To give you some idea of how intense our data hygiene processes are let’s lift the hood and see what goes on. First and foremost we start with the best data we can acquire; you know the old rule, “Garbage In, Garbage Out.” Once we receive the raw data, it is run through several processes on a monthly basis to sift out the good stuff and discard the bad. These steps include, NCOA, CASS, Name Normalization, Merge/Purge, Deceased Removal and DMA Do-Not-Call/Mail flagging. Below is a glimpse of what each of these processes does.

NCOA – This process ensures we have the most current address available for each recipient on our file. On average 2% of the public moves any given month.

CASS – This process ensures that each recipient’s address is in line with the US Postal Service. The address is then checked for deliverability and assigned a Delivery Point Validation (DPV) code. Those records that do not code as deliverable are removed from the system.

Name Normalization – We then pass each record through a stringent name normalization process to ensure each name is spelled correctly. This process is always being fine-tuned as we discover new spellings of common names like, Allyx for Alex as an example. The variety of names is almost infinite, so our job is never done!

Merge/Purge – This process ensures we do not have duplicate data in our files when we are updating a file. This helps to cut down the cost of doing direct mail by removing duplicates. The trick is identifying duplicates when something minor may have changed from one update to the next. There are many tricks to this process.

Deceased Removal – As you know this process touches a chord with everyone. No one wants to receive direct mail offers to their departed loved ones. We have over 2 million records in-house and purchase 15 million plus records from the DMA to use as a filter against our direct marketing lists, we believe our processes are some of the best in the industry as we use quite a few sources monthly.

DMA Do-Not-Call/Mail – Lastly, we flag records of those individuals that have asked to be suppressed from direct mail campaigns. All phone numbers have been screened against all national and local databases to ensure compliance with federal and local laws. We collect our own Do Not Mail data from our several thousand customers, and we also use national files.

As you can see, we take our data hygiene very seriously. What this allows us to do is provide the best deliverability to our mail customers in the industry, so good in fact that we guarantee it at 94% deliverable, the highest percentage you can get anywhere.

Randy Kienzle
VP Data Processing
Compact Information Systems

At Compact we never sleep so to speak, as our operation is able to deliver a mailing list to you in a matter of minutes anytime of the day or night. Our real-time data delivery method ensures you will have the best data in the shortest amount of time hands down. So if you find yourself in a hurry to meet that next direct mail deadline you can count on Compact to come shining through.

May the force be with you.

Randy

Randy Kienzle
VP Data Processing

Our job, despite the image of a group of developers sitting in a dark room bathing in the deep blue light of our monitors while drinking caffeine like it was going out of style, is actually a lot of fun. Akin to a child being placed in a room full of Lego, you can see the gleam of excitement in the eye of each developer as we innovate new methods of accomplishing the oft-difficult tasks placed before us, create better ways for you to accomplish your tasks, and improve the experience while doing it. We engineer solutions everyday to common and not-so-common problems, all while being invisible to you, the end-users.

If you’ve made it this far then congratulations, you win the answer to why I’m going on about this. Being invisible is difficult. We work through a wall of water, soliciting information from our customers via our account executives, making the improvements, fixing the (sometimes embarrassing) problems, and improving your ability to get what you need, accurately, immediately, and most importantly: how you want it. Being invisible is fun, but sometimes, the curtain must be lifted, and the show must begin. As Compact continues expanding and enhancing our product offerings, you will catch a glimpse of us working, providing what we work to ensure is a positive experience.

We have a lot more in store, and each time the shroud over our workshop is removed, a new or updated offering will be revealed, better than the last, and exactly what you didn’t know you were looking for.

Eric Baum
Team Leader
Compact Application Development

On first sight this looked perfectly legitimate, but in fact the “advertisement” was illicitly placed on top of the mapping tool in our site by some deviant code written by an unethical source. We call this Banner Spam.

Further digging revealed the following.

We found the company responsible for this hijacking was a rather unscrupulous spam marketer. This company is known for getting people to unwittingly signup for promotional ads from many unsavory characters on the internet.

So, how do you save yourself from becoming a victim of banner spam? The answers are simpler than you think. Below I’ve outlined several steps you can take to protect yourself from ad attacks like this one. By no means are these meant to encompass all the possible ways to secure your computers, but it will give you a general starting point.

1. Always keep your browser up-to-date with the latest manufacturer approved and prompted updates.

2. Run an industry recognized Anti-Virus software that has built in anti-phishing and cross-browser script protection. Remember, these products are only good when they are kept up-to-date against the latest threats.

3. Be careful when responding to any email asking you to signup for some sort of third-party ads, especially when they don’t specify who those third-parties might be.

4. Pay close attention when installing software that prompts you to install shortcuts in your browser. These tools are usually referred to as Browser Helper Objects or (BHO’s) and they add toolbars to your browser to assist you in performing tasks associated with software from specific companies. They can also be employed by hackers to put unwanted items on browser pages that fool unsuspecting users into downloading their hacking tools onto their computers.

5. Lastly, my standard rule of thumb is, “When in doubt, DON’T”. I mean don’t click, answer or respond to any ads or emails you are not 100% sure of their origins.

I don’t need to tell you that hackers and unscrupulous advertisers abound on the Internet and we must be vigilant when it comes to securing our systems from fraud. You can rest assured that we here at Compact are doing everything to keep you safe when using our compactlists.com.

Randy Kienzle
VP Tech

One of the greatest tools available to our customers is our mapping technology. Through the years Compact has been hard at work bringing advances to our mapping technology such as county, zip and carrier route polygons, and advanced radii functions which allow customers to better visualize their mailing areas and better target the best clients to advance the growth of their businesses. In addition to programming websites and applications, we have a team of data experts that continuously monitor our databases to ensure we have the most accurate and targeted resident, consumer and business lists on the market today.

It you haven’t connected with Compact Information Systems head over to www.CompactLists.com today. You will find the experience second to none and our data is the best in the business.

Randy Kienzle

Randy Kienzle, VP Tech

May 2010 be a banner year for us all.

Randy Kienzle
VP of Technology

Our current mapping technology is based on Adobe’s Flash webpage plug-in, soon we will be converting to a Java based platform. This change will help us to bring new and more powerful mapping capabilities to all our list ordering websites. Some of the new features will include advanced polygon selection tools and enhanced radius functionality.

Together these changes will make your experience at Compact more user friendly and allow you to do more to target your direct mail list buying needs.

Randy – VP Tech

- Randy Kienzle, Vice President of Technology