What is Data Suppression?

Data Suppression refers to the regular or ad-hoc removal of any unwanted records from a contact database. Unwanted records may include:

• Inaccurate data – possibly due to spelling mistakes or being out of date.
• Opt out data – contact data of those who have since signed up to an opt-out of communications list.

This is done by comparing data against a Data Suppression File where any differences between the two lists can be reconciled – cleaning your list and giving a more accurate view of your data.

Why use Data Suppression?

Contact data decays every single day (moving house, deaths, and marriages for example) so cleaning and keeping it up to date is crucial for Data Owners if they want to keep their data lists and target mailings accurate and effective.

The benefits of using Data Suppression to keep your data clean include:

• Maintains a better relationship with customers and prospects – communications are always sent to the correct people and in the way they want it.
• Reduces waste – decreases the cost of undelivered communications being sent to inaccurate contact data.
• Enables intelligent decisions –improves your data confidence, helping you make intelligent business decisions every time.

What examples of data can Suppression be used on?

Depending on the type of contact data you hold, there are a huge variety of potential datasets that may be useful to use for your Data Suppression activities but some common examples are:

• National Change of Address (NCOA) – an update of all changes of address in the UK either through moving house or change of house name.
• The Bereavement Register (TBR) – a list of all those who have recently deceased.
• Mailing/Telephone Preference Service – people who have registered to not receive any unsolicited emails or phone calls.