use Google maps (and no other providers) because, it combines all of my favorite features and must-haves. I mostly use them to organize and share the different kinds of great restaurants in my city and to plan which places to go to while on a trip. For that instance I mainly use the “offline” feature, to save some mobile data & to make sure, I’ve always got everything with me, I need to find my way in a new city or country.
If you’re interested in my way of seeing “normal” every day situations with another eye, I’d be thrilled to attend this years event in San Jose. I have a list of things I like and of possible changes that could be made. With the methodic I learn at university I’m able to explain everything to everyones best understanding whether it’s an analyst or to the other participants that are invited along with me to this spectacular event.
I hope my suggestions are enriching to the overall topic and that we have an amazing and of course productive time at your headquarters.
I’m looking forward to the event with full enthusiasm and hope, that you consider my application.
Yours faithfully
Barbara