EF Education First Uses Data Quality Software From Experian QAS To Ensure Direct Mail Reaches Its Destination
Experian QAS, a part of Experian specializing in customer data quality software and services, recently announced that EF Education First, the world's largest private education company, selected QAS Pro Web to lessen the amount of returned mail the company is receiving. EF Education First is one of many customers driving record growth in the size and scope of the Experian QAS customer base.
The company's EF Educational Tours division mails out tens of thousands of packages annually to teachers, students and volunteers in the U.S. and abroad. A large number of the addresses it received were entered via web forms and, due to incorrect entry, were being returned, causing a considerable expense. The company needed a solution capable of improving address data at the point-of-capture in order to reduce shipping costs. After a careful evaluation of competing products, EF found that QAS Pro Web was the best solution for its needs. Today, the solution verifies the accuracy of all customer information as it is entered.
"The return of so many packages resulted in not only an inefficient use of resources and marketing materials, but also a considerable amount in wasted postage and returned mail charges annually," said Mark Mercer, vice president, U.S. Business Operations EF Educational Tours. "By using QAS Pro Web to validate, standardize and cleanse contact information as it is captured, we have improved customer service and reduced return mail costs by approximately 80 percent per year."
"By increasing the efficiency of its direct marketing campaigns using QAS Pro Web, EF was able to recognize a significant cost reduction," said Joel Curry, chief operating officer at Experian QAS. "Accurate customer contact information affects a wide range of business operations and processes including, e-commerce and customer relationship management. If customer data quality is not managed effectively multiple systems will be adversely affected, potentially damaging or crippling a business."
Experian QAS also announced a record revenue increase and expansion of its customer base and partner network during its 2008 fiscal year ended March 31, 2008. The company signed repeat business with 940 customers including Mass Mutual Financial Group and added 413 new customers including Congressional Federal Credit Union, County of York, Pennsylvania, George Washington University, and Saint Clare's Health System (New Jersey). FY2008 also saw QAS launch two new products, Pro Web 5.60 and Census Tract DataPlus. Experian QAS entered into resale and technology partnerships with SigmaMicro, NSB, FSB, Tessitura, Junction Solutions, Agilon, Darden Solutions, Wilke-Thorton, and Viking.
"The continued growth of Experian QAS demonstrates that companies recognize the critical role data quality plays in improving business performance management," added Curry. "With our proven product offering and value proposition, which is amplified in today's challenging economy, Experian QAS is on track for greater market adoption in the coming fiscal year."
About EF Education First
EF Education First is the world's largest private education company, with a group of fifteen subsidiaries and non-profit organizations centered around language learning, educational travel, cultural exchange and academic programs. EF has more than 29,000 employees, teachers and volunteers, with hundreds of offices and schools in more than 50 countries. Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF's mission is to break down the barriers of language, culture and geography that divide us.
About Experian QAS
Experian QAS is an address data quality software pioneer. The company's products capture, validate, cleanse, standardize and enrich customer contact information. QAS provides solutions to more than 10,000 customers worldwide in retail, education, healthcare, insurance, finance, government and other sectors. The company was established in 1990 has offices throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, visit www.qas.com.
Experian is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organizations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.
Combining its unique information tools and deep understanding of individuals, markets and economies, Experian partners with organizations around the world to establish and strengthen customer relationships and provide their businesses with competitive advantage.
For consumers, Experian delivers critical information that enables them to make financial and purchasing decisions with greater control and confidence. Clients include organizations from financial services, retail and catalog, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.
Experian Group Limited is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. It has corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, and operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Nottingham, UK. Experian employs approximately 15,500 people in 38 countries worldwide, supporting clients in more than 65 countries around the world. Continuing sales for the year ended March 31, 2008, were in excess of $4B.
For more information, visit the Group's Web site at www.experiangroup.com.
SOURCE: Experian QAS