Target

Baines and Ernst Case Study

Understand

Trace

Identity

Verify
Retain

Acquire

Locating more than 40% of clients they had previously lost touch with, using GB Groups identity tracing solution GB Accelerator e-Trace.
The most successful organisations recognise the value of understanding your individual identity who you are, what you need and what you like. GB Group combines this concept of identity with technology to create an environment of trust, so that organisations can connect, communicate and transact with consumers safely, responsibly and effectively. Thats why Baines and Ernst engaged GB Group to ensure that the personal identity information it uses as part of its responsible debt management approach is accurate, up-to-date and fully compliant with all relevant legislation.

The Challenge
To ensure full compliance with all legislation by being able to update customer identity information faster and more efficiently than with any other tool. Manchester-based Baines and Ernsts employ a 500-strong team to help consumers to overcome their debt problems. This can take the form of informal Debt Management Plans where the company helps its clients by making arrangements with their creditors that are typically more advantageous than they could manage themselves. The company finds that contact details often change very quickly. We need to have up-to-date details for every client, not just to ensure we comply with all FSA and money laundering regulations but also to maintain a responsible approach to ensure we contact the right person first time, every time. When Vicki Sharplin, Baines and Ernsts Inbound Collection Manager, arrived at the company in early 2008, all searches were sent to an external company that charged per look-up regardless of whether or not they obtained a new forwarding address. The previous supplier could also take up to 4 weeks to allocate a new address for Baines and Ernst clients. This was a slow and inefficient way to find up-todate contact details.

her new post, believing it to be the fastest and most accurate way to trace individuals with whom organisations have lost contact. Users can trace people from their last known address to a new address and even confirm if the individual is active at that address. Accessing GB Accelerator e-Trace via a secure online portal, users can delve into a variety of reference files including over 17 years worth of information from the Electoral Roll. It also offers access to the UK Telephone Number Database (an extract from BT Osis)*, Royal Mails PAF address database and enhanced functionality such as radius and co-habitant searches**.

The Solution
GB Groups tracing product GB Accelerator e-Trace - a more accurate and cost-effective in-house solution. Having worked successfully with GB Accelerator e-Trace at her previous employer, Sharplin decided to trial the in-house solution in

Before changing any records on their database Baines and Ernst ensure that all new contact data is confirmed with the client themselves. As a responsible debt solutions company, it is vital that the company only makes contact when it is 100% confident that it is appropriate to do so. Staff had some initial training from GB Group and were able to use the GB Accelerator e-Trace solution the same day. Its such a userfriendly system, says Sharplin, the actual start-up took no time at all and weve never had to call support.

About GB Group
The most successful organisations recognise the value of understanding your individual identity - who you are, what you need and what you like. GB Group combines this concept of identity with technology to create an environment of trust so that organisations can connect, communicate and transact with consumers safely, responsibly and profitably. We call this identity management. GB Group has three complementary offerings:

The Benefits
Locating more than 40% of clients Baines and Ernst had previously lost touch with. Complete control of timescales. Using GB Accelerator e-Trace, searches for individuals can be done within minutes Improved match rates and overall performance, with proven cost savings Swift multi-referenced checks for residency, phone, date of birth and postal address Instant availability of new addresses and updated telephone numbers via the same service User-friendly, web-based service for instant access 24/7 - and zero integration costs!

Identity Capture, Maintenance and Tracing Solutions providing accurate and up-to-date customer information, enabling you to find and make contact with people faster Identity Verification combating ID fraud, money laundering and under-age gambling Identity based Marketing understanding, targeting and retaining profitable customers

*Information correct as of December 2009

Our previous supplier could take up to 1 weeks to complete tracing searches, whereas we are now in complete control of timescales using GB Groups solution in-house and instead of weeks, we can find a client, which we have previously lost touch with, in just a couple of minutes.
Inbound Collection Manager, Baines and Ernst.

The value GB Accelerator e-Trace delivers is tangible and was key in helping us to make the decision to change supplier. It is definitely a more cost-effective service compared to other suppliers. Using GB Accelerator e-Trace, we can locate new contacts for more than 40% of the clients we lose touch with.
Inbound Collection Manager, Baines and Ernst.

GB Group plc GB House, Kingsfield Court, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9GB Tel: +44 (0)1244 657333 Fax: +44 (0)1244 680808 www.gb.co.uk
*The UK Telephone Number Database (an extract from BT OSIS) can only be used within GB products for the purposes of teleappending or telephone A-Z listings search. The terms validation and verification refer to GB's Identity Management product and service offerings. For the avoidance of doubt GB Group does not refer to any of BTs products and services where it uses the terms validation and verification. **Radius searching allows companies to locate an individual who has moved within a given distance of the current address held. For example, 75% of people move within 10 miles, increasing the probability of generating a response for the search.* By using co-habitant searches the organisation is also able to search details of individual households that currently do not have mail delivered to their own letter box, such as flats or halls of residence.