What were the issues and problems concerning your data repository for third parties, especially customers?
We were faced with a series of crucial challenges concerning our third-party data repository, in particular our customers. With some fifteen repositories spread across various sales and accounting software packages, each managed by teams with different levels of maturity in mastering the essential data of a customer file, the consistency and reliability of information was becoming a major issue. In addition, we observed that our teams tended to create new files on a daily basis, without however developing the practice of closing inactive customers, either within our group or with the French trade register. The implementation of the French E.invoicing reform also obliged us to ensure the reliability of our customers' SIREN/SIRET and intra-Community VAT numbers. An error in this data could result in the structured file being rejected by the DGFIP (and possibly by the PPF's PDP/directory), thus preventing the sales invoice from reaching the customer. This meant that any rejection of the invoice would result in no money being received, until the addressing was corrected. Faced with these critical issues, it was imperative for us to implement a data enrichment and reliability solution to guarantee the fluidity and accuracy of our customer operations.
Why did you opt for Ellisphere's data enrichment and reliability services?
We decided to opt for Ellisphere's data enrichment and reliability services after a careful comparison between three French service providers, including Ellisphere, as well as two service providers already under contract with our group. Although the price between Ellisphere and its main competitor was almost equivalent, it was the quality of service offered, the reliability of the quotation and the accuracy of the matching simulation that finally tipped the balance in Ellisphere's favor. Unlike its competitor, who insisted on charging us for the simulation quote before providing us with the automatic matching rate, this attitude was not well received within our group. This transparency and customer-focused approach strengthened our confidence in Ellisphere and confirmed our choice.
Can you give concrete examples of data that have been enhanced or made more reliable thanks to this service?
Thanks to Ellisphere's data enrichment and reliability services, we have seen tangible improvements in our customer repository. Of the 145,000 customers in our group, Ellisphere identified around 25,000 records requiring legal closure, providing the precise reason (cessation of activity, dissolution, absorption, liquidation), as well as the corresponding date. In addition, around 21,000 records were enhanced with the missing SIREN/SIRET/TVA numbers, reinforcing the accuracy of our customer data. At the same time, around 2,500 records with partially completed SIREN/SIRET/VAT numbers were made more reliable. Although around 10% of our customers still need to be examined internally to determine their activity status and resolve any potential discrepancies between the codes supplied by Ellisphere and those in our repositories, this represents a significant step forward. In addition, Ellisphere has successfully traced the customer's correct name and address, although gap analysis in this area is not currently our priority. This will require a substantial and meticulous action plan to be put in place.
What are the strengths and added value of Ellisphere's services in terms of improving and optimizing customer data in your repository?
The service provided by Ellisphere has added significant value to the improvement and optimization of our customer repository. Firstly, it prompted us to set up a workshop dedicated to establishing a "third-party naming convention" for future customer file creations and updates, thus promoting data standardization. What's more, should we need to carry out future analyses with other service providers, we now benefit from an improved automatic matching rate between our customer files and the Ellisphere database, offering even greater accuracy. Internally, this service has saved us the time and resources needed to compare our files with those of the commercial register or European databases. It has also strengthened the security of our customer repositories, particularly in terms of credit insurance, by ensuring that we request guarantees from insurers for the right customers. Finally, following the transition to E.invoicing, this approach has considerably minimized the number of potential rejections due to addressing problems when sending invoices to customers.
