Guide to Database Management

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How you use your marketing database is the key to unlocking the value of your customers and increasing the profitability of your company. To do this, you need to be convinced of the quality of your database�s construction. Are you certain that it is capable of efficiently performing the functions you require of it? More than that, can you fully exploit your data � do you have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to use it properly?

From the construction of your customer database, to the data you use to populate it and how you manage your system, all have a direct affect on the performance of your business. Good data trapped inside a poorly constructed marketing database is as useless as no data at all. When properly constructed and managed a database becomes a fundamental element in the business mix.

We build living databases � Knowledge studios � that operate at the sharp end of the business and our specialist teams can help you manage these systems to maximum effect. Build it from scratch, clean it up, outsource the entire system to us, or use our people to help you manage it in-house, whatever level of support you need we have the people and resources to make it happen.

Fast, efficient service
Cost effective
Maximise the value of your data and systems
Build a living customer database that will genuinely improve the performance of your entire business
Choose between outsourcing or insourcing the management of your customer database
Find the right solutions for your business.
Benefit from our comprehensive range of ancillary services such as data processing, enhancement, analysis, modelling and segmentation.
Exploit the experience of all of our staff to support you in your data driven activities and future development.

The Knowledge Studio

Powerful enough to answer your needs today and long into the future our enhanced customer databases represent the best of their kind.

Like every data conscious organisation you will have tough objectives to satisfy in relation to your customer and prospect databases. Improving the level of personalisation and quality of relationships whilst maximising the value and return on your investment demand powerful systems that can support you today and long into the future. We begin by collating and aggregating (analysing, segmenting and summarising) the data in your existing marketing databases. To this we then add external geo-demographic and market data, as well as the results of your past sales, marketing and customer management activities.

This gives you all of the critical information that you need to operate your business in one place.

Harmonise communications across channels and media, and between internal departments.
Put in place sophisticated data-driven programmes that increase customer value.
Better analyse and use your data to personalise customer programmes and improve prospect targeting.
Create a consolidated database for all your departments, which contains a single view of your customers and prospects.
Build complex solutions within a short time frame.
Decrease overheads through our flexible and cost effective solutions, maximise your investments
Utilise our expertise to keep your systems and data ahead of the game
Create and manage a framework for measurement.

Database Management Solutions

Even with great data and a good system in place, programmes can still fail. What kind of processes do you have in place to ensure that your data is continually refreshed, used and reviewed? How many of your people have the necessary skills to monitor and develop your systems on a day to day basis? Good data is just the beginning.
Outsourcing Your Data When you first think about outsourcing something as crucial to your company as your marketing database, your thoughts must immediately turn to issues such as security, quality, overhead reduction and how much time will it really save? Obviously the most important consideration is what will you get for your money above and beyond what you already get in-house?
Outsourcing isn�t just about the day to day management of a system: it�s about maximising the value of that system. Without the proper expertise driving a complex database it is likely that you won�t realise the full potential of the system and that will inevitably have a direct impact on profits. Our goal isn�t just to keep your customer marketing database ticking over with nice clean data, we strive to ensure that you extract the real value from your data. The application of insights derived from the data collected in your system is the main driver behind long term customer relationship management. With our help you can not only rest easy that your database is in safe hands, but sit back and enjoy the benefits of a team dedicated to extracting the real value of your data � the insights that will drive your future marketing programmes.
In addition to providing tangible benefits through our outsourcing services, we can extend our Build and Operate methodology to eventually Transfer the management and host your database in-house should you so wish. We can then continue to support you by providing our full range of insourced data services.

Speed and efficiency of getting campaign to market.
Tools to view/mine data at a fraction of the cost of purchase.
Streamline the operation by providing universal and easy data access.
Provide you with the benefit of our vast experience in building and managing data processes.
Release precious internal resources to focus on strategic planning and programme implementation

Tailor-Made Solutions

Your marketing database can be hosted and managed at our secure Bristol facility where we will continue to update, clean, maintain, consolidate and enhance your data. Working around the clock to keep your data market ready we integrate our operation with your own to deliver workable solutions that add genuine power to the delivery of your marketing programmes. Buy as much or as little as you need and in whatever configuration you need. Our goal is to make your data work harder than it ever has before.

A physically secure, fully air conditioned facility, firewall security and off-site disaster recovery.
Easy, enterprise-wide access to your database 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, making your whole business more efficient.
A robust and scalable technical solution; tailored to your needs and built using best of breed tools.
A fast, integrated management process and a highly responsive service, both of which save you time.
A dedicated team, always available to support you with advice, and recommendations founded on years of hands-on experience.

How do we deliver the service?

In building and operating your solutions, we follow a six-step process that starts and ends with an analysis of your needs.

