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The Importance of Maintaining Customer Data: A Proactive Approach to Deceased and Gone Away Suppression

The Importance of Maintaining Customer Data: A Proactive Approach to Deceased and Gone Away Suppression

Sep 3, 2024 | Data Cleansing, Deceased Identification, Goneaway Identification

In today’s data-driven world, maintaining accurate and up-to-date customer data is crucial for any organisation. Not only does it enhance operational efficiency, but it also fosters trust and loyalty among customers. One critical aspect of data maintenance is the suppression of deceased and gone away records. This blog explores the importance of maintaining customer data, the benefits of deceased and gone away suppression, and how organisations can leverage in-situ data cleansing within their own cloud platforms.

Why Maintaining Customer Data Matters

Identity resolution is not just a feature; it’s a necessity for the success of data cleanrooms. It allows companies to:

1) Enhanced Customer Experience: Accurate data ensures that communications are relevant and timely, enhancing the overall customer experience. Misaddressed communications can lead to frustration and a negative perception of the brand.

2) Regulatory Compliance: Many industries are subject to strict data protection regulations. Maintaining accurate data helps organisations comply with laws such as GDPR, which mandate the proper handling of personal information.

3) Cost Efficiency: Clean data reduces the costs associated with undeliverable mail, incorrect billing, and wasted marketing efforts. It also minimizes the resources needed to manage and rectify data errors.

4) Improved Decision Making: Reliable data is the foundation of effective decision-making. It enables organisations to analyse trends, forecast demand, and tailor their strategies to meet customer needs.

The Role of Deceased and Gone Away Suppression

1) Respect and Sensitivity: Sending communications to deceased individuals can be distressing for their families. Suppressing these records demonstrates respect and sensitivity, preserving the organisation’s reputation.

2) Data Accuracy: Removing outdated records ensures that the database reflects the current customer base, leading to more accurate analytics and insights.

3) Fraud Prevention: Deceased records can be exploited for fraudulent activities. Suppressing these records helps mitigate the risk of identity theft and fraud.

4) Resource Optimisation: By eliminating gone away records, organisations can focus their resources on engaging with active customers, improving the efficiency of marketing and customer service efforts.

Benefits of In-Situ Data Cleansing in the Cloud

In-situ data cleansing refers to the process of cleaning and maintaining data within the organisation’s own cloud platform. This approach offers several advantages:

1) Real-Time Updates: In-situ cleansing allows for real-time updates, ensuring that the data is always current and accurate. This is particularly important for dynamic customer databases.

2) Enhanced Security: Keeping data within the organisation’s cloud platform reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorised access. It ensures that sensitive information is handled in compliance with security protocols.

3) Cost Savings: In-situ cleansing eliminates the need for third-party data cleansing services, reducing costs associated with data transfer and external processing.

4) Customisation: Organisations can tailor the cleansing process to their specific needs, incorporating custom rules and algorithms that align with their business objectives.

5) Scalability: Cloud platforms offer scalable solutions that can grow with the organisation. In-situ cleansing ensures that data management processes can adapt to increasing volumes of data without compromising performance.

Proactive Data Management: A Strategic Imperative

Proactive data management is not just about maintaining accuracy; it’s about anticipating and addressing potential issues before they arise. By implementing in-situ data cleansing and deceased and gone away suppression, organisations can:

  • Build Trust: Demonstrating a commitment to data accuracy and customer respect fosters trust and loyalty.
  • Enhance Efficiency: Streamlined data processes lead to more efficient operations and better resource allocation.
  • Drive Growth: Accurate data supports informed decision-making, enabling organisations to identify opportunities and drive growth.

And finally…

The Ark are well placed to help organisations address the problem of deceased and gone away suppression with our National Deceased Register and Re-mover Gone Away suppression files.  These datasets can also be delivered proactively through our JetStream data cleanroom solution, providing a cloud-based in-situ solution for organisations looking to maintain their customer data.

Take a look at JetStream in our video:

The takeaway? Maintaining customer data is a strategic imperative for modern organisations. By proactively managing data through in-situ cleansing and deceased and gone away suppression, businesses can enhance customer experience, ensure compliance, and optimise resources. Embracing these practices within their own cloud platforms positions organisations for long-term success in an increasingly data-centric world.

– Martin Jaggard – Director at The Ark

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Identity fraud victim’s £500k home put on market

Identity fraud victim’s £500k home put on market

Dec 20, 2016 | Deceased Identification, Goneaway Identification, Identity Fraud

A gang has been identified and two men jailed after being found guilty of committing identity fraud. The victim, Minh To of Stockport, Greater Manchester was targeted by criminals who transferred the deeds of his £500,000 five-bedroom home and attempted to auction his property.

The fraudsters targeted Mr To’s mail and stole utility bills. They then forged his signature and transferred the deeds of his home falsifying the documentation required to auction his property. Mr To was alerted to the deception by his daughter who saw his home on Rightmove for sale just three days before the auction was due to commence.

This case further highlights the risks of fraudsters intercepting mail and using it to commit identity fraud; one of the fastest growing crimes which is estimated to cost the UK approximately £5.4 billion per year.*

Criminals often target mail as it can contain lots of personal information. The most obvious of these being financial details such as bank statements and credit and debit cards. Unfortunately, consumers are often less aware of the risk of other mail, much of which still contains a wealth of information that fraudsters can put to good use.

How to avoid being the victim of identify fraud

The safest way to avoid being targeted is to ensure that all mail is safe. If a consumer moves home, they should change their address with all organisations that send them mail as soon as possible to ensure it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, we know that this doesn’t happen in practice and many people simply forget to tell everyone. In fact, research shows that when asked to rank the organisations that people would tell when they were moving house respondents categorised just five types as ‘essential to inform’.

Typically, the top tier was advised of a new address within three weeks of a move. Important organisations were told within two months and non-essential organisations (including many heavy direct markers such as retail, charity, and entertainment) were not told at all.

We always advise our clients sending mail to screen their data against goneaway and deceased suppressions to help to minimise the impact of mail not reaching the intended recipient. It’s not enough to rely on consumers updating their personal details. With ‘potential opportunities for fraud’ to add to the long list of reasons to screen data, it’s easy to see why it’s a no brainer for any responsible marketer.

* Source – Annual Fraud Indicator 2016, PKF & Experian.