Communisis Data Intelligence helps organisations to understand how their customers and prospects interact with their brand across all media channels. It does this by analysing masses of complex data, which can in turn be used to create more effective and targeted marketing. With offices in London and Yorkshire, the company boasts a client list that includes Ageas, DirectLine Group, Dulux, Co-operative Insurance, Travis Perkins and Viking.

Lee Witherell is Managing Director of Communisis Data Intelligence. When he joined the company in December 2014 he made it a priority to conduct a comprehensive review of its data sources, to ensure that only providers of the highest quality of data with the strongest provenance were selected. “Data is at the heart of what we do, so it is vitally important that we continually seek out the best possible sources.”

Previously Communisis Data Intelligence had worked with over 40 data providers; the review process whittled this down (via a pitch process) to a much smaller number of trusted providers, one of which was the business and consumer marketing data specialist, DBS Data. Witherell explains what the company was looking for: “The ability to demonstrate the provenance of data was one of our most important criteria, along with their long-term strategy for data quality, and how easy it would be to work with them.”

Prior to the commencement of this thorough vetting process DBS was not a major supplier to Communisis Data Intelligence, however, the company impressed with a very high score against all criteria. Witherell explains: “We selected DBS Data because they ranked highest on our assessment scorecard when we considered data quality, compliance standards, transparency, processes and provenance.”

It wasn’t only the quality of data that impressed Communisis Data Intelligence but also the strong relationship that DBS has with the DMA, particularly its role in driving awareness across the data-driven marketing industry for the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Witherell adds: “There is a chain of trust that runs from the customers of our clients, through to us and the providers of the data we use. Working with DBS Data our links in that chain are strong and all of our clients can be safe in the knowledge that we are fully GDPR compliant.”

Today, DBS is one of the most important providers of data to Communisis Data Intelligence. Witherell concludes: “We believe DBS to be among the best in the industry at what it does.”