Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Use Address Verification

What is Postal Address Verification (PAV)?

Postal address verification is a tool that companies can use to ensure their customer mailing address are correct and still in use. Companies integrate the API into their website, system, etc. and then upload lists of mailing addresses. The API reviews the addresses against the USPS database and fixes incorrect addresses, or else flags or removes them if they’re invalid or nonexistent and can’t be corrected.

Many companies employ validation services in their marketing and communication strategies because these APIs save time, resources, and money. However, verification services offer more advantages than just that. Such services are beneficial for a number of reasons, the top 5 of which are discussed below.

Top 5 Reasons to Use PAV

There are many reasons to use postal address verification (PAV) services, but even just a few on their own are very compelling. Below are the top 5 reasons to use postal validation, all of which are serious benefits that both companies and customers enjoy.

#1: Three-Pronged Validation Approach

Despite what their name may imply, address verification APIs provide more than just verification services. Instead, they provide comprehensive address service by employing a three-pronged approach: standardization, correction, and validation. Postal APIs update addresses to adhere to USPS standards, correct any shipping addresses that are wrong, and compare addresses against the official USPS database to ensure their validity.

Because of this, PAV APIs are the most reliable method of ensuring your customer mailing addresses are correct and ready to be used. They decrease the amount of undeliverable mail and increase your connections as a result. This approach not only ensures that all of your company’s mail and packages are delivered to the right address, but also allows the mail to be delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible.

#2: Guaranteed Customer Contact

By standardizing, validating, and correcting a customer’s address, your company has at least one guaranteed method of costumer contact. This is generally useful for any communication and marketing purpose. However, it’s especially necessary for industries that deal with time-sensitive or important information. Financial, medical, and government industries are three examples where a guaranteed contact method may be necessary.

This has become increasingly useful as technology progresses and we become more connected than ever. As companies expand and move to digital storefronts exclusively or in addition to brick-and-mortar locations, customers are increasingly moving online to take advantage of products and services. Businesses need to ensure they can successfully deliver these products and services to customers, in addition to ensuring they’re able to correctly bill customers.

#3: Improved ROI and Campaign Results

Address validation ensures your mail and packages will be successfully delivered on an as needed basis. However, it also makes sure your mailing campaigns reach their intended audience. Whereas before it was harder to guarantee your letters and marketing materials were reaching your customers, targeted outreach can now be truly measured and improved.

Return data allows you to learn more about each address and the people that live there, such as whether the address is residential or business and whether it’s located in a rural or urban area. Once you have this information, your company can better customize communication and cater to each customer’s needs. This leads to improved ROI and campaign results, in addition to increased customer satisfaction and engagement.

#4: Increased Savings and Discounts

Companies can save valuable time, money, and resources by integrating a verification API into their regular communications services. These automated and scalable APIs reduce and often completely eliminate undeliverable mail. And best of all, they do it in just seconds!

Besides saving money on wrong addresses, using a PAV service can also qualify you for special discounts and savings. These may include: bulk discounts for high mail quantities, presort postage discounts for carrier route sorting, and barcoding discounts. Each savings opportunity corresponds with an included API feature, respectively validation, carrier route sorting and eLOT®, and POSTNET™ barcode generator.

#5: Valuable Returned Data and Information

Many APIs come with the ability to return data, either as a default or option (or both). This allows companies to not only correct and validate addresses, but also gleam valuable information from them. In turn, this data can be used to improve existing campaigns and improve future campaigns. Companies can use this information to better serve customers and even offer more personalized services.

Geolocation, legislative, and census information are three common types of return data. Geolocation data includes the latitude, longitude, area code, time zone, and daylight savings information. Legislative data includes the address’s Congressional, Senate, and House district numbers. Census data includes CMSA, FIPS, census block number, and the census track number.

Why Address Verification is so Popular

With all of the benefits that come from using a postal address verification service, it’s no wonder so many companies incorporate these APIs into their communication and marketing strategies. They save businesses and customers alike money, time, and resources while increasing ROI and overall satisfaction. Address validation is a simple service that produces big results. It’s easy to understand why address verification is so popular with all of these reasons behind it.