The Importance of Clean Data 

There has been much talk recently about “Big Data” which, to me, only emphasizes the importance of "Clean" Data. According to Kurt Bollacker, “Data that is loved tends to survive.” Having clean data is necessary for you to extract revenue from your most precious resource: your customer and prospect database. Clean data increases opportunities, saves money, and helps you maintain a positive reputation with satisfied customers. 

Luckily, there are tools available to dealers that can help keep data clean and updated with the NCOA, CASS, DNC, Phone/Email Validation and Phone/Email Append. Increased Opportunities Come When: The mailer you recently sent doesn’t go to the customer’s old address, as your customer recently moved to a new address. Your mailer arrived at the proper address because your data has been updated with the National Change of Address (NCOA). Your mailer for the huge tent sale this weekend is received prior to the event, not after, because your data has gone through the CASS Standardization process with the USPS. 

Your BDC or Salesperson can set that appointment instead of throwing away the lead due to lack of phone numbers. Ensure you have appended cell numbers and landlines that are incorrect or missing in your database. You are able to append/add email addresses to customer records, helping your next email marketing campaign be successful. 
 

Money Is Saved When: You recently sent a mailer; a few weeks later, you don’t have a huge pile of returned mail sitting on your desk because your data was scrubbed against the NCOA. Your BDC or Call Center is not wasting time calling bad numbers because your database has had the phone numbers validated. You can now send an email to your customer/prospect instead of a letter due to the appended email addresses you now have because of email appends. 

Your Reputation is Maintained When: Your mailers are making it directly to their intended recipient, rather than being forwarded from their previous address, or thrown away by the new homeowner at the old address. Your Sales or BDC Team is not calling on customers and prospects that are on the “Do Not Call List.” Invalid email addresses are eliminated, effectively reducing the number of “hard bounces” on transmission. The email validation process helps protect the broadcasting IP from domain-level filtration and IP “blacklisting.” 

If hundreds of thousands, even millions, are spent annually to market to prospects and get them in your database, shouldn’t a fraction of that money be budgeted to show your data the love? 

About Hunter Swift 
Hunter Swift is the Director of Sales Development at DealerSocket and has been with the company since 2005. In addition to his current role, he has fulfilled the responsibilities of customer support, consulting, training, and sales. Hunter specializes in helping dealerships improve sales and follow-up processes through the use of CRM technology. He is known for his ability to connect with people and demonstrate his knowledge to help others solve their problems. Hunter honed his dealership skills as a salesperson prior to joining DealerSocket. He has earned a Business Degree from Pepperdine University. Hunter can be reached at hswift@dealersocket.com and on social media at @HunterSwift.