News release
Contact:
Stephanie Watson
Press Relations Manager, Information Solutions
+44 (0)115 992 2515 Tel
stephanie.watson@uk.experian.com Email
Experian launches Data Healthcheck
Nottingham, UK, 5 March 2008 - With recent research indicating that UK businesses lose 17 per cent of revenue due to poor data quality1, Experian®, the global information services company, has launched a programme to help companies ensure their marketing databases are fit for purpose and in shape to deliver improved returns on marketing investment.
The Experian Data Healthcheck compares an organisation’s customer and prospect records against Experian’s own comprehensive data sources to reveal how accurate, complete, consistent and compliant a business’s records are.
Nick Frazer, head of B2B Marketing with Experian’s Business Information division, commented: “Far from being solely an issue for the B2C market, the quality and accuracy of data and how it is used, is increasingly becoming a driver in a business’s desire and willingness to interact with other businesses. Since its inception, almost 1.2 million UK companies have signed up for the Corporate Telephone Preference Service, whilst the Fax Preference Service lists almost two million, predominantly business, numbers. The point for B2B marketers is that the number of companies signing up for such services will continue to increase unless businesses adopt a more stringent attitude to maintaining data quality and make sure that first, and every other, contact they have with a business makes a good impression.”
As part of the Data Healthcheck, Experian automatically checks addresses against the Postcode Address File (PAF) and telephone numbers against the telephone file for accuracy, duplications and to identify areas for data enrichment.
From a compliance perspective, matches are also made against a range of suppression files to highlight those records that should not be mailed, telephoned or faxed and indicate the level of compliance of the database.
With more than 18,000 organisations going bust in 2007, B2B marketers need to be vigilant in pre-screening their marketing database in order to avoid exposure to potential bad debt. By undertaking credit pre-screening, the Data Healthcheck is able to identify what number and percentage of a database’s records are classed as maximum risk with a high likelihood of business failure within the next twelve months. Other risk factors identified as part of the Healthcheck include payment performance trends and the number of County Court Judgments registered against a business over the past twelve months.
Finally, by matching against the five million records in its National Business Database (NBD), Experian is able to highlight where additional valuable information to allow more targeted campaigns could be appended, from identifying contacts in specific job roles to the number of employees in a business, to turnover and pre-tax profit and loss figures.
Nick Frazer concludes: “The Data Healthcheck programme recognises the importance of data quality and integrity and its impact on customer acquisition, retention and management. There is simply no reason why data quality, or a lack of it, should be an excuse for a marketing campaign failing to have the impact anticipated.”
To arrange a free Data Healthcheck from Experian businesses can call 08700 121111 or visit www.experianbi.co.uk/healthcheck.
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. QAS Global Contact Data Management Report January 2008-02-25
The word 'Experian' is a registered trademark in the EU and other countries and is owned by Experian Ltd and/or its associated companies.