Bisnode’s mission is to offer relevant information for each individual decision-maker as a basis for better business decisions. To better be able to do that, Bisnode is currently in the process of restructuring. The purpose of this is to combine the competence and expertise that exists within the Group, and to create a more unified Bisnode at the benefit of our customers.

The restructuring will not affect any products or services. As a customer you can rest assured that we will continue to deliver the high quality products and services that you are used to. The only difference for current customers will be that, from January 1, 2013, the invoices will come from Bisnode Marknad AB. Other details, such as organization number, will stay the same.

This means that we’re basically the same company, only with some additional aspects for you to discover and take advantage of!

To learn more about Bisnode, please visit www.bisnode.com

EuroContactPool has published the White Paper: ‘Information Strategy, How to leverage data beyond the data’ after research showed that the vast majority of companies are extremely dependent on data but still struggle with its management.   Nine out of 10 executives say their business is ‘data driven’ but 71 per cent say they struggle with data inaccuracies on a daily basis and two thirds are not confident in their company’s ability to make business decisions based on data.

Johan Lindqvist, Business Manager at EuroContactPool, says: “Information is the single most important resource for almost any business, affecting sales, marketing, human resources and operations.  Just as importantly, almost all management decision-making takes place with reference to data.  If that data is inaccurate, then those decisions are wrong too.”

The White Paper covers six key stages of information management, including: making your data fit your strategy, using information to enhance business performance, information management and governance, and how to get started.

It explains that for business start-ups, data management is often a low priority but as the business develops, accurate information is essential for its growth.

“Increasingly, organisations work on a project basis with fluid, interdepartmental teams and outsourced specialists coming together to manage a project,” says Lindqvist.  “The availability and accuracy of data can have far-reaching consequences on the project’s success.”

EuroContactPool is part of the European data giant Bisnode, which employs 3,000 people in 17 countries.  Established in 2004, EuroContactPool was originally a business-to-business marketing database and has now evolved to provide business data that links with world-leading Customer Relationship Management systems and sits behind Google’s maps. 

> Click here to download the free Information Strategy Whitepaper 

You know that bad data can have far-reaching consequences and impact the business as a whole – with process inefficiencies, lost sales, cost, and so on, but most companies find it difficult to know where to start. Below you will find five tips on how you can start dealing with your data – big or small.

1.   Make sure you have a solid foundation to build upon.

Having an information strategy is crucial to be able to scale your efforts. Your platform should be solid, well-supported, and safe to build on.

2.   Make sure your data is accurate.

Always remember: Garbage in – Garbage out. As data has a shelf life, your database needs to be updated on a continuous basis. On average, 70% of B2B data goes bad annually – contact persons change, companies move or close, incorrect information and duplicates are added in the systems.

3. Start with the basic data quality and build from there.

Consider your data quality solution and ask yourself the following questions in regards to your data:

      - Is it accurate?
      - Is it up-do-date?
      - Is it reliable?
      - Can we depend on it for making strategic and daily decisions?
      - Can we build on it?

4. Success is not about doing more, or doing something differently, it is about doing better. 

Focus on the most important data; the information that matters for your strategies, operations, and customers. Only then, can long-term sustainable relationships be built and a customer centric approach be achieved.

5. Get integrated.

The world of marketing and data is becoming increasing complex, and there is no turning back now. Survival today depends on accepting change. Success tomorrow will depend on driving change.

Data-driven organizations are today faced with a broad spectrum of online and offline sources, which will continue to grow exponentially. 

Just look at these facts:

- Every 2 days as much data is created as was created from the dawn of civilization till 2003.

- The average customer is reachable on 7.2 channels

Not only are we active on multiple channels, but we expect companies to recognize us as we move between them. This isn’t going away – technology will continue to increase this fragmentation. How you use it is what will set you apart from the competition.

Well essentially, we are talking about customer insights or customer intelligence, because in reality, data, no matter what the size, is eventually all about customers. Data allows companies to better understand their customers – buying patterns, specific behaviors, regional differences etc., and thereby enables them to send more targeted and relevant communications. The effect? Companies have a greater opportunity to influence a desired action and get happier customers and dramatically better results.

Simply put, data (big or small) drives business.

Generating value of the data collected

It is apparent that the incredible mountain of data that companies are faced with today will only get bigger. With data gathered from all types of analytics, social media and other online and offline channels, in addition to CRM systems filled with current and previous customers, prospects and suspects, it’s getting difficult to keep up with fresh information. It’s also getting increasingly difficult to discern what information to focus on – and most importantly - how to generate value of all the data collected.

