There are two types of address :

• addresses of private individuals
• addresses of companies

Moreover, an address is made up of :

• name information
• and geographical elements.

Each of these factors varies considerably over a period of time :

• almost 200 000 new delivery points are created every year,
• approximately 30 000 thoroughfares are created or modified annually,
• more than 5.6 million private individuals relocate each year.

From collection to printing, an address has an eventful life :

  from the outset when an address is collected, mistakes are likely to be made (elements may be wrong, missing, badly positioned, misspelled, etc ....)

  then, during its life, an address will be subjected to numerous changes (thoroughfare modifications or alterations made to the postcode - creation or cancellation, etc ...).

Collecting and conserving "correct" addresses must be a constant concern and it requires a certain frame of mind.

CONSEQUENCES OF MAIL BEING RETURNED

The repercussions of mail being returned are numerous as concerns direct and indirect costs, as well as for company image. Moreover, this returned mail reduces the efficiency of the customer relation programme established by the company.

• Money wasted in ineffectual dispatches and the necessity of using a laborious and costly software to deal with returned mail.
• Less efficient and less profitable direct marketing campaigns, since targets are not reached.
• A loss in turnover, as mailings will not have reached their addressees.
• A deterioration of the company’s image with customers who no longer receive its mailings.