Experian launches Discovery Database Solutions; Database Management System Provides Complete Integration of Customer Data Among Multiple Data Storage Devices

Business Wire, Nov 17, 1999

ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1999--

Experian Wednesday announced the introduction of its new database management system, Discovery Database Solutions(SM), that consolidates all of a company's disparate customer data from separate business units or mergers and acquisitions into one master database, providing a concise view of all customer relationships.

The resulting database provides telecommunications, energy and cable companies with immediate and complete information about their customers, including payment history and service level detail, which allows for a better understanding of individual customers for tailored marketing campaigns, more accurate risk assessment across all business units, and overall better portfolio management.

"Discovery Database Solutions consolidates valuable information about customers in an integrated and detailed fashion for a total view of a customer within a complex organization," said Laurie Geschrey, product development manager of Experian.

"Discovery Database Solutions is more advanced and accurate than any competing product currently on the market. The system is versatile enough to incorporate multiple databases and powerful enough to yield critical information at the touch of a button. All customer information in all company databases is instantly accessible by sales, marketing and other business units."

As a unique product within the global information industry, Experian's Discovery Database Solutions merges and stores all of a company's customer data and encodes each customer portfolio with a personal identification number (PIN) that link records from multiple databases.

The data is then compared to Experian's File One(SM) database, the most detailed and in-depth consumer credit database in the country. The resulting secure, and proprietary database provides companies with an accurate view of customer information that is free of duplication and offers unparalleled insights into their customer relationships.

"Companies need to be close to their customers," said Geschrey. "Using a unique, innovative database management system like Discovery Database Solutions provides companies the ability to know their customers and serve them better."

Experian's Discovery Database Solutions also builds a foundation for advanced database services, such as fraud detection services, consortium data exchange, online notification and datamart querying capabilities.

In addition, businesses can customize Discovery Database Solutions to provide enhanced modeling capabilities, including risk models, notification services and portfolio assessment -- all helping telecommunications, energy and cable companies to reduce bad debt and write-offs.

Experian www.experian.com is a global information solutions company, which specializes in helping organizations to make more informed business decisions. The company is one of the world's leading suppliers of information on consumers, businesses, motor vehicles and property.

By combining its databases with advanced technology and consulting services, Experian assists its clients in targeting and acquiring new customers, building successful customer relationships and managing financial risk. The company employs 12,000 people in the UK, USA, Continental Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Annual sales are approximately $1.5 billion.

The company's headquarters are in Nottingham, UK and Orange. Experian is a subsidiary of The Great Universal Stores P.L.C., a UK-based holding company that includes home shopping, retailing, property investment, finance and information services.