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As digital transformation follows its course, ubiquitous data and new technologies are dramatically changing the way consumers interact with businesses. The Amazons and Googles of the world are redefining customer experience on a daily basis and setting the bar higher for the rest of industries to catch up. This ‘customer-first’ era calls for innovative ways to achieve sustainable growth and market leadership. Aimed at understanding this new reality, we commissioned Forrester Consulting to survey senior executives and decision makers about how they tackle the challenges and opportunities surrounding digital transformation. What we found is that the key to succeed in today’s highly competitive and fast paced environment is creating a comprehensive, unified view into their customers and their needs. And that although businesses are committed to keeping up with the pace of change to stay relevant, there are still trying to figure out how to execute their ‘customer-first’ vision. Businesses from all over the world wonder how they can attract and retain new customers, or what are the tools they need to quickly act on insights and make consistent, relevant decisions about what matters the most to their customers. Our research shows that the early beneficiaries of digitalisation such as fintech companies and e-commerce brands have been quick to understand younger, tech savvy and convenience-hungry consumers. Both industries have leveraged decades of technology developments to meet their customers’ expectations, setting the bar high. They have evolved from one-time transactions to building relationships, creating loyal followers and facilitating repeat purchases. Financial services and other sectors can find inspiration in how customer strategies focused on relevance and personalisation deliver the curated experiences consumers demand. When you put the customer first, the opportunities to create more value from your customer relationships are endless. We believe the future is bright for the business which remains nimble and willing to evolve their business models, using technology to meet the needs of tomorrow’s customer. Key findings 81% of executives believe traditional business models will disappear over the next five years due to digital transformation. 79% of key decision makers believe their customers can seamlessly interact with their organisations across mobile, web, and in-person channels – and are generally positive about the progress they are making. Two thirds of executives believe their profitability would improve if they were able to create that single, comprehensive view of the customer. Knowing and understanding customers better than anyone else is paramount to consistently assisting them how, when and where they need it. Businesses must ensure that they offer appropriate products that their customers can afford and benefit from now and in the future, regardless of market conditions or changing personal circumstances. Six out of ten executives believe sharing their data with third parties and tapping into additional data will help them create frictionless customer experiences. But there are some challenges they need to overcome before achieving that. For example, 40 percent of executives globally still feel they cannot easily share their data. They also need to make sense and find meaning from all the data they have. They are currently investing in new technologies to make sense of their data, but these efforts are not going far enough. 53% of businesses worldwide struggle to make consistent customer decisions. Part of it due to the gathering of inconsistent data from one channel to the next. The better businesses get at managing different points of interaction, the more insight they can obtain within a given customer’s experience. Using advanced analytics helps unlock the value latent in different points of interaction along the entire relationship with your customers. 77% of executives set aside budget for advanced analytics and decision-management systems. To turn strategic priorities into action, businesses have set aside budget to invest in analytics and digital decisioning. Thanks to innovative analytical tools, businesses can deliver improved, personalised experiences when they matter, better protecting consumers and complying with regulations. Download the full report.

Financial exclusion is a global issue with an estimated 1.7 billion adults currently ‘unbanked’ . Experian’s core mission is to help bring financial inclusion to every adult in the world. There are currently millions of ‘thin file’ consumers and SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa. These are consumers with limited information on a traditional credit bureau or have no information at all, so-called ‘invisibles’, who find themselves excluded from mainstream finance. They often face more difficulty – or higher costs – when applying for financial products or services. That’s why we are proud to announce today the launch of a ground-breaking new smartphone app, GeleZAR, in South Africa, which aims to bring more micro-entrepreneurs into the mainstream economy and ensure they get the credit score they deserve.. Using the expertise of our global innovation hubs, we have developed a unique financial education and credit scoring mobile app. GeleZAR is designed to educate entrepreneurs and individuals on how to manage their finances, budget and credit score in a fun, entertaining and digestible way. It can also advise individuals on how to maintain a good credit health and recommends remedial actions where needed. In partnership with a local South African consumer and fintech developer, Experian designed the app specifically for entry-level smartphones. We are also working with one of the largest low-cost mobile phone retailers in Africa to trial the app which has been pre-installed on a range of its entry-level smartphones.. The intention is to extend the rollout and make the app accessible for free on more than six million devices annually. Working with alternative data that an individual user consents to share on the app, GeleZAR will be able to assess an individual’s stability, build a credit profile and potentially improve their credit score. This in turn could enable them to access a broader range of financial products at more affordable interest rates. This is a great example of how Experian is innovating to find new ways to empower our customers while uplifting societies. It also fulfils our passion for financial inclusion and the accurate assessment of affordability. Experian’s cutting edge technological capabilities enable us to use the power of data to transform lives, businesses and economies for the better. Through our pioneering work in this space we hope to help consumers around the world on their credit journey. GeleZAR is just one of the ways we are delivering on our mission to build and improve the credit files of millions of people in South Africa and beyond.