The quest for knowledge used to begin with grand theories, now it begins with massive amounts of data. So the real question is, how do we actually extract any useful information from it? How do we get the insights needed to be able to build a foundation for strategic decisions and create better relationships with our customers?

To start, we need to ensure the data is accurate, up-to-date and structured. We also need innovative technologies to quickly be able to process all the data and extract the information.

This is where the challenge lies.

Distinguishing between patterns and noise

A/B tests, or multi-variant tests, are great ways to quickly test ideas with big numbers. But as the amount of data increases exponentially, so do the number of hypothesis to test. An overwhelming task it may seem, which is why it is sometimes more beneficial to look at patterns in the data, instead of absolute facts. By using statistical correlations and thin-slicing, you can, on a big-picture level, discern the probabilities, and thereby allowing you to make quicker decisions and optimizing the results.

In a keynote on Big Data at the DMA2012, Chris Anderson from Wired cautioned against getting so bogged down in understanding exactly what caused something. Instead, get comfortable with not knowing, and taking action on what you have.

The key is abstracting the insights, not from each separate channel (offline, online, mobile, social, email, etc.), but from a customer experience perspective - regardless of where the touch point occurred. We need to be able to connect the data to be able to build better customer relationships. That is essentially where we get the most value out of Big Data.

Customers know that we have all this information on them, so they expect more. They expect relevance and a tailored brand experience. And you only get one chance to get it right. So to break through the clutter and noise in all the different media channels, that’s where you need to start.  

So regardless of how big the data is – how you use the it can be the distinguishing factor between you and your competitors.

   9 out of 10 executives say that their business is data driven.

   71% say they struggle with data inaccuracies DAILY.

   Only 1/3 of data scientists said they are very confident in their company’s ability to make business decisions based on  data.

   Only 12% of companies reported they are using Big Data to drive market strategies.  The remainder said they weren’t confident in their results or were unsure where to start.

•    15% of the marketers polled were still wondering “What is Big Data?”

At first glance, there are few opportunities in a recession. Sales are harder to close, existing customers can become de-stabilized, business stagnates, and confidence declines.

But at closer look, there are opportunities to thrive even in times like these. Reduced budgets and tight resources translate into an urgent need for efficiency, and the need for cost-effective, targeted, and measurable marketing becomes more important than ever.  This also means that there is a greater need for accurate data, yet research shows that up to 40% of the records in the average company's in-house database have inaccuracies. Needless to say, key business decisions based on inaccurate information could potentially have catastrophic consequences - particularly in today's economy. Accurate data is essential, but not until you can make sense of this information and use it effectively, does it serve its full purpose.

Hitting Your Target

Successful marketing is about getting the right message to the right person at the right time. In other words, it is all about relevance. And to be relevant, you need to have a clearly defined target strategy. Who is your customer? Who do you want to reach?
Many companies fall into the “assumption trap” and take the one-size-fits all approach to their cross-border marketing and sales campaigns. But in order to achieve growth on a multi-country scale, it is crucial for companies to look at individual markets and target groups to tailor their messaging strategy and to be relevant to each group. 

Is there a way to look at the characteristics of your current best customers to find new potential customers elsewhere?

By comparing your own "ideal" customer profile with what is available across the European business universe, you can identify the markets with the highest growth potential for your business.

EuroContactPool has realized the challenges of competing on a multi-country market with limited resources, and is now helping companies across Europe to achieve their full potential. 

EuroContactPool has spearheaded the drive towards better and more intelligent use of data as the basis for business growth.  “If you know you’re dealing with accurate information you can make accurate business decisions,” says Johan Lindqvist, Business Unit Manager at EuroContactPool.  “You can profile your best clients and find more of the same in new markets, and you can devise marketing campaigns that hit the right target the first time and truly deliver results.”

By looking at your current customer database and comparing that to the market, you can get a clear view of where potential lies. To help clients find customers and prospects across Europe, EuroContactPool, has a database that covers 26 million businesses and 22 million decision-makers in 16 countries. But the fact that they have the most up-to-date database with a world-leading European coverage is only the beginning. The real advantage is that they have the market insight to help customers find the right targets, and ensure that they have the right information and foundation to make business-critical decisions, in order to expand across a continent of buyers. 

