Offshore Data Capture
by mark.higginson, Qbase, 29/9/2006
OFFSHORE DATA CAPTURE
As companies must adhere to the ever-tightening rules of Privacy Regulations, which exist to protect an individuals’ right to privacy, it can seem increasingly tricky for them to view (non-EU) offshore data capture as a viable option.
However, as the benefits seemingly outweigh the difficulties, more companies are beginning to embrace the offshore method, but there is still a need for marketers to gain a greater understanding of the process to decide if it will work for them.
Data Management Bureau, Qbase, provides offshore data capture for a number of clients, including stationary chain-store Staples. Mark Higginson, Database Consultant at Qbase, discusses the main issues every marketer should be aware of when considering offshore data capture.
“One of the main attractions of offshore data capture is the clear cost benefit. Outsourcing data in this way means that costs are reduced because companies aren’t paying for staffing, recruitment, or the technical maintenance needed to capture large volumes of data.
“If you consider the amount of time needed to process large volumes of customers’ contact details, outsourcing data to a non-EU country can be very cost effective, particularly for larger companies needing to capture, validate and format high volume schemes, such as hand written loyalty card registrations. What’s more, economies of scale also play a part in this market as ultimately, the higher the volume of data, the more economical the cost.
“Whilst appealing, cost advantages mustn’t allow marketers to be blinded to other key offshore data capture issues, which must be considered when adopting this process. Many marketers are simply not aware of the need to comply with the increasingly stringent European Commission Privacy Regulations. These exist purely to ensure adequate safeguards are provided for personal data transferred from the EU, to countries outside the Union and failure to adhere to these regulations can result in heavy penalties for a company.
“When dealing with the intricate process of offshore data capture, this protection for the data when either transferring it, or allowing access to the information from another source, absolutely has to be forefront of mind, to prevent the security of important customer data being compromised.
“Another big factor is that companies’ must be able to maintain a large element of control with the data. For example, it is only possible for Qbase to send the large quantity of Staples data offshore for capture, because once the forms have been scanned (in the UK), they are held within a secure Qbase network and this information never leaves until it is uploaded into its final destination, the Staples server, seven days later.
“Therefore there’s no question of any confidential customer data being cloned or accessed in an unauthorised way, as the data cannot be downloaded, only viewed as an individual scanned registration and data entry form on-line.
“However, the offshore data capture bureau still needs external access to the scanned data and a function to upload the captured information and this aspect presents a sticking point for many bureaux.
“To allow this access, Qbase built a specially designed data capture website which can be accessed offshore. Because the data capture process is effectively carried out from our server, and the data doesn’t leave our system, security is maximised, European Privacy Regulations are adhered to, and we retain control of the process.
We also have in place a contract and non-disclosure agreement with the data entry company, to ensure they’re aware of their responsibilities.
“The other major consideration for offshore data capture is the quality issue. In non-EU countries where English is not predominantly the first language, the accuracy of captured data may be at risk. Many offshore bureaux will utilise a ‘look-up’ file, featuring a list of UK forenames, so that if they are looking at a handwritten form and are unable to make out the name, they can refer to the look-up file for clarification. To speed up offshore address entry and ensure the address is correct to PAF then validated, Qbase has embedded an address look-up and validation in the form.
“Yet not all offshore bureaux use this file. So if the person doing the data entry is looking at a name on a form which is not overly clear, without the use of a look-up file, they may have no point of reference as to how a name should be spelt and enter an inaccurate record. That’s why, to ensure data accuracy, it’s paramount that a Quality Control process is put in place when the data is returned to the UK. All of the data sent offshore by Qbase comes back to us to undergo a final QC check, before being returned to the client and this is Qbase’s main differential.
“So what does the future hold for the offshore date capture market?
Any price sensitive market runs the risk of becoming saturated by those claiming to offer a cheaper service than the next company. The reality is that companies may be getting a lower price, but this is often at the expense of the data’s quality and security.
“Over the last twelve months, we’ve seen major UK companies bringing their offshore call centre operations back to the UK. This is symptomatic of how customers may initially be impressed with lower costs, but in time it always comes back to the quality of what the customer receives. No doubt the data industry as a whole will soon reflect this view and while cost will always remain a factor, the quality will once again become top of the agenda.”
