Business & Technology
Retailers urged to clean address data for faster deliveries
Poor quality address data is an issue for retailers when it comes to providing a fast and efficient delivery service, with research highlighting that 71 per cent of businesses blame delivery failures on inaccurate customer address data.
This is to be expected with 20 per cent of addresses provided online containing errors, and data on customer databases decaying at around 25 per cent a year as people move home, get divorced and pass away, according to our own findings.
Also, incorrect address data doesn’t support sustainability efforts. Expect to experience an increase in fuel consumption, and therefore expense, as couriers unsuccessfully attempt to deliver to an address that is inaccurate, and then return to sender. It costs retailers on average £11.60 (about $16) per misdelivery, although it can be considerably higher for big ticket items.
Then there’s the extra expense of correcting the address and redelivery, which results in delayed fulfilment, and overall delivers a poor customer experience which drives customer churn.
The solution is to have address cleaning processes in place, which includes address verification and cleansing, as well as obtaining geocodes to provide a smooth last mile fulfilment.
Begin with address verification
By starting with address verification it’s possible to confirm that an address exists, is deliverable and valid. Though ascertain if the service has access to data from postal operators, otherwise it’s not possible to guarantee the address is real, exists or is usable for fulfilment. Using postal operator data correct, standardised addresses are obtained, which as well as speeding up deliveries supports optimised routing which leads to reduced miles driven per delivery, with lower fuel consumption and emissions.
Avoid using Google Maps or a search engine to check the accuracy of addresses, because they don’t usually have access to postal operator data.
When it comes to international logistics address verification is even more important, because each country has its own address format which can cause logistics and fulfilment issues if the address is not correctly standardised and validated.
Address lookup / autocomplete
Address lookup and autocomplete services support address verification at the customer onboarding stage. These tools automatically provide the correct address when the customer begins typing theirs. This helps to avoid errors caused by fat finger syndrome, speeds up the path to checkout, thereby reducing the risk of cart abandonment, while supporting a standout customer experience.
Similar technology enables real time verification of email and phone data at first contact, strengthening these critical datasets.
Data cleansing and deceased flagging
A vital part of the data cleaning process is data suppression or data cleansing. These services clean address data and help to standardise address formats, as well as highlight those customers who are no longer at an address.
Having access to the National Change of Address (NCOA) database is an essential part of this approach. Available in the UK and US, and some other countries, it highlights those who have moved, and provides their new address. By having quick access to the new addresses of customers who have changed residence retailers will be able to maintain a speedy and accurate fulfilment process.
In addition to removing incorrect addresses data cleansing services should include deceased flagging. This helps to avoid sending mail and other communications to the deceased, sparing their friends and relatives unnecessary distress.
Consider a data-cleaning SaaS platform
Delivering data quality in real time has never been easier. A scalable data-cleaning SaaS platform can be deployed within hours and, as a standalone solution, requires no coding, integration, or extensive training to use. This technology can cleanse and standardise names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers worldwide using authoritative data sources from government agencies, credit bureaus and utility providers. It can do so as new data is being collected, and with held data in batch on-premise. Such a platform is not only available as a SaaS, but can also be accessed as a cloud-based API, and via connector technology like Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce.
Geocoding for delivery accuracy
Once you have an accurate address use geocoding technology to turn it into a geocode. This is important because with latitude and longitude (rooftop level) coordinates delivery to the customer is swift. This level of insight is crucial, particularly when different properties may share an address, such as a plot of land or the street edge of a driveway.
With different conventions for address formats around the world geocoding is valuable when it comes to global deliveries. For example, while the UK uses city, street and house number, in Japan buildings are referenced by the number of the block they belong to, and within each block buildings are numbered as well. Sometimes it’s done by order of construction, so the numbers don’t necessarily follow each other.
In summary
It is time to ensure that misdeliveries, which are costly in monetary and customer experience terms, become a thing of the past. This requires putting processes in place that deliver accurate customer address data at both the customer onboarding stage and held data in batch. It’s something that’s straightforward and cost effective to implement.
Nisa Local, which first opened in Botley Road in November, can now be extended after a Planning Inspector overturned Oxford City Council’s rejection.
