Data used as check for PrintAbout’s over 1.2 million customers
PrintAbout started in 2004 in a attic room in Moordrecht. From there, toners and cartridges found their way to the corporate market. PrintAbout has since become one of the biggest players in the Benelux with more than 1.2 million private and business customers. Altares Dun & Bradstreet has been a reliable partner in their growth for many years. A partner that the company would like to keep relying on to increase its market share.
Print About
1,2M
satisfied customers
50
Employees
4.6
Score in Trustpilot
We want to check every new customer. Everyone sleeps much better when you know that companies that owe you money can actually pay it.”
1. The Challenge
Reliable creditworthiness check
In its online advertising to companies, PrintAbout expressly advertises the use of ‘postpay’. “If you do that, you better be sure that the companies that order from you will actually pay,” says Robbert Plukaard, E-commerce Manager at PrintAbout. “There is nothing more annoying and expensive than sending endless payment reminders,” adds Plukaard. “That is why we want to check our customers' creditworthiness. We use the data from Altares Dun & Bradstreet to do this.”
2. The Solution
Data integration into PrintAbout's ERP
PrintAbout employees have been working with Altares Dun & Bradstreet's business data for many years. “It is fully integrated in our ERP system, which is very convenient for us. In addition, it is so user-friendly that all employees have quickly become familiar with it."
PrintAbout uses two solutions from Altares Dun & Bradstreet. “We use Business Verification to check for each company whether it is actually registered under the name and address details provided by the customer. That gives us a safer feeling when we start shipping products. Our payment terms for every company also include an upfront payment for the first order.”
2004
100%
2023
Global Decision Maker is an application to conduct transactions with ease and confidence.
Using a traffic light model, we can read how companies are assessed based on a number of scores and predictive indicators, such as payment history, bankruptcy score and the D&B rating. We simply organised the rules and aligned them with our risk policy. When the traffic light is green, this means that the transaction meets the risk level we've determined and can be approved. Amber or red lights point to inconsistencies. “The Netherlands and Belgium have an incredible number of small businesses. There is nothing wrong with the vast majority. But there are also those who order from us with dubious intentions. We are therefore particularly alert to billing addresses that don't match, as well as company numbers or owner details.”
3. The result
Grow with confidence
What happens if a red or amber traffic light pops up during the credit check? “That happens quite a few times a month. Then we look at the type of company and why it does not meet our risk rules. In such a case, we can do several things. We may request a (down) payment and then release the order. Or, in the most exceptional case, we may cancel an entire order. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen that often.”
Now one of the biggest players in the Benelux, PrintAbout still has plenty of growth ambitions. “We want to grow further and increase our market share. We can still win many new customers in Belgium, among other places. The data from Altares Dun & Bradstreet will also play an important role in this growth. Being able to read the data in a uniform way for both countries will ensure we can maintain our risk policy.
What other customers say
"In particular, we felt the purity of the data was very important; that was the priority."
'As a company with a global scope, it is important for us to have a stable solution available based on global, reliable data'
'Every new customer we want to check. It sleeps much better for everyone if you know that companies you are owed money from can actually pay it.'
"To make sure we are sourcing good, reliable dealers everywhere, we need the expertise of Altares Dun & Bradstreet.
'We can now act proactively when it comes to credit risk.'
"We had another business information provider, but in testing, we found that with their data, we were only covering 45 percent of our customers.
'Doing business based on current, complete and accurate data.'
'Only by automating can we make substantial gains.'
'Improved customer insight and optimal service'
'For Barco, it is important to support your strategy and your decisions with market data.'
'Altares Dun & Bradstreet's Marketing Insight solutions have provided ten times higher conversion from 'suspects' to 'prospects' in the Benelux'
'Altares Dun & Bradstreet understands the data and the business. Together we will take steps toward the sustainable future.'
