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2020 has been a year that has significantly impacted us all and the shockwaves are likely to challenge us for some time to come. One of the big disappointments for the data and tech industry is the postponement or cancellation of a number of major events – including the likes of Women in Data, which Experian was a proud Gold sponsor in 2019. Although we are not able to celebrate the Women in Data flagship event in person this year, we are thrilled to be an official partner of the very first  WiD Week. This is a fantastic opportunity that will allow us to virtually gather together, support each other, and learn while in a safe online environment, driven by content that the Women in Data community needs right now. We are particularly excited to be hosting a session on Tuesday 24 November, which will focus on our support of Girls in Data. In this session, Experian’s Emily Capewell and Louise Maynard-Atem will be providing some thoughts on their involvement with the recent data challenge we hosted during the last lockdown. The data challenge was designed to help inspire young girls and boys to pursue a career in STEM. Louise will also be speaking on Thursday about her experience of 2020 and how we can action change as we head into 2021. This will be one of six short stories to mark Women in Data’s sixth birthday. We are extremely excited to be involved with WiD Week and while it will be slightly different this year, we hope our involvement can help empower and encourage more women into the data industry, supporting the next generation of data scientists who can help shape the future. You can find out more about WiD Week here.

As businesses across the globe have started to see their operations stabilize, they will be tested once again as the world faces another resurgence of the Covid-19 but this time consumer expectations will be much higher. According to the latest Experian’s Global Insights Report, 60% of consumers have higher expectations of their digital experience than before Covid-19. The study which surveyed 3,000 consumers and 900 businesses in 10 countries, including: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, found that while many consumers may have stayed loyal to businesses they frequented before COVID-19 initially, that may no longer be the case.     High expectations for security and convenience compounded by the increased demand for online payments, banking and shopping are pushing businesses to re-imagine the customer journey and the investments needed to drive future growth. In fact, the study found that one in three consumers are only willing to wait 30 seconds or less before abandoning an online transaction, specifically when accessing their financial accounts. This means that businesses have an increasingly short time frame to prove the experience will be safe and convenient.  Businesses have no choice but to invest in their digital presence and experience. We believe the cost of doing nothing will be greater than what it will cost to invest in the customer journey. While half of the businesses we surveyed have either mostly or completely resumed operations since Covid-19 began, only 24% are deliberately making changes to their digital customer journey. This is not enough.    The integration of data, analytics and technology is the key to enable businesses to quickly adapt decisioning strategies to minimize risk, preserve valuable relationship and remain fair and compliant. In order to strengthen digital transformation, Experian recommends that retail banks, payment providers and retailers consider the following:  Understanding the customer    Businesses need to understand their customers more than ever before. They need to understand their behaviors, preferences, and financial situation. Each transaction creates hundreds of different touchpoints that financial institutions and retailers need to accommodate across all devices. The tricky part is using the right technology to put all the datapoints together and to link them into one single-view of the customer.     Use of AI to improve and automate customer decisions  Being able to make the right decision is more important than ever. Today’s economic conditions are unprecedented, and unfortunately we don’t have historic data to count on. Therefore, we need to use data and technology better than before. In the area of artificial intelligence, businesses are strengthening the security of mobile and digital channels, new credit risk analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) models and increasing digital customer acquisition and engagement.   Strengthening security of mobile and digital channels  Businesses need to provide not only a convenient experience but also a secure one. In order to improve security, businesses need to use a multi-level approach where they can easily access and layer fraud solutions to catch more fraud and reduce friction for genuine consumers.   Discover more insights from our longitudinal study of the impact of Covid-19 on businesses and consumers.    

