CRM: 3 misconceptions behind the proliferation of duplicate data
Any customer database is exposed to having duplicate entries, which affect clienteling, and customer and employee experience. Why is duplicate customer data a universal problem? Several common mistakes businesses make explain this phenomenon. However, there is nothing that makes solving the problem impossible: modern Data Quality Management solutions help companies get a handle on duplicate records.
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In many companies, the users of the customer database may have already detected a problem of duplicate records. However,it is rarely that thy have knowledge of the extent of the problem, as well as the urgency to deduplicate. Duplicate data is propagated mainly because of 3 mistakes that companies make.
Misconception #1 :thinking that the proportion of duplicate data in the database remains minimal
Without a proper database audit, it’s hard to see how many duplicates there are in customer data records. Although duplicate data is a known problem, most companies are not aware of it. However, audits of customer databases often reveal significant proportions of duplicates, often more than 20% of the database – to the great surprise of companies that have not addressed the source of the problem.
The phenomenon of repeated creation of customer records is common in omnichannel environments with multiple points of contact. On a web portal, at the point-of-sale, in the customer service department: without an appropriate data quality solution, users – both customers in self-care and employees – have no way of identifying if a record already exists. Each user therefore makes a new entry, without any visibility or alert being sent concerning the problem.
Misconception #2: ignoring the operational nuisance of duplicate customer data
Duplicates in a database have frustrating consequences for employees who work with customer data. First of all, the teams in charge of clienteling, who see up to 3 or 4 records for the same customer on their screen, while they have to fill in the information immediately at the end of the phone call or at the sales counter. It’s impossible to know which form refers to which customer, or of course to get an exhaustive view of the customer’s journey with the brand. The marketing department also suffers from the duplication of its campaigns. Multiple mailings to the same person is a classic outcome, because the individual appears in various customer files. Nothing could be more counterproductive in terms of ROI and brand image.
This difficulty affects the day-to-day work of teams working with customer data, sometimes to the point of deteriorating the work atmosphere and even exhausting employees. But the link of cause and effect is not always identified by decision-makers who do not work direclty with customer service or point-of-sale tools. This is why the problem of duplication persists in the database without a solution, and with concrete and heavy impacts on a daily basis.
Misconception #3: referring the processing of duplicate data to “sorcerers' apprentices”
To solve the problem of duplicates, it is not uncommon to see solutions developed internally, or by service providers whose core expertise is not data quality. This option reflects the difficulty of knowing the extent of the duplicates in the company’s database and the challenges associated with deduplication to eliminate them.
This type of solution remains too basic for properly dealing with the problem of duplicates, but also for guaranteeing that they do not reappear. The projects can be never-ending, due to the service provider not having sufficient expertise in the field. And an audit of a more or less deduplicated base with non-specialized solutions will automatically give a disappointing result, with a persistent and significant share of duplicates to remove. To definitively solve the problem of duplicate data in the customer database, you need a specialist in the field.
Modern Data Quality to the rescue of databases weighed down by duplicates
Removing duplicates from a customer database and ensuring that they do not reappear depends on specialized expertise in the field. Indeed, each company has its own deduplication rules, according to its use cases, and its prerequisites at each contact point to avoid recreating records that already exist. This is why overly generic approaches, or black box solutions that the company cannot take control of, should be avoided.
Today, Data Quality Management can rely on modern solutions with a renewed approach to deduplication. In particular, companies have at their disposal solutions in “test-and-learn” mode that allow them to see the deduplication results according to the tested rules, and to decide which ones are the most relevant for their cases. Accompanied by a specialist, they are also guaranteed access to cutting-edge features, such as the verification of the pre-existing customer record before creating a new one. In addition, Expert Data Quality is accompanied by advice that is up to the challenge, particularly on the definition of the best rules and best practices for maintaining a healthy database. It’s time to fix the duplicate problem.
For more info, see also: Unified view of the customer: what obstacles should be removed to make it a reality?
About DQE
Because data quality is essential to customer knowledge and the construction of a lasting relationship, since 2008, DQE has provided its clients with innovative and comprehensive solutions that facilitate the collection of reliable data.
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