What are UDPRNs and what are the benefits?
What is a UDPRN?
A UDPRN or Unique Delivery Point Reference Number is an eight-digit unique numerical code that identifies delivery points for individual premises on the Postcode Address File (PAF). Every property (or delivery point) in the UK is only ever assigned one UDPRN.
What are the benefits of UDPRNs?
As noted at the start of this blog, a UDPRN can enable a host of benefits to a business. In this section, we explore some of those benefits in detail.
1. Improved delivery rates
As the name suggests a Unique Delivery Point Reference Number, provides exactly that, a delivery point for a particular address. By allocating this number against an address, delivery drivers are assured of accurate and enhanced address data, making it easier to find the destination property. By using a UDPRN businesses are in a better position to better plan delivery journeys, helping to reduce delivery times, lower emissions, increase delivery success rates and ensure customer satisfaction.
2. Enhanced data migration
Moving or merging multiple data sets traditionally creates issues with creating multiple data points for the same address or customer, but by using UDPRNs, you can eliminate these duplicates and continue adding to your data set without the fear that you’re damaging its integrity. Without UDPRNs, the primary way to eliminate duplicate data points is with complex match keys which take significant time and resources to create.
3. Easier identification of fraud
Customers may try and pull a fast one on you by signing up for bonuses or promotions multiple times by tweaking the details of their address without fundamentally changing it. We often see this in the form of bonus abuse in the gambling sector or coupon scams in online retail. But with UDPRNs, you can cut down on this type of activity and stop it at the source.
4. Optimise marketing communications
We’ve all been there, you get home from work and find a mass of letters and mailings when you open the door. When looking through the bills, statements and promotions, you may notice that you receive some duplicates. As a customer, this can be a tad annoying but for a business, it represents wasted costs and can make reporting extremely difficult.
For example, you decide to send out a marketing mailer to your database, which includes your latest offers and discounts. If you have two of the same addresses in your database, it means the customer will receive two versions of the mailer but the likelihood is they will only place one order. From a reporting standpoint, the mailer has a 50% success rate, but in removing the second instance of the address, you can more accurately see that the mailing performed as well as it possibly could.
By assigning a UDPRN you can quickly identify duplicated households, reducing the number of mailings, saving on production costs and postage whilst ensuring reporting is accurate and ROI is maximised.
Summary
UDPRNs have a whole host of benefits for companies looking to consolidate their data sets and optimise their operations moving forward, both in terms of logistical applications and future communications. Contact us to find out more.