October marked Black History Month (UK) – a celebration of the culture, heritage and achievements of Black people past and present. Although we weren’t able to celebrate in person this year, our Black at Experian employee network were still able to serve up an incredible range of inspiring webinars, videos, articles and podcasts covering topics discussing Black British culture, ways to discuss race and racism with our children, as well as the importance of being an ally. This exciting schedule of activities has been the perfect opportunity to learn more and many of us were personally touched by the stories of our Black colleagues who have openly and courageously shared their thoughts and experiences with us all. But as Black History Month comes to an end for another year, it’s essential that our support doesn’t stop here. As an organisation, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity for all. And our Black at Experian network has already been instrumental in helping us understand how we can improve in some of these areas. Part of this includes signing the Business in the Community (BITC) ‘Race at Work Charter’. By working alongside BITC, as well as our other employee networks, it's helping us create initiatives that will continue to drive positive change and inclusion for all. We are committed more than ever to leverage our differences as individuals and use this broad range of talents to develop our competitive advantage as a business. We’ve made good progress in a short space of time, but this is just the beginning. We are looking forward to continuing this important journey in building a workplace that embraces a more diverse and inclusive culture.

02 November 2020 is a day we’re really proud of at Experian – our Danish Credit Bureau turns 150 years old!    As we prepared to celebrate this milestone with our people, our customers and all our wider stakeholders, we delved into our archives.  We found extraordinary pieces of our history that still resonate with us, with how we do business, today.  On this historic day, it’s my pleasure to share some of these here.   In 1783, a Danish merchant wrote a polite request to a potential customer who was asking for credit to provide information about their circumstances rather than their “Happiness and Piousness”.  It’s the earliest example we have of a credit check.  Businesses still need that information today, and it’s a demand Experian helps meet globally every day.     Købmandstandens Oplysningsbureau, or KOB, is a name that still appears on Experian products.  Evidence of not only offering data and information services that meet businesses and consumers’ needs, but being a trusted provider of accurate data and information.  We continue to publish a quarterly analysis of start-ups across industries in the Nordics, which started when we first printed a solvency book in 1930.    In 1928, KOB had a woman on its Board of Directors.  Mrs M C Gazette served alongside three men, and during her tenure created the Gazette Fund, a hardship fund to which employees could apply in times of need.  The fund ran until 2016, when it moved to a different structure for fiscal reasons.    In 1938, the German Information Agencies demanded the names of Danish businessmen of Jewish descent be given to them.  We uncovered a news article from 1945 showing our Chairman rejected this demand, safeguarding the trust those consumers placed in our business, and morally doing the right thing.    Both actions by former Board members exemplify principles we continue to hold dear at Experian today.  Operating in the Experian way, we safeguard the information we hold, we embrace diversity, are inclusive, and strive to ensure all our people feel free to bring their whole and unique self to work at our Company, contributing to our high performance culture.  What is clear from these examples and others in this celebratory digital storybook published today, is data has been at the heart of all we do for 150 years, and it will continue to be in future.  From the early days, when we helped Danish businesses assess creditworthiness of their customers, through to today, we’re still empowering businesses and consumers to manage their data with confidence.    We’re grateful for the many years our customers have trusted us to provide them with data and insights that help their businesses to thrive.    We’re proud of our employees in the past, and those we have with us today.  As a team, we work daily to value each other, safeguard our future and delight our customers.     It has been an exciting journey, and we have only just begun. We are investing in the future, through new technology, talented people and innovative solutions that power opportunities that create a better tomorrow for our employees, our customers, consumers and the communities in which we operate.   We’re celebrating today, and we’re excited about the opportunities ahead of us too.   

