EPISODE 11: How to turn GDPR obligations into opportunities with Single Customer View

GDPR D-day has created a lot of buzz... and fuss

GDPR came into force on May 25, 2018. It was highlighted by intensified press coverage. It made consumers acutely aware of their new rights: e.g. the right to object, the right to rectification, the right to data portability, the right to be forgotten... All companies are bound to witness a surge in the number of consumers contacting them to know more about the use of their personal data. Especially for mass market brands, the challenge will be huge. But even SMEs should be prepared. 

Data silos complicate GDPR compliance

Even the so-called simplest GDPR right – the right of access – may prove to be a headache. You need to provide data subjects an exhaustive view on all the data related to them. But most companies work in silos. They have separate storage facilities for:

• Sales data: invoicing data, CRM data, e-commerce basket logins, etc.
• Communication and Marketing data: newsletter registrations, opt-in preferences, data collected through owned and paid media, etc.
• Operational data: information retrieved from customer service, operational systems (e.g. ERP), etc.

All these data don’t communicate. They are kept in separate places, databases and departments. That’s why putting together all the data of the very same person can be time and money consuming for a company.

The solution: Single Customer View

The Single Customer View makes it much easier to respect the new consumer rights. Bisnode can play a major role as a partner to help customers realize this single customer view dashboard. It will help companies to become legally compliant. It will give them more flexibility to delete data at their customers’ requests.

Bisnode helps clients create an overview per customer. It allows them to identify duplicates at individual and household level and to add a unique identification key to each customer. It also enables them to link information from various online and offline sources to the right customers.

Is Single Customer View just a software matter?

For cost-efficiency reasons large companies usually want to solve the single customer view challenge with a software. But this is often a mistake. Computer logic has its limits. Here’s an example:
How could a software know that a.verbrugge@yopmail.com, who registered for the newsletter is the same as Annabel Verbrugghe, whose name was misspelled by the cashier when she purchased the product in the store? And how does your system make the connection with the same Annabel Verbrugge, who called your customer service yesterday?

Why opt for Bisnode’s Single Customer View approach?

 Bisnode has 40 years of highly qualified expertise in dealing with database architecture. This make us confident in providing ‘state-of-the-art’ solutions  that ‘connect the dots’. Bisnode’s Single Customer View doesn’t require a heavy installation at the client’s premises. It can easily work through API’s with Bisnode attributing keys to identify individuals. Moreover, Bisnode brings added value by partnering up with the client to accompany them all the way. We offer so much more than a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Our solutions are tailored to our client’s real needs. On top of that they offer a unique data intelligence bonus: upsell and cross-sell potential, profile analysis, predictive models, etc.

Bisnode’s Single Customer View smoothens GDPR compliance

The Bisnode solution allows you to stay highly GPDR compliant. Why? Because you always have the most accurate and up-to-date data about consumers. A well-prepared Single Customer View program enables you to foresee and even prevent the rising amount of consumer requests, which may be expected now that GDPR is making the news.

Turn your GDPR obligation into a competitive advantage

 The Bisnode Single Customer View approach can offer your marketing operations a strong competitive advantage:

• It avoids duplicates or wrong contacts, allowing you to cut down the cost of waste in your marketing budgets.
• It helps advertisers create a ‘single household view’, allowing them to not send the same mailing to two people of the same family.
• It prevents consumer irritation for being contacted several times or for irrelevant reasons.
• It makes messages more relevant with more chances to have a positive impact on prospects or clients.
• It provides more efficiency for every department that interacts with consumers: e.g. billing, customer service, etc.

That is why each euro spent on creating this Single Customer View has a direct and positive impact on your Return on Investment.

This concludes our GDPR special... but not our journey

There’s no doubt about it: becoming GDPR compliant is a journey. It is not a one-off project but an ongoing process. It requires continuous attention and improvement. May 25th was only a milestone, not a beginning or an end. At Bisnode we build on 40 years of experience and a strong dedication to accompany our partners along this data journey. With full respect for the rights and aspirations of both our clients and their customers.