Retailers waste time and money with bad records

publication date: Mar 13, 2008

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author/source: Robin Roberts

Dealers are losing sales because of very poor record keeping of cars they have sold or serviced, according to Experian information services.

It has teamed up with Gemini Systems to provide a new solution to “cleansing” data and keeping records up to date.

Experian has integrated Intact Automotive, its data cleansing service designed specifically for the automotive industry, into Evolution, Gemini Systems’ dealer management system.  

The partnership will enable dealers to export both their customer and vehicle records out of their DMS and receive back cleansed and updated information, imported directly into their DMS. This happens at the touch of a button, with no disruption or extra cost to dealers. 

Simon Harrod, Managing Director of Gemini Systems, said, “The unique factor here is the ability to provide this service easily and successfully with the minimum amount of disruption to the dealer.  Any dealer and DMS provider knows that the process of exporting customer and vehicle records data out of a dealer’s management system can be complicated and time consuming. 

“It requires a hands-on approach by all who are involved.  Furthermore, integrating the cleansed data successfully back into the dealer’s management system can also be challenging and in many cases, when dealers receive this cleansed data back, they do not integrate it back into the DMS straight away.  The process has deterred a lot of dealers who simply do not have the time to dedicate to it.  

“The aim with this development has been to make the process of data cleansing as easy as possible for our clients, so we needed to link up with an innovative and trusted provider of this service.  Many of our clients had recommended Experian and, with its reputation in the industry, it was the obvious partner.”      

According to research by QAS, the address management specialist, ten per cent of the average company’s database is inaccurate.  Seventy percent of consumers would be less inclined or would go out of their way to avoid doing business with a company that has continually sent out information addressed to an old occupier and 17 per cent of consumers have received mail for a deceased member of the family with two thirds finding it offensive and upsetting.

Kirk Fletcher, Managing Director of Experian’s Automotive division, said, “The process of data cleansing needs to be as easy as possible for dealers, so this partnership will bring a much needed development to the area of data integrity in the automotive industry.   

“With an average dealer’s database containing around 10,000 customer records, contacting the wrong customers at the wrong time means wasting a vast amount of time and money. This accounts to approximately £3,799 every time a dealer contacts customers from their un-cleansed database. It also poses a real threat to their brand reputation as well as a compliance risk.”