How does your organisation stay ahead in its field? Perhaps the words Expertise, Energy and Excellence hold at least part of the answer. Maybe it’s also the ability to respond quickly and positively to new opportunities. This is the case for Manchester-based Pannone where leveraging Information Technology is a must.

No compromise
David Griffiths is Director of IT at Pannone: “When it comes to data entry, people are looking for the fastest way to enter it, but without compromising on accuracy. Pannone offer a full range of legal services so the contact data relating to clients and cases is entered onto our systems in a wide variety of places.

We work on the principle that prevention is better than cure so wherever contact data is entered, we have integrated AFD Postcode Plus or AFD Names & Numbers to validate that data as a natural part of the process.”

Evolution is Everywhere
Pannone now use the AFD Postcode Evolution® Service as a server-side solution which enables access to AFD products from a server application, website or network clients. Luigi Salzano is the Senior Manager in Systems Development at Pannone: “From a development perspective, what we like is that Evolution is flexible, easily implemented, returns data faster and is more easily consumed by the applications that use it.

We use Evolution with internally developed applications and third-party applications and we still have the option of using an AFD interface when we need it. With AFD Evolution we can add data validation to diverse and complex systems with ease.”

Finding Fast
David Griffiths adds: “The productivity of high value staff is very important to the business. By using Names & Numbers and Postcode Plus we save up to 90% of the time it would normally take to enter contact details – just by using the postcode. Sometimes the address we are working from is wrong, it may have missing lines or poor spelling. With Names & Numbers we can still find the right record even from very poor source information.

Protecting service
The results are returned lightning fast and the user just selects the right record. It is hard to overstate the importance of ensuring that contact details are accurate at the moment they are entered onto our systems. From a legal perspective we rely on the accuracy of that original record and its accuracy affects all subsequent processes and most importantly our service to clients.

Building confidence
We regard it as essential to minimise the risk of non-delivery or wrong delivery of time-critical and confidential documents. Inaccuracies in address data send the wrong message and can have serious consequences. Accurate address data builds confidence and protects and enhances our professional reputation and image.“

Profiling, Insight and Visualisation
Many organisations clean-up address data with AFD Refiner, and Pannone use it regularly to cleanse data from other systems and to ensure the accuracy of address data prior to marketing use.

Fuzzy logic is fuzzy!
Refiner is built on a “quality first” principle, it does not offer “fuzzy logic” which can compromise address integrity. Instead it operates by a strict set of rules that have been built into the product over the past 15 years.

Refiner comes complete with Censation – the most widely distributed geodemographic classification system in the UK. Pannone use it to gain insight into their business. The principle behind Censation is that ‘birds of a feather flock together’.

What are they like?
Every residential UK postcode is classified with one of 52 Censation codes giving a good indication of the relative affluence, life-stage and life-style of the residents. Luigi Salzano explains “At the same time as cleansing address data, Refiner will append Censation codes and grid references.

Learning from Censation
Using the Censation codes helps us to confirm or deny our instincts about the types of customer we deal with in different parts of the business. With Censation we can learn and build new insight which we then apply to our marketing planning. With grid references appended to each address we can use this to visualise the location and clustering of our customers. Refiner delivers exceptional value to our business.”

Why take a risk with fund transfers?
A lot of money flows through law firms in transactions relating to property, wills, personal injury….. the list is a long one and the amounts can be small… or very large!

Faster payments
Pannone has developed ‘Chits’, a web based transaction system designed to enable money to flow smoothly. Chits is designed to maximise automation, speed-up authorisation and minimise delays. The system utilises AFD BankFinder to mitigate the risk of errors in bank data which can occur at the point of data entry.

Towards certainty
Heather Sanders, Pannone Financial Controller, is clear: “There is potential for error in any human typing of bank account details. Client bank data has to find its way onto our systems and we need to be sure that it is accurate before processes of authorisation, entry to accounting systems and fund transfers take place.”

Handling human error
Heather identifies two key risks: “The customer can make a mistake in the details provided and mistakes can be made at the point data is keyed to our system. Both these risks boil down to the risks of human error associated with transcription. It’s these risks that AFD BankFinder mitigates by automatically checking the data at the time it is being input and before it enters the work flow system and accounts system. If BankFinder spots an error the user is alerted and invited to check and rekey the data.”

Weekly updates
Pannone regard validation of bank, account and sort code details with BankFinder as a basic and essential risk mitigation tool. They have even scheduled an upgrade to the system to take advantage of the new automated weekly bank data updates from AFD Software which carries no extra cost.