There are many responsibilities I carry as CEO of Experian North America. All of them critical in terms of client relationships, product offerings, innovation, culture, our people and our purpose. A part of my work that I'm extremely passionate about is how we make a difference to consumers and their financial health. As leading data and technology company – and the world’s largest credit bureau – we have the opportunity to work with organizations and individuals every day to help them achieve their financial goals. And while that is good for business, it is also good for society and consumers. That is why I am pleased to join the HOPE Global Forum and John Hope Bryant to announce our new partnership. Operation HOPE is a national nonprofit with goals that align with our own at Experian: to uplift disenfranchised youth and adults from poverty to thriving in a credit ecosystem. We are committed to helping vulnerable communities with our data, analytics, products and services and working with Operation HOPE will help us further that mission. One way we have already been doing that is through products like Experian Boost, designed to drive financial inclusion and help people get fair and affordable access to credit. I have seen firsthand how these actions can change people’s lives. Let me tell you about an Experian Boost customer named Lawrence. Last spring, in March of 2019, his credit score was 640. He was already enrolled in our credit monitoring services, but was not proactive in trying to improve his credit score. Then, he tried Experian Boost. He was able to show positive payment history for utilities, cable, and his cell phone bills. Instantly, his score jumped 30 points. Following the advice of our credit education resources, he paid down his credit cards, which propelled his score even higher. He now has a credit score of 770. What does this mean for Lawrence and his family? Previously, they owned one car and paid 18% interest on that loan. Now, the family has two cars, and they pay 5% and 8.2% on two car loans. This represents incredible savings the family can now use for other needs, and increased access to financial services that can help them achieve other goals. This is what we mean when we talk about empowering consumers so they can have financial freedom. For some, this means the ability to purchase a car, have a credit card, own a home, or simply just save money. The financial health journey can start at any time and have a lifetime impact. I am really excited about this partnership. Together we have the potential to make a tangible difference in financial inclusion in the United States, combining Operation HOPE’s education and counseling programs with our credit education knowledge, capability and services like Experian Boost.  

At Experian, we are committed to educating consumers about how to manage their credit histories and protect their financial health. At the same time, we know the COVID-19 pandemic has created a difficult economic reality for millions of Americans. In response, many people have questions about how to protect themselves financially, including their credit histories and scores. To address these questions, we partnered with pro football legend and American Ninja Warrior host Akbar Gbajabiamila to educate consumers across the country about steps they can take to protect their financial health and their credit standing. Gbajabiamila, author of “Everyone Can be a Ninja,” is passionate about helping people develop a financial game plan and he understands having a good credit history is a key component of good financial health. These interviews provided a platform for Gbajabiamila to share the four-point financial fitness game plan consumers can use protect and improve their financial health during the pandemic, including: Contacting your lenders as soon as possible if you think you may miss a payment. Many lenders provide emergency support, which can help protect your credit standing. Getting credit for paying cable, satellite, internet, Netflix and utility bills on time with Experian Boost Exploring balance transfer options or other introductory credit offers through Experian Credit Match Checking your credit report regularly. It’s free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com. Tune in to Gbajabiamila’s interview with NBC Washington and hear his message to consumers in the videos below. For more credit education resources and tools: Join Experian’s #CreditChat hosted by @Experian on Twitter with financial experts every Wednesday at 3 p.m. Eastern time Visit the Ask Experian blog for answers to common questions, advice and education about credit For additional resources visit www.experian.com/coronavirus

Today’s customer needs are ever-evolving and businesses both large and small are reshaping the customer journey at an unprecedented pace. Businesses are looking for solutions that are secure, easily scalable to meet emerging needs and changes in demand, and seamlessly upgrade to avoid getting stuck on outdated software. To enable organisations to keep up with the pace of change, Experian has developed a new set of cloud-based solutions designed for companies that seek to automate decisions across an increasingly complex customer journey. The new release includes both pre-configured solutions for organizations that prefer standard ‘out-of-the-box’ applications and highly configurable solutions for clients with sophisticated, decision-driven business processes. We want to offer more businesses access to Experian’s award-winning decisioning platform. Pre-configured SaaS solutions bring Experian’s rich data, analytics, decisioning capabilities, and expertise in credit risk to new markets, while we are able to continue to serve our largest enterprise clients with a full range of decisioning capabilities. With both options, businesses can benefit from the entire PowerCurve platform or select custom capabilities that address specific needs. PowerCurve solutions available on the cloud include: PowerCurve Customer Acquisition – an ‘out-of-the-box’ solution designed to help businesses quickly acquire high-value customers. PowerCurve Eligibility Check – an ‘out-of-the-box’ solution designed to help lenders automatically assess which prospects are the right fit for their credit products. PowerCurve Strategy Management – a highly customizable cloud-based solution that helps businesses drive higher performance with more insightful and dynamic decisions. PowerCurve Originations - a highly customizable cloud-based solution that helps businesses acquire more profitable customers through adaptive and targeted approaches. PowerCurve, which is used by 2,000 companies across the globe, is a platform to help businesses make analytically driven decisions and adopt the most effective decision management strategies across the entire Customer Life Cycle. Highly configurable PowerCurve solutions are available on the cloud in all regions and cloud-based; pre-configured solutions vary by market.  