For a free customer profile analysis, please contact us here or send an email to info@eurocontactpool.com

Gothenburg, Sweden: 12 June 2012 – EuroContactPool, the world’s most comprehensive and accurate business-to-business (B2B) data service, is to be made available to companies in Austria for the first time.

The move is expected to help drive Austria’s expanding export economy, which grew by more than 12 per cent from 2010 to 2011, by enabling Austrian companies to access prospect customers right across Europe. Austria is particularly engaged in Central and Eastern Europe and EuroContactPool is planning to cover data and market information on those areas as well in the near future.

EuroContactPool will be offered in Austria under the Hoppenstedt brand, part of the highly respected Bisnode group, the world’s leading pan-European business information provider which employs 3,000 people in 17 countries.  This will enable Hoppenstedt to combine strong local market knowledge with high-quality pan‑European data.

Bisnode’s decision to expand EuroContactPool into Austria enables it to position high quality international B2B data services against those of other providers, reinforcing its position as a leading business information brand. It forms part of a Europe-wide investment by Bisnode which has already seen EuroContactPool launched in nine European countries this year. 

EuroContactPool has at its heart a world-leading database covering 26 million contacts in 16 countries and expanding.  The data is compiled by selecting the best partner in each market, ensuring its constant freshness and reliability.    

EuroContactPool enables companies to truly understand their marketplace by profiling their best clients and finding more of the same – throughout Europe.  Its sophisticated search metrics, backed by a friendly expert team, enable marketers to devise campaigns that hit their targets first time and really deliver results.

Dieter Bodingbauer, MD, says: “With EuroContactPool we are launching a unique service in Austria, providing the largest pool of European contact data to Austria’s export-driven companies.“

Austrian businesses will be rolling out the services in phases beginning with Data Delivery (data sourcing), then Data Quality (cleaning, enhancing and updating) and finally Data Intelligence (combining, analysing and appending data). These will give Austrian companies the necessary tools to run successful marketing and sales campaigns, select and directly contact companies that they would like to work with.

Gothenburg, Sweden: 29 May 2012 – The European business information company, EuroContactPool, has launched a software application that integrates its industry-leading European business-to-business database with Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

EuroContactPool AccessPoint gives users of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Dynamics CRM Online seamless access to high quality information on 26 million businesses and 22 million executives in 16 European countries. 

It’s available for download on the Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace with a 30-day free trial including 250 contact downloads.  The Marketplace is specifically designed to help business customers find trusted applications and services that enhance and easily integrate with Microsoft Dynamics products. 

AccessPoint is available for both cloud- or server-based solutions and boosts the efficiency of sales teams as well as significantly reducing the time spent on in-house data management.

It works from within the Microsoft Dynamics CRM interface, providing instant access to accurate, complete and duplicate-free data, including: addresses, telephone numbers, decision-makers’ names, turnover and industry code.  Up-to-date information can be appended to existing contacts, enabling sales teams to find and connect with a new potential customers in seconds. 

Johan Lindqvist, Business Manager for EuroContactPool, says:  “In-house databases are notoriously difficult to manage; we often find that up to 40 per cent of the information they hold is inaccurate. EuroContactPool AccessPoint enables companies looking to expand into new markets to base their business decisions on fresh and accurate data, and to manage their own information much more effectively so that sales teams see it as a great resource.”

Ida Ljungblom, Product Marketing Manager, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, says: “Accurate data is the lifeblood of any sales operation and EuroContactPool AccessPoint perfectly complements the feature-rich, user friendly Microsoft Dynamics CRM, making it an even more powerful prospecting and customer management tool.”

To learn more about AccessPoint for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, please visit the data integration page at eurocontactpool.com

EuroContactPool's Data Integration is also available for industry-standard Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, such as Lundalogik, Salesforce, and SuperOffice.

The move is expected to help drive Poland’s expanding export economy, which has been growing continuously for several years, by enabling Polish companies to access prospect customers right across Europe.

EuroContactPool will be offered in Poland under the HBI Poland brand, part of the highly respected Bisnode group, the world’s leading pan-European business information provider which employs 3,000 people in 17 countries.  This will enable HBI Poland to combine strong local market knowledge with high-quality pan‑European data.

Bisnode’s decision to expand EuroContactPool into Poland enables it to position high quality international B2B data services against those of other providers, reinforcing its position as a leading business information brand. It forms part of a Europe-wide investment by Bisnode which has already seen EuroContactPool launched in seven European countries this year. 

