Brookson, a leading provider of accountancy, tax advice and support services in the UK, has appointed global information services company Experian to assist with the electronic authentication of customer details.
Using Experian's electronic authentication platform, Authenticate Pro, Brookson will be able to verify details of new customers immediately, saving time for both the customer and Brookson staff by removing the need for paper-based proof of identity. Reducing the use of customers' valuable identity documents will decrease the risk of these being lost, stolen or used for fraudulent purposes whilst in transit. It will also ensure that Brookson is compliant with anti-money laundering regulation, allowing them to confirm that all new customers are free from previous fraud offences.
By moving to electronic authentication, Brookson will make further savings by no longer having to send official documents such as passports back to customers via registered post.
Authenticate Pro accurately verifies the identity of new customers by referencing an applicant's details against Experian's data sources to obtain a 'pass', 'fail' or 'refer' with regards to their identity. Where a 'fail' or 'refer' is signalled, Experian's QAS Validator Plus product performs a remote check on information contained in official documents, such as a passport number, without the customer having to part with these.
Andrew Sloan, Head of New Business at Brookson, said: "We see huge benefits in implementing an electronic authentication system like Experian's. It will improve our internal efficiencies and the customer experience when people sign up to our services. Working with Experian allows us to offer our customers a swifter application process and support our staff with an automated system that reduces the time spent on ¬manual intervention. We are now able to join customers on the same day providing checks are passed, something which could previously take up to five days. We were also impressed by Experian's insight and the team's depth of experience."
Stuart Johnston, Managing Director at Experian QAS, added: "The authentication procon process plays a crucial part in improving business efficiencies in the financial services market. It affects the customer experience, staff workloads and compliance. By integrating QAS Validator Plus and Authenticate Pro, Brookson will benefit from the efficient and rapid validation of customer details and make the customer acquisition process a seamless process."