Archive for October, 2008
So, What Are Those DOTS Things Anyway?
Service Objects was created in 2001 out of the necessity to validate contact information. Since then we have become a well oiled machine offering over 20 different DOTS Web Services…
Service Objects DOTS Web Services offer capabilities that leave our competition in the dust scratching their heads. But a question that keeps rising to the top is…”What does DOTS stand for”?
“DOTS” stands for Dynamic On Time Services, an acronym that was created by one of our founders and current CEO. The reason that I wanted to blog about this topic with you is because I’m in sales. I’m on the front lines everyday and one of the most consistent questions I receive is, “what does DOTS stand for?”
If you notice throughout our Web site you will find small “dots” at the top left potion of each page, next to our company logo. These “dots”, or symbols, are what ties our logo and company name with our actual product names, which always begin with the word “DOTS”, case in point our DOTS Lead Validation Web Service.
I hope that I was able to I clarify one thing for you today…when you think of DOTS, think:
“Dynamic On Time Services”, and of course, think Service Objects!
Thanks for reading,
Ryan M.
Want to connect with Ryan M.? Email him today at communications@serviceobjects.com.
Add comment October 29, 2008
Updated DOTS Address Geocode – US Data
This week I’d like to discuss an important update to our DOTS Address Geocode – US Web Service. One of our many sources for geocoding US addresses is the TIGER/Line database, published by the Census Bureau. This particular database is updated and published twice a year, and we update our services with the new data as soon as possible. A typical update may take a week or two to implement and test.
Our regular update procedure was interrupted when the Census Bureau announced a new database format for the latest release. Due to our proprietary method of combining street data sources, we needed to rewrite much our DOTS Address Geocode – US service from the ground up in order to work with the new database format.
This was not an easy task–it took months of research, development, and testing to ensure we had done the job right. During the development, we took a fresh look at every step of the geocoding process and made dozens of changes. As a result, we can now locate even more addresses at the property level, and have substantially increased accuracy. At Service Objects we are always looking for ways to improve our DOTS Web Services!
We strive to keep our data sources up-to-date so you receive the best information available. Updating our DOTS Address Geocode – US service was time well spent, ensuring fresh data and faster updates in the future. We’re confident that these changes have added value to the service and will greatly benefit our clients.
Thank you for reading,
Alex P.
Questions for Alex P.? Contact him at communications@serviceobjects.com
Add comment October 21, 2008
The New Face of Business
Not too long ago, Sears and Roebuck revolutionized American retail with mail order catalogs. Retail has come a long way since then, with the Internet paving the way for e-commerce and eliminating the physical boundaries that used to separate markets. With e-commerce now accounting for billions of dollars in sales and revenue, it’s hard to remember the days before online order forms and PayPal.
The technological age has radically changed the way we do business. Purchasing electronics used to mean going to Radio Shack or Circuit City, but now we turn to our computers and search Amazon and Google. Traditional face-to-face business interactions have become a virtual connection between an IP address and a server. The business platform has changed, and with it we have lost our ability to identify consumers.
So in the age of online business, how do you differentiate suspicious consumers from genuine customers? How do you know if the phone number and address they provide is in fact real? And how can you tell if Jane Smith’s credit card really belongs to her? E-commerce has created countless opportunities for online buyers and sellers, but it has also introduced a world of identity theft.
When I first started working at Service Objects over two years ago, I had no idea that there was someone working behind the scenes to protect businesses from online fraud. Since 2001, Service Objects has been helping online merchants gain insight about their consumers – helping them discern true customers from fraudulent users. In the new face of business, Service Objects can protect online merchants and mitigate fraudulent threats through our extensive offering of DOTS Web Service solutions.
I know the Internet hosts an extensive amount of fraud, so it helps me sleep a little better at night knowing there is a company out there whose focus is to ensure companies know who they are dealing with, and that my identity is protected.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog and thank you for reading!
Marissa B.
Do you have questions for Marissa B.? Connect with her today at communications@serviceobjects.com.
Add comment October 15, 2008
New Undeliverable-as-Addressed (UAA) Standards
As a marketer I am always keeping a watch on industry news that will affect the bottom line of my sales and marketing campaigns. I think that this story is of particular interest to my field, especially since I will be able to utilize my company’s products to counteract the potential pitfalls associated with the new USPS UAA standards.
Beginning on November 23, 2008, USPS will begin to act on its pledge to reduce UAA mail volume by 50 percent by the year 2010. While in the past USPS has kept strict UAA guidelines for all Presorted First Class Mail, Standard Mail has never had to meet those same guidelines. However, beginning in November every piece of mail that passes through the Post office will be required to pass new UAA standards for deliverable mail.
Mailers that do not take action to scrub the addresses in their mailing lists and CRM databases clean will now face the threat of:
- Losing their mailing automation discounts
- Paying penalty fees for each piece of mail returned
As I mentioned earlier, Service Objects has a solution that can eliminate the threats associated with the new UAA standards. DOTS Address Validation – US removes the worry of undeliverable mail by checking every address on your mailing list or in your CRM database, right down to the mailbox level. Our service will even match the consumer or business name to the address, ensuring that your customers exist where you think they do.
DOTS Address Validations – US can help keep sales and marketing professionals compliant with new industry and government regulations while simultaneously enabling us to watch the bottom line of our campaigns, making sure that our dollars are being spent where we want them…bringing in the best possible leads for our companies!
Thanks for reading this week and if you have any questions feel free to email me at communications@serviceobjects.com.
Thanks again,
Dara F.
Add comment October 1, 2008
