Increasing Customer Contactability

The effectiveness of any collections strategy is to a large extent dependent on an organisation’s ability to make contact with its customers. In this 4 part series of tips we shall consider some of the factors that have a major impact on an organisation’s ability to contact its customers.

In the first part of this series we focus on the different ways in which an organisation can improve the quality of its data in order to increase customer contactability and improve collections results.

Application Form Design
Most of the customer’s address and contact information originates from the original application form that the customer completes when applying for credit. It is therefore essential that the application form is designed in such a way that it seeks to obtains as much customer contact information as possible, such as spouse’s contact details, next of kin contact details, third party contact details, etc. This will ensure that the organisation is able to contact its customers when so required.

Data Capturing
Once the customer’s contact information has been obtained it is important that the information is captured accurately. In most cases, except where the customer applies for credit online, the customer’s contact information is captured manually from the original application form. The customer’s contact information is also manually confirmed and/or updated during the collection process. It is for this reason crucial that the system on which the data is captured and/or updated contains comprehensive data validation rules that will ensure that the information is captured and/or updated as accurately as possible. A system that does not allow the data capturer and/or collector to capture ‘alpha’ characters in the fields provided for telephone numbers, is an example of how validation rules can be used to ensure an accurate data capturing process.

In the next tip of the month we will continue to explore the different ways in which an organisation can improve the quality of its data in order to increase customer contactability.

Charl Van Rhyn is a Senior Consultant at PIC Solutions, the largest customer management solutions company based in the Southern Hemisphere. He has over 8 years of credit and risk management experience as a practising attorney, specialising in collections during all stages of the delinquency life cycle. At MBD Attorneys, a leading South African debt collection law firm, he served both in the capacity as Director Litigation and Senior Accounts Executive. Key responsibilities included the management of key business relationships within the banking, financial services, furniture retail, telecoms, utilities and health & leisure industries. He holds a B. Juris and LLB degree from the University of Potchefstroom. He is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and a member of the SA Institute of Credit Management.

About PIC Solutions
PIC Solutions provides customer management solutions to a wide range of blue-chip organisations. We are experts in the fields of credit, risk and marketing and have an established track record of success powered by solutions.

For more information on how PIC Solutions can optimise the credit life cycle of your business please visit www.picsolutions.com.