More than two-thirds of French people say they read and keep the mail they receive through postal marketing campaigns, which is 5 times more than the average email open rate. This, in any case, is the main conclusion of a TNS Sofres - Mediapost survey, which documents the solid performance of direct mail, a channel that some consider "obsolete" in the digital age.
What if your sales performance was just waiting for a well-executed mailing campaign to take off? Or perhaps you're an e-commerce business sending parcels at a cost well above the market average? In this practical guide, Data Enso looks at the vital importance of postal data verification on three levels: delivery, customer satisfaction and direct marketing.
What is postal data validation?
Validation of postal address data involves the examination, verification and standardization of postal address information in the context of a customer or prospect database. At the end of the chain, this process must result in the cleaning, updating, standardization and, if necessary, enrichment of databases used for mailing campaigns or parcel delivery.
The rationale behind this process is simple:
Any error in the postal data of customers and/or prospects translates into high costs, loss of earnings and significant reputational risks. For example, the average cost of an Undelivered Mail item is estimated at €1.80 for postage alone (€1 for postage and €0.80 for return processing).
What is a valid postal address in France?
In France, postal addresses must be structured according to the NF Z10-011 standard, which defines the order and form of the elements required to guarantee parcel deliverability. Here are the various components of this standard:
- Recipient name: the name of the person, company or entity who is to receive the shipment.
- Street number and name: includes the house number followed by the street type (street, avenue, boulevard, etc.) and the street name.
- Additional address information: additional information on the delivery location, such as building, floor, staircase, etc.
- Postal code and locality: the five-digit postal code specific to each commune or district, followed by the name of the locality. For example, "75001 Paris".
- Mention of country (if necessary): for international shipments from France, mention of the country of destination is required.
Compliance with the NF Z10-011 standard ensures that mail or parcels are delivered to the right address without delay or error. Non-compliance may result in non-delivery or return to sender.
Postal address validation: the benefits at a glance
The postal address field is a vital link that connects the company to its customer (sending orders and gifts) as well as to its potential customers (paper communication). Paradoxically, it's also the most vulnerable and error-prone field in lead generation forms, as it's a long field that includes proper nouns (street names) and numbers. Also, Internet users are not always familiar with the AFNOR NF A10-011 standard.
These combined factors mean that the "postal address" column is rarely clean in company databases, with a series of consequences that undermine their competitiveness.
#1 Late deliveries or returned parcels
An incorrect address can lead to delays in parcel delivery. In some cases, it can even cause non-delivery, forcing the carrier to return the package to the sender. These delays are not only frustrating for the customer, but also lead to additional costs for the company in terms of reshipment and returns processing fees, eroding margins.
#2 Decline in customer satisfaction
Today's customers expect to be able to track the delivery of their order in real time, and on-time delivery is a non-negotiable. A delay or non-delivery will greatly damage their experience, impacting on their loyalty and possibly costing you a negative review that will undoubtedly dissuade potential customers.
#3 Unexpected additional costs
Errors in postal addresses lead to hidden costs that quickly add up. In addition to forwarding costs, these include the costs associated with returns management, customer service and even the loss of products that cannot be recovered.
#4 Waste of time and resources on database correction
Manually correcting postal address errors is a laborious process that requires time and attention, especially if the database in question has been polluted for several years (which is often the case). The resources devoted to these tasks could be put to better use in areas that add direct value to the company.
#5 Impact on direct marketing campaigns
An incorrect database is bound to sabotage your direct marketing efforts, whether you're sending out catalogs, brochures, special offers or gifts. Address errors reduce the effectiveness of these campaigns and drastically reduce the return on investment.
How does Data Enso ensure the reliability of your leads', prospects' and customers' postal addresses?
A postal address is more than just a string of characters. It's the link that connects you to your customers, prospects and leads, and it's the only way you can send them products and marketing communications. The slightest error can result in additional costs and a significant loss of earnings.
At Data Enso, we understand the sensitivity of this field in your databases. That's why we've developed EnsoAddress, a practical, powerful and RGPD-compliant solution that makes your postal addresses reliable.
We deploy several levels of qualification and processing to ensure that your data is immediately usable by your teams, with complete peace of mind:
- Syntax validation: correction of typing errors, identification of abbreviations
- Data formatting: restructuring and standardization according to current standards
- International validation: compliance with standards in over 100 countries, precise geolocation
- Automatic suggestion: input help based on the first characters entered and suggestion of relevant results for the web user.
EnsoAddress can be integrated into your customer acquisition processes(by setting up an API in your contact forms), and can clean up your existing databases, make them more reliable and standardize them(by processing files on an ad hoc basis). Test us now!
