Email provides a cost effective method for brands to communicate with customers. However, as with all contact information, the quality of data held on file deteriorates extremely quickly, driving up the cost per response of the campaign and undermining the value model of the communication.

In response to growing demands, UKChanges has created a 4 tiered automated email validation service that is available via the bureau or through the UKChanges>online service.

Offering varying levels of confidence in the accuracy and completeness of the email addresses provided, the service screens each record and assigns the highest possible confidence rating, flagging records according to the following criteria:

• Zero Confidence (flagged N) – the email syntax is incorrect: the email is structurally incorrect, i.e. the flagged email cannot be delivered because the domain data is unidentifiable or incomplete. (e.g. username@ukchangescom – the email address is missing the dot and is therefore undeliverable)
• Lowest Confidence (flagged S) – the email syntax is correct: this means that the email address is RFC-compliant, i.e. the flagged email address is correctly structured for internet standards. (e.g. username@ukchanges.con – the email address structure is correct, but there may be other issues that render the record undeliverable)
• Medium Confidence (flagged D) – the email DNS is valid: this means that the domain (e.g. ukchanges.com) exists, i.e. the flagged email address has a valid domain.
• Highest Confidence (flagged X) – the email is SMTP verified: this means that the mail servers for the domain are online and accepting emails, i.e. the flagged email address should be deliverable to the individual or mail administrator in its submitted form*.

* It is important to note that many email servers have SMTP verification disabled and so the highest possible level of validation will be Medium Confidence for these email addresses.
* Users must be aware that the acceptable structure of email addresses is entirely dependant upon individual server settings established by the administrator. UKChanges cannot guarantee that an email is deliverable, irrespective of the confidence level assigned.

Designed to enable users to effectively remove known invalid email addresses from their records, the Email Validation service enables users to check their customers’ email addresses without the need to send an email. By avoiding the potential to irritate opted-in customers with unnecessary communications, the service should help companies avoid individuals’ personal spam filters.

Customers using the Email Validation service are also able to assess and establish expected levels of connection for their campaigns according to the results of their processing; building realistic predictive models of response and conversion rates through improved understanding and enhanced data accuracy.

Furthermore, removing incorrect email addresses will reduce the burden of dealing with failed deliveries and should help avoid email marketers’ campaigns being placed on ISP 'spammer' lists.