EuroContactPool has at its heart a world-leading database covering 26 million contacts in 16 countries and expanding.  The data is compiled by selecting the best partner in each market, ensuring its constant freshness and reliability.

EuroContactPool enables companies to truly understand their marketplace by profiling their best clients and finding more of the same – throughout Europe.  Its sophisticated search metrics, backed by a friendly expert team, enable marketers to devise campaigns that hit their targets first time and really deliver results.

Agnieszka Sawicka, Product Manager Bisnode Poland, says: “I am glad that EuroContactPool is now available for Polish companies because it will help them to expand by understanding who their customers are, estimate the potential and access reliable data across Europe.”

Polish businesses are likely to find the greatest benefit in Data Delivery (data sourcing) and Data Quality (cleaning, enhancing and updating). Both will give Polish companies the necessary tools to run successful marketing and sales campaigns, select and directly contact companies that they would like to work with.

The move is expected to help drive the Czech Republic’s growing export economy, which is increasing every year, by enabling Czech companies to access prospect customers right across Europe. 

EuroContactPool will be offered in the Czech Republic under the Soliditet brand, part of the highly respected Bisnode group, the world’s leading pan-European business information provider which employs 3,000 people in 17 countries.  This will enable Solititet to combine strong local market knowledge with high-quality pan European data.

Bisnode’s decision to expand EuroContactPool into the Czech Republic enables it to position high quality international B2B data services against those of other providers, reinforcing its position as a leading business information brand. It forms part of a Europe-wide investment by Bisnode which has already seen EuroContactPool launched in seven European countries this year. 

EuroContactPool has at its heart a world-leading database covering 26 million contacts in 16 countries and expanding.  The data is compiled by selecting the best partner in each market, ensuring its constant freshness and reliability. 

EuroContactPool enables companies to truly understand their marketplace by profiling their best clients and finding more of the same – right across Europe.  Its sophisticated search metrics, backed by a friendly expert team, enable marketers to devise campaigns that hit their targets first time and really deliver results. 

David Farsky, Managing Director of Soliditet, says: “For the first time, Czech companies will have a comprehensive and accurate database of potential European customers from a single source at a single price.  For businesses planning on expanding their export markets, this is a great tool for extending their reach into lucrative new markets.”

Czech businesses are already showing a strong interest in the range of EuroContactPool services.  These include: Data Delivery (data sourcing), Data Quality (cleaning, enhancing and updating), and Data Intelligence (combining, analysing and appending data).  

Also in demand is Data Integration which provides a seamless link between the powerful EuroContactPool database and industry-standard Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, such as Salesforce, SuperOffice, Lundalogik and Microsoft Dynamics. 

So what exactly do we mean by target market? By definition, a target market is the group of people most likely to buy your product or service. This becomes particularly important in an age where relevancy is critical for a successful sales or marketing strategy. You cannot be all things to all customers, so if you don't know which customer or prospects you're communicating with, you are actually not communicating with anyone.

1. Define who you want to reach

Look at the characteristics of your best customers - who they are and where they are - to better predict your target audience.

2. Create a complete profile 

Go beyond the typical characteristics - such as industry, company size, and turnover - and look at other aspects like decision-makers, influencers, and purchasing behaviors to get a complete understanding of your prospect profile.

3. Less is more 

The purpose of segmenting is to find and select only the companies that find your offer relevant - and to skip the rest. "Blanket-messaging" is not only expensive and ineffective, but also an annoyance to busy decision-makers.

4. Define how you want to reach your target audience 

Once you have an understanding of your customers you can use this information to build a targeted list of high quality potential new leads. This means a higher ROI, whether you are using direct marketing, telemarketing or any other sales or marketing channel.

5. Keep in mind the target market is always moving. 

Things change and economic climates shift, thus analyzing and re-defining your segments should be a continuous process.

Bottom line - defining your target market means narrowing down the entire market in order to focus on the segments that are most likely to benefit from what your company has to offer. EuroContactPool provides the tools and insight to help you do just that. We can help you profile your best customers and find their "twins" anywhere across Europe. Contact us today to learn more.

At EuroContactPool, we can provide you with the market insight you need to expand your business across a continent of buyers, with local expertise in a pan-European concept. We are experts at collecting and handling large volumes of information, and are therefore happy to announce that we now have Austrian data available in the database. The in-depth information includes: contact data, import/export statistics, legal form of company, industry code, turnover, and number of employees.

