how to increase collections and make the most of e-billing

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How to Increase Collections and Make the Most of E-billing

August 18th, 2011

TeleconferenceDial-in: 866-564-7440Passcode: 584284

© 2011 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

Featured Speakers

Matt Chase, Utilities Account Manager, Experian QAS

Jenny Sharpe, Marketing Program Specialist, Experian QAS


Agenda

The growing importance of email and e-billing

How to better manage e-billing efforts

Fastest way to grow your marketable email database

Options for testing, cleaning and updating emails

Overview of QAS Email Services

Q&A


The Growing Importance of Email and E-billing

1.4 billion email users with over 90 trillion emails sent annually

90% of email users send/receive email every day*

44% are on email constantly*

Preferred communication method76% of consumers would prefer to receive bills via email**

Inexpensive channel for direct mailers

Average savings of $2 per e-bill

Email allows for consistent interactive and effective communication

*DoubleClick's 6th Annual consumer Study (2005)**Bank Technology News Research (April 2002)


Current Challenges Utilities are Facing

Sources of ‘bad’ emails include

Information captured at point of entry

Web forms

Syntax and domain errors

Soft bounces vs. hard bounces

Complaints and spam traps

ISPs are becoming more strict


Impacts of Bad Email Addresses

Negative effects on customer communication efforts

Lost marketing opportunities

Negative impacts on your ISP reputation and inbox placement Emails can be sent to Spam folder Emails sometimes never reach the customer Possibility of sender shut down by large ISP’s

Ultimately, lost revenue opportunities


5 Ways to Improve your Email Database

1. Diagnose your email database

2. Attack the bad emails already in your database

3. Validate new emails before they enter your database

4. Improve your reputation with ISPs

5. Perform append services periodically


TIP 1: Diagnose your email database

Capture rate

Penetration rate

Bounce rate

Complaint rate

Spam trap hits

Existing invalid emails


TIP 2: Attack the bad emails already in your database

More than 50% of flagged bad emails are due to minor syntax errors within the email address that can be fixed

Identify and correct invalid characters

► Example 1: cavendish2gmail.com = [email protected]

► Example 2: jpommers @ yahoo com = [email protected]

► Example 3: [email protected] = [email protected]

► Example 4: [email protected] = [email protected]

► Example 5: “Smith, Joe” <[email protected]> = [email protected]

Quickest and easiest way to increase your marketable email database


TIP 3: Validate new emails before they enter your database

Catch and correct syntax errors

► Ensure proper standardization and conformity to internet standards

Confirm email domains work

► It exists, its active, and can accept mail

Verify mailboxes exist

► Invalid mailboxes account for over 70% of undeliverable emails

Suppress spam traps and risky email addresses

► Role based accounts = [email protected]

► Fake emails = [email protected]

► Malicious emails = [email protected]

► Do not mail list


TIP 4: Improve your reputation with ISPs

Major ISPs actively screen and filter incoming mail for their users and rely on individual mailers “reputation” to determine emails they will let through

Reputation determined by

► Bounce rate

► Complaint rate

► Spam trap hits

77% of delivery problems were based on sender reputation

Each ISP has their own set of metrics

Sending too many bad emails will flag the sender as “spam”


TIP 4: Continued… Improve your reputation with ISPs

Implementing a comprehensive validation prior to emails being sent will

► Immediately reduce bounce rate by 50-70%

► Reduce complaints and spam trap hits

► ISPs increase inbox delivery

► Reduced mailing costs from your email service provider (ESP)

► Higher conversion rate on email leads captured

► Avoid blacklisting

► Never get shut down by ISPs


TIP 5: Perform append services periodically

eAppend

► Use name and address in your database to append valid email

► Immediately increase email penetration rates

Email Change of Address (ECOA)

► Best for previously performing email that hasn’t been opened in 6 months or suddenly bounces

► People change emails frequently for many reasons

► Leverage ECOA to find your loyal customer’s new email


5 Ways to Improve your Email Database

1. Diagnose your email database

2. Attack the bad emails already in your database

3. Validate new emails before they enter your database

4. Improve your reputation with ISPs

5. Perform append services periodically


QAS Email Services

Real time service

► Hosted web service

► Interacts with front end users to correct email

Email Express Processing

► Run an automated correction/validation nightly batch service on newly acquired emails

Bureau services

► Email cleanse and correction

► ECOA

► Email Append


Q&A

Questions after the event?Email: [email protected]

Call: 888-727-3985 Visit: www.qas.com

Submit your questions now!

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Please visit www.qas.com for more information.

how to increase collections and make the most of e-billing

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