Today I testified before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services. Many important questions were asked: Are we doing enough to ensure the accuracy and security of consumer data? What are we doing to help promote financial inclusion so that millions of American consumers can finally gain access to the credit they deserve and need? On behalf of everyone at Experian, I was proud to share with the committee that financial inclusion is part of our sense of purpose. This sense of purpose is what drove us to create game-changing initiatives like Experian Boost, which will help millions of Americans instantly increase their credit scores and gain access to better financial opportunities. I also commented to the committee that nothing was more important to us than ensuring the security and accuracy of consumer data, and our mobile-optimized online dispute resolution service is evidence of that ongoing commitment. You can read the full text of my written testimony here. However, the issues discussed today need to be part of a larger and ongoing dialogue. Credit is vital to buying a place to live, a car to drive and paying for everyday expenses. We know we have a special responsibility to play in what is arguably one of the most effective credit ecosystems in the world. We take that responsibility very seriously. But we also know that winning the trust of consumers is something we need to consistently earn. We hold ourselves accountable for doing that every day and agree with committee members that everyone involved in consumer credit should do the same. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, but we know we can and must go further. We need to constantly strive to reinvent what is possible by leveraging new technologies and innovative solutions. Today’s consumers and even our lending customers should expect nothing less from us. And Congress has an important role to play, too. We strongly support legislative initiatives like the Credit Access and Inclusion Act, which would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act and allow positive consumer credit information, such as on-time payment histories, to be shared with consumer reporting agencies. This proposed legislation would also remove barriers to financial inclusion, such as state and local laws that prevent public utilities from sharing positive customer payment data. While many voices need to contribute to a robust dialogue on the future of the credit economy, it seems clear that the most effective solutions will stem from consumer demand and not legislation or regulation. There are over 100 million American consumers who don’t have access to credit today, either because their credit scores are too low, or because they don’t have enough credit history. Most of these individuals have never heard of Experian and have little if any idea of what we do. That’s ok. We know the struggles they face and we have some ideas on how we can help make a difference. In many ways we already are and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves to do even more in the future. Millions are counting on us.

Having a diverse workforce is vital to help us innovate and deliver on the needs of our increasingly diverse clients and consumers. Over the years, we’ve made some great progress, but there’s so much more we can do and it’s going to take the collective effort of all of us to continue to move the needle. That’s why we’re gearing up to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). It’s a day celebrated in many countries around the world to recognize the achievements of women and drive equality among men and women. At Experian, IWD activities are extending throughout the month of March. Have a look at what’s going on around the world as Experian celebrates this important day: Asia Pacific The Asia Pacific region is hosting a range of activities across our offices in March, which will include round-table and speaker events as well as an opportunity to network and pledge their support for IWD. EMEA and UK&I EMEA and UK&I are joining together for IWD to support and celebrate diversity and inclusion. The week started with a video of employees from both regions reflecting on what diverse teams bring to our business. Employees will also be invited to a variety of events to engage and network with inspirational women and hear stories from our leaders on what diversity means to them personally. Latin America Throughout the month of March, Latin America has been running a campaign to share stories of achievements in their region and raise awareness about breast cancer prevention and other diseases more common in women. On IWD, there will be a panel of women leaders who will address issues such as the social inclusion of women in the region, women’s participation in the labor market, Experian’s commitment to female leadership and the importance of a work/life In Brazil, IWD is kicking off with a presentation by members of the United Nations to present their 50-50 Gender Equality program (which aims to eliminate gender inequalities by 2030) and how they are working with companies around the world to achieve this vision. Employees will have an opportunity to hear from leaders in our business about diversity and inclusion plans for the region, and listen to a panel of external speakers discuss diversity challenges and career development. North America Our employees in North America will be kicking off the week with celebrations across their ITS’ 13 offices in the region. Each office will have daily activities throughout the week, and all employees – including virtual and those based in smaller offices – will be invited to attend webinars focused on Diversity and Inclusion topics. On IWD, there will be panel discussions with senior leaders who will speak on various career development topics. To close out the week, there will be a special Book Club discussion on March 9. We will continue to update this blog post all week with pictures and other ways we’re celebrating IWD. Bookmark this page and come back.