In total, the Austrian data provides details on 630,000 named executives in 615,000 companies.  This equals:

- 100% coverage on registered companies

 - 95% coverage on non registered companies / Sole proprietorships

EuroContactPool has spearheaded the drive towards better and more intelligent use of data as the basis for business growth.  “If you know you’re dealing with accurate information you can make accurate business decisions,” says Lindqvist.  “You can profile your best clients and find more of them in new markets, and you can devise marketing campaigns that hit the right target first time and really deliver results.”

EuroContactPool has enjoyed spectacular growth in the past two years as recession-hit companies have looked to new growth markets and more efficient and cost-effective ways to run cross-border campaigns. The inclusion of Austrian data follows on a recent announcement of EuroContactPool’s European roll out which will see it expand its services right across Europe during 2012.

The world’s most comprehensive pan-European business database, EuroContactPool, has announced the addition of Austrian business data.

The inclusion of data on 100 per cent of Austrian registered companies and 95 per cent of non-registered proprietorships will fuel the growth of EuroContactPool, which now covers 26 million contacts in 16 countries. 

The Austrian data provides details on 630,000 named executives in 615,000 companies.  The in‑depth information includes: contact data, import/export statistics, legal form of company, industry code, turnover, and number of employees. 

Johan Lindqvist, Business Manager for EuroContactPool, believes the data will be a valuable addition to the master database.

“Austria is a trade-driven economy with strong relationships with Germany and Central Europe, and so an important country for any organisation planning a pan-European campaign,” he says.

EuroContactPool has spearheaded the drive towards better and more intelligent use of data as the basis for business growth.  “If you know you’re dealing with accurate information then you can make accurate business decisions,” says Lindqvist.  “You can profile your best clients and find more of them in new markets, and you can devise marketing campaigns that hit the right target first time and really deliver results.”

EuroContactPool has enjoyed spectacular growth in the past two years as recession-hit companies have looked to new growth markets.  The highly accurate data – 10,000 adjustments and amendments are made every day – puts it at the heart of a range of data services.  These include:  Data Delivery (data sourcing), Data Quality (cleaning, enhancing and updating), and Data Intelligence (combining, analysing and appending data). 

Also in demand is Data Integration which provides a seamless link between the powerful EuroContactPool database and industry-standard Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, such as Salesforce, SuperOffice, Lundalogik and Microsoft Dynamics.

The inclusion of Austrian data follows on a recent announcement of EuroContactPool’s European roll out which will see it expand its services right across Europe during 2012.

– EuroContactPool, the pan-European data specialist, is to spearhead a European wide roll-out under its own brand, as part of an expansion by parent group, Bisnode.

The move will provide the backing for EuroContactPool to position its data products head-to-head with other providers to become the leading business information brand in Europe.

As part of the change, the Business Unit has become EuroContactPool International, a business operation within the giant Bisnode group which operates in 17 European countries and has more than 3,000 employees.

EuroContactPool International is a high quality digital business provider, supplying multi-country companies in Europe with the most comprehensive pan-European business-to-business (B2B) information service. Its basis is the EuroContactPool database, the world’s most comprehensive pan-European B2B database covering 25.9 million businesses and 21.7 million decision-makers across 16 countries.

The company’s business increased by 80 per cent in 2010 and achieved 45 per cent growth in 2011, driven by the demand for high quality data and fast time to market.

The four key services to be rolled out by EuroContactPool International are: Data Delivery, Data Quality, Data Intelligence and Data Integration.

Data Delivery activity – sourcing prospect data for its customers – remains EuroContactPool’s core business but increasingly, companies are relying on data to make key business decisions on developing pan-European markets.

Data Quality: By using EuroContactPool’s cleansing, enhancing and update services, in-house data can be trusted as a base for marketing and business decision-making.

Data Intelligence: Combining an enterprise’s business information into one place, analysing it and linking it to EuroContactPool, provides a company with a powerful tool to see its customers in a whole new way, as part of a universe of potential contacts.

Data Integration: Out-of-the-box software creates a seamless link between a company’s Customer Relationship Management system (Microsoft Dynamics, SuperOffice, salesforce.com, Lundalogik) and the powerful EuroContactPool database.

Johan Lindqvist, Business Unit Manager for EuroContactPool International, says: “In a difficult economic climate it’s even more important to get management decisions right, yet so many businesses are working on inaccurate and incomplete data. Our rollout of new products gives every business the ability to sell successfully across Europe.”