This blog is written by Rachel Duncan, HR Director, at Experian. At Experian, we encourage our employees to bring their whole selves to work and have created a culture of inclusion that helps to fuel our continued product innovation. We understand the incredible value in having a truly diverse workforce and this means removing barriers and working through challenges we all may face in and outside the workplace.   That’s why we are proud to be supporting Stonewall’s ‘Trans Rights Are Human Rights’ campaign today to help reform the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004. We believe that all trans people should be protected and supported with legal and policy framework that enables them to live with dignity, privacy and respect, free from fear, isolation and discrimination.  The GRA was introduced in 2004 to allow trans people to apply for legal recognition of gender in which they live. However, the process in doing so is expensive, intrusive and takes a very long time. To apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), which allows someone to legally change their gender, the individual will have to overcome many psychological challenges and it can be very emotionally taxing.  It’s estimated that just 12% of trans people have a GRC, despite 92% of trans people stating in the National LGBT Survey (2018) that they would be interested in getting one. GRA reform is therefore a key step in allowing legal gender recognition to become accessible to this marginalised community.   The reform requests the removal of having to disclose a psychiatric report or proof of diagnosis in order to obtain legal recognition. It moves to allow trans people the human right to decide their gender for themselves and protect all trans and non-binary people’s rights to privacy and to family life.  As well as this, non-binary people should be able to legally change their gender to reflect who they are including amending their birth certificate to reflect this.  The reform should also include the removal of the spousal veto. This veto allows for the spouse of a trans person the decision as to whether they can change their gender and gives control over to someone who may not have their best interests at heart.  We are fully committed in ensuring LGBTQ inclusion which means, as well as evolving our own internal policies and practices, we must also contribute to external debates that campaign for equality.  Our Experian Pride network has been instrumental in helping us drive change throughout the business, whilst also educating and raising awareness amongst our colleagues about the LGBTQ community. This includes supporting a collaboration with Stonewall and our HR teams to create our new ‘Transitioning at Work’ policy, along with raising money for transgender charity, Mermaids.   Experian is part of a growing group of leading businesses who have joined forces to support trans equality, so we hope that together we can make a real difference to the lives of trans people across the UK. See our interview with Lewis Hayden, Service Desk Specialist and Experian Pride Network Member.

We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of a 60% stake in Arvato Financial Solutions Risk Management Division (AFS RM), expanding our presence in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH) and bringing Germany’s second largest credit bureau into Experian.  It is an incredibly exciting moment for us both and marks a significant step forward in Experian EMEA’s growth ambitions.        Together, we form a powerful new partnership in Europe’s economic powerhouse. With AFS RM’s local expertise and sector knowledge of industries like e-commerce, telecoms and insurance, and our global experience and innovation in data, analytics, software, and technology platforms, we will redefine what’s possible for our customers.     AFS RM brings market presence with high-quality risk, fraud and identity management products and solutions tailored for key industries.   We bring scale, expertise, and innovative products like Experian One and Ascend Analytics on Demand.  Together, we will offer the best new technologies into these markets, delivering broad coverage and innovation that enables existing and new customers to make better, faster decisions, ultimately delivering greater access to finance for people across the region.     Our new partnership will be branded Experian, which is just one of the ways we’re welcoming AFS RM to the Experian family.  I’m delighted it will be led by Kai Kalchthaler as CEO, Experian DACH, who will ensure we help businesses find and fulfill their potential, so they can go further with us.  Watch how we’re redefining possible, today, tomorrow, together here.