I work at SEGA, a global games company. I first met Nakamura-san, my contact at Experian, about eight or nine years ago. I remember telling him at the time that I was a little sceptical of credit report and analytic companies – I thought they were either too expensive or their reports weren’t detailed enough. However, a year later I needed help from a company like Experian, and I thought I’d put them to the test.   My team and I were starting to communicate with overseas markets, to work with companies around the world. So, I phoned Nakamura-san. It was a business negotiation, so I had my poker face on – I played the usual mind games you have to, insinuating that if Experian did this job well then our company might be able to offer them even more business in the future.   Safe to say, they passed the test. We’ve been building a really positive relationship with Experian for the last eight years.   We’re working with companies in Hong Kong, Taiwan and London at the moment. To work with them, we need information – for instance, we need to know if they’re actually located where they say they are. Even if a company gives us an address, it’s always possible that it operates from a different country – we’ve all heard about companies and their tax havens. When we have these questions, Nakamura-san and his team at Experian collect and analyse data on these companies, and give us very thorough information – breaking it all down and explaining everything to us really clearly.   It’s really difficult to get the rich, detailed analysis of data you need, but Experian provides us much better data than any of our previous credit research companies managed to. They consult with us, and help us use this data to get our business to a better place. I’m very grateful for it – they’ve added great value to our business. Mr. Shinji Mutazono, Team Manager, SEGA Group Companies Finance Department, SEGA Holdings CO., Ltd. 

In Malaysia, nearly 280,000 people live without electricity. By volunteering with the Liter of Light program, we’re bringing solar panel lights to remote villages, transforming the quality of life and brightening the darker hours for families. In Malaysia, more than 1 percent of the population lives without electricity – one of life’s basic necessities – which equates to nearly 280,000 people living in darkness after the sun goes down. Some people have never had electricity in their life, making simple tasks like cooking or reading nearly impossible after dark. I wanted to change that. My day job is to support and enable individuals within Experian to pursue various career opportunities, but what I’m most passionate about is the way Experian helps me invest in my local community through the Heart of Experian Corporate Social Responsibility program. This year, my team and I had the chance to collaborate with Liter of Light (LOL) – a global, grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable solar light to people with limited or no access to electricity. In February, we joined one of their projects to install 60 solar street lights in the village of Orang Asli, an indigenous community in the Cameron Highlands.   Over the span of two days in February, a group of 30 Experian volunteers built and installed the solar panel lights. On the first day, the LOL team taught us how to build the panels, teaching us the skills needed to cut wire, assemble PVC pipes and drill holes. The second day, we rode in Jeeps through muddy roads and a three-foot deep river to reach the village. We spent hours unloading the lights and assembling the panel boxes, plotting the village maps and identifying the right spots to install the solar panel lights. I was happy to see some of the local villagers’ curiosity and participation throughout the day. Some helped us assemble the lights while others prepared the right spots for installation by building bamboo stands. The weather was kind to us, so by 5 p.m., nearly all the lights were installed – just before dark! After completing all the hard work, our team recorded a group video using a drone that all of the Orang Asli children chased after. Thanks to our service project providing light to a village in darkness, 150 villagers in Orang Asli will now have more productive, higher-quality lives during the dark hours of the day. I’m so glad I got to play a role in that.