Assess � we comprehensively evaluate your needs and draw up a development plan.

Build � we then set about constructing a scalable and flexible database architecture.

Populate � once the architecture is in place we flow in the data giving you a single integrated view of each customer, prospect and relevant market information.

Operate � the new database is transferred to a live production environment

Access � delivering 24/7 fast remote access for data manipulation, exporting and reporting.

Manage � working to agreed service levels and proactively supporting your activities.

Grow � we continue to enhance your data and improve our service throughout the tenure of our agreement.

Insourcing - All the benefits of Outsourcing�Without Outsourcing

Many companies prefer not to outsource their data systems, but still need the support and assurance gained from outsourcing to a specialist. That is, ensuring that you have the correct database tools to do the job, being able to draw upon the right mix of skills and knowledge and more commonly, having the ability to implement programmes quickly.
After 30 years of supporting our customers we understand exactly how to find the right balance between keeping a system in house and utilising the skills of an external specialist.
Consequently we lead the way with a revolutionary approach to insourced solutions. We bring together the capabilities of both your in-house team and our highly skilled technicians in a seamless and pain free manner that delivers a better result from your data. It�s like hiring additional staff with massive experience who all have the ability to work your data and systems to the maximum - without ever losing control.

Gain greater insight into your data by manipulating and analysing it in experienced ways.
Implement complex data-driven programmes quickly and effectively.
Call upon the skills and knowledge of a whole team of highly experienced professionals.
Access the high-end database technologies that you may not have in-house.
Keep your systems in-house without losing the edge.

Insourcing Solutions

Our goal is to provide you with the same level of support and range of capabilities that we provide to those clients who outsource with us. Even if we have not been involved in the creation of your database, we can still help you realise the full potential of your system.

Data Requirements

Utilise our extensive library of additional geodemographic, lifestyle and market information to enhance your data.

Data Services

We have a full range of ancillary data services in house, such as data processing, enhancement, analysis, modelling and segmentation to enable you to do more with your data.

Business Planning

Our expertise extends way beyond the manipulation of data and construction of data system architecture. We support a range of analytical services that help to improve your ability to realise customer value, as well as enhance your data and your ability to use it.

Database Marketing

With our help you can create better data driven campaigns based around the principles of speed to market and Return on Investment.

Concept Centre

Test your ideas and technology utilising a suite of best of breed database technologies. You can either work on live campaigns with real data on an ongoing basis to complement your in-house technologies, or assess your preferred technology solutions before buying.

Support Services

We can train your in-house team, provide you with our own experienced staff on a project by project basis, or assist with the project management of your marketing activities.

The Insourcing Process

If you are starting from scratch, our insourcing process begins by building your database then testing its operation before transferring it to you.

Build � we assess your needs, plan the project, build the database architecture and then populate it with the data that makes up your Knowledge Studio.

Operate � we test your system with live data in real-life situations to ensure that you have all the functionality you need and can also assist you in sourcing the required technologies.

Transfer � we help you install and integrate your database and supporting technologies, design the business processes to support your operation and train your staff. Once your database is up and running in-house we continue to support your activities. Many companies, whilst preferring to host their data themselves, choose to outsource certain non-core functions such as analysis, reporting, modelling or segmentation. Whatever level of support you need our specialists will take care to ensure that your insourced system performs as well as any outsourced solution.

Data Management

We use the OPUS Toolbox for data cleaning, standardisation, sorting, enhancement, suppression, PAF verification and many other tasks

Statistical Modelling

We apply a comprehensive range of leading analytical tools such as SAS and Model 1.

Reporting

Our preferred tool is Business Objects, although we are flexible enough to interface with virtually any application you may use in-house to provide the exact functionality you need.

Spatial Management

We use MapInfoTM, one of the leading business mapping software products and hold a full database of geographical features such as boundaries, roads, rivers and business locations.

Geo-demographics Systems

As an independent company we have been able to gather data from leading third party providers; such as, CACI, Claritas, Equifax and Experian to build our �Describe� database. This lifestyle and geo-demographic information can be used to enhance your own data and produce more accurate segmentation profiles. This database is also linked to all of our MapInfoTM applications for geographical analyses.

Analysis

We have invested in AlterianTM, one of the market leaders in high-powered, fast count and visual analyses systems.

Marketing Resource Management

We have a strategic partnership with Aprimo for the bureau use of their Aprimo TM suite of tools. This offers full campaign automation, tracking, profiling and planning across a wide variety of channels, and includes the ability to execute e-mail communications and track online response.

Build, Operate, Transfer

We employ our own methodology for testing and managing programmes, analysing the results, and then supporting you fully to implement the required skills and technologies in-house.