Customer
Profile
 GEICO
Pinpoints Members via ZIP Data Program
GEICO – one of the nation’s largest auto insurers –
wants to make sure it can get to its policy holders
in no time flat. To do so, it’s enlisted the help of
Melissa Data and its speedy ZIP*Data database.
ZIP*Data links 5-digit ZIP Codes™ to corresponding
geographic data. The program contains more than
72,000 records and six detail files. GEICO uses
ZIP*Data to pinpoint the location of its members who
call for roadside assistance.
“We use the ZIP*Data for our Emergency Road Service
line of business,” says Spencer Sullivan, a senior
programmer analyst at GEICO. “We utilize an in-house
software product that has an SQL back-end. We take
the data that Melissa Data provides and port that
data into our proprietary data format to be used by
our system. We use this data to help determine the
location of our policy holders and assist our
service providers in getting to our customers to
perform the service.”
Using the program helps increase data entry accuracy
and instantly verifies city, state and correct ZIP
Code. ZIP*Data also appends census codes and
latitude/longitude coordinates to zero-in on
customer or service locations.
Sullivan notes using the program has saved them a
lot of time. “We save at least a few days worth of
time a year by not having to hunt down and manually
install updates from other sources,” Sullivan says.
He adds, “The data itself saves us immeasurable
amounts of time locating and getting the right
service providers to our customers. The reliability
of the data is also of great importance because this
isn’t just about data, there are very real people
that we are able to more effectively help, thanks,
in part, to the data we put into our systems. Anyone
who has been stranded on the side of the road knows
the relief of a tow truck arriving in a timely
manner.”
Sullivan also likes how easy it is to operate the
program. “Melissa Data provides the most bang for
your buck when it comes to ZIP Code-related data,”
he notes. “Melissa Data has proven to be very
reliable and competent. We have never had to track
down someone at Melissa Data to get our updates or
information on their other products. They have been
there with us every step of the way.”
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