These data challenges pose significant frustrations for professional service firms, where effective communication with clients and prospects is paramount. Law firms, in particular, rely on clean and up-to-date data within their CRM to communicate crucial information about new regulations and legislative changes. Without such data integrity, law firms and attorneys struggle to reach their audience and deliver content that resonates.
Moreover, data quality issues in law firms escalate challenges in email marketing campaigns and hinder attorney adoption. Poor contact data can lead to high bounce rates in marketing emails, potentially causing the firm’s emails to be labeled as spam and blacklisted by key entities. Additionally, if attorneys lack trust in the data, they are unlikely to utilize the CRM effectively. Compound these issues with integrating multiple datasets from various software or systems, and the complexity intensifies.
Dealing with Bad Contact Data
In tackling the challenges posed by inferior contact data, how do certain firms approach the cleanup process? Drawing on nearly two decades of experience collaborating with numerous professional service firms and achieving success in CRM and data quality, here are our top five recommendations for recognizing data quality issues and fortifying your system against future complications:
ASSESS
Conducting a thorough assessment of the data stands as the initial step in any data quality or CRM project. The assessment, whether automated or manual, aims to identify duplicate records, analyze the data’s location, and pinpoint missing information such as first and last names or GDPR country details. It also scrutinizes invalid emails or bounces, offering opportunities to update and yield immediate results.
PLAN
Following the assessment, a cost-benefit analysis aids in determining the most effective approach for cleanup. For substantial amounts of bad data, starting with automated data cleaning and appending proves efficient and cost-effective. Subsequent manual data stewarding by trained professionals becomes essential to ensure the highest level of data cleanliness. Establishing and documenting data standards in a Data Quality Standards Manual is crucial for consistent contact data entry, formatting, and maintenance.
DEDICATE RESOURCES
Investing in time and human resources is as vital as investing in technology for data quality success. Dedicated data stewards play an indispensable role in maintaining ongoing data reviews, ensuring routine identification and removal of bounced emails from lists.
DATA SOURCES
Identifying other sources of bad data contributing to contact issues is crucial. Evaluating the value of data sources that create duplicates or override correct data is necessary, collaborating across departments to find effective solutions.
TECHNOLOGY
Leveraging technology advancements, such as Email Relationship Management (ERM), enhances attorney adoption by automating contact creation from email signature blocks. ERM not only streamlines contact creation but also validates and fills in missing information on existing records.
While the challenge of dirty data may seem overwhelming, focusing on specific data and projects that yield tangible returns is paramount. Initiating cleanup with pertinent records, reviewing frequently used lists regularly, vetting bounced emails after each campaign, and addressing time-sensitive projects are pragmatic approaches. Recognizing that data cleaning is an ongoing initiative ensures sustained data quality improvements over time.
Conclusion
Cleaning up your CRM Data is a crucial step for maintaining accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness in your business operations. The five ideas presented provide a solid foundation for initiating the data cleansing process.
By incorporating these five ideas into your CRM data management strategy, you pave the way for a more efficient, reliable, and valuable system. Clean CRM data not only facilitates better decision-making but also enhances customer interactions, ultimately contributing to the overall success of your business. We hope our article about Cleaning Up Your CRM Data will insight you.