The proposal is for a steel security shutter and a single-storey rear extension, which would provide more space for new services such as an Evri and two more Cook frozen meal freezers.
The Costa Coffee self-service machine is hoped to be on the front of the shop and will provide more floor space for Bake & Bite and the Oxford-based Natural Bread Company.
Oxford City Council refused permission in March arguing the extension would harm the character and appearance of the property.
However, planning inspector Alexander O’Doherty concluded the impact on the wider area would be limited because the extension would be largely hidden at the rear from public view.
In his decision issued on July 23, the inspector acknowledged that the extension would have some harmful effect on the appearance of the building itself, but said the benefits outweighed that harm.
The inspector noted the shop is “clearly lacking in storage space” and said the additional floor area would help it better serve local residents.
The decision also referenced numerous representations from supporters, with the inspector saying these lent “considerable credence” to the benefits of the scheme.
He added that providing these services within a residential area would encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport by reducing the need for residents to travel elsewhere by car.
Grumpys Sweet Shop in Fettiplace Road, which operated as a cafe and collectibles shop until it became a sweet shop in 2023, has announced it will close by the end of August.
A statement from the team behind the shop said the ‘difficult decision’ was taken with a ‘heavy heart’.
The final day trading would be Friday, August 28.
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The statement said: “This hasn’t been a decision we’ve taken lightly.
“Like so many families and small businesses, we’ve felt the impact of the rising cost of living, and the increasing costs of running a business have made things more challenging than ever.
“On top of that, our current lease has came to an end.
“Renewing it would mean committing to another seven years, and after a great deal of thought, we’ve decided that this is the right time for us to close this chapter.
“While we’re incredibly sad to say goodbye, we’d love to see as many of you as possible before we close.
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“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making Grumpy’s Sweet Shop so much more than just a business.
“You turned it into a place filled with smiles, laughter, and wonderful memories that we’ll treasure forever.”
The owners added that ‘everything you see in the shop’ is now for sale, and offers will be considered for all fittings and displays.
The dispute that halted the much-anticipated introduction of new trains to Milton Keynes looked to be coming to be coming to an end.
The Government has been pushing for ‘Driver-Controlled’ or ‘Driver-Only Operation’—a cost-saving method introduced widely on London commuter lines in the 1980s, a move widely condemned by trade unions.
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) plan for trains to be staffed by a driver and a customer service inspector seemed to solve the dispute.
But this did not meet the The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)’s demands.
The union has been opposing plans to use driver-only trains between Oxford and Milton Keynes Central.
Although the line between Bicester and Bletchley has technically been open since 2024, it has only been used by freight, charter, and test trains.
Chiltern Railways was chosen as the operator and has been advertising for customer service inspectors, instead of guards.
However, these inspectors would not be considered ‘safety-critical,’ meaning the driver would be responsible for opening and closing the doors.
Chiltern Railways stated it has made significant progress in preparing for the line to open to scheduled passenger trains, but no date has been announced.
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The company said it is continuing to work closely with the The Department for Transport, trade unions, and industry partners.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers general secretary Eddie Dempsey insisted on the necessity of a guaranteed safety-critical second person aboard trains, citing their essential role in handling a wide range of duties and responding appropriately to ‘dangerous and fast-moving’ situations.
He said: “We need a clear commitment from Chiltern that East West Rail services will not be Driver Only Operation and that a second safety-critical member of staff will be guaranteed.”
Chiltern Railways is set to be renationalised on September 20, when it will be taken over by DfT Operator in preparation for Great British Railways.
45 drivers have been recruited for the new service, but no guards.
The project delays have already taken a significant financial toll.
Six two-carriage trains have accumulated £2.6m in costs due to delays in their lease.
Currently idle in a Bletchley depot, these units are costing the Department for Transport money without generating any fare income.
The Government previously said trains from Oxford to Milton Keynes are being lined up to appear in the December rail timetable.
In a written statement, rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “Chiltern worked with Network Rail, the Department for Transport and other operators on the December 2026 timetable and services have been timetabled between Oxford, Winslow, Bletchley and Milton Keynes.”
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