The normalization of postal addresses is an activity that affects multiple businesses, from e-commerce shops to logistics and transportation companies. Despite address normalization being important for a large number of businesses, the use of address normalization is often unclear for the entrepreneurs and webmasters that, indeed, should take advantage of it. That is why a few companies still struggle to implement the normalization instruments of the postal addresses and miss the opportunity to develop and optimize their resources. Therefore, we have thought that it would be useful to clarify the current scenario and analyze 10 important points to know: let’s discover them, one by one in detail to understand what validation is exactly and what advantages it gives.
1) Normalization requires professional software
The first thing to know is that proper normalization requires professional software to guarantee the maximum correspondence between the reality and the system databases. Despite there being different tools, especially online, that perform basic normalization operations, it is better to trust professional instruments that can provide better accuracy and precision in data reclamation.
2) Addresses can be validated individually or in a batch
The normalization of postal addresses mainly involves two procedures: the normalization of a single address and the normalization of several addresses. A single address can be normalized by entering the information and pressing Enter. If several addresses need validation, an excel file (or a similar format) can be uploaded and then the system will process the data. The processing time depends on the amount of addresses, as more addresses to validate may take more time; therefore, the standard normalization just takes few seconds while the batch normalization can take a few minutes.
3) The validator works on a PC, smartphone or tablet.
An address validator does not need a powerful PC and an “in house” installation because other options are available, such as subscribing IT services for websites that allows for the normalization of one or more addresses, even online via a smartphone or a tablet. This operation is both convenient and fast because it is possible 24/7 all year round via a corporate or private Internet connection.
4) The best normalization systems cover more than 250 countries
Logistics and transportation companies, online businesses as well as any business that deals with many customers can take advantage of the address normalization both in Italy and abroad. In Europe, the Asia Pacific Area, the USA or in south America, every country follows their own postal system and adopts different codes and formats. The task of an evolved validator is to cover the largest number of countries and give precise answers to the user’s requests.
5) From the CRM to e-commerce: the integrations of a validator
The latest generation in validators for the normalization of addresses can be integrated in several environments. Usually, the validator will be inserted in a business application, even as a plug-in such as IBM, SAP, Windows Google or Oracle infrastructure. We can install the validator in a CRM platform or in an e-commerce business to correct the addresses and facilitate their entry, or in a data entry system used by the assistance service or the webmaster to integrate the personal details or the databases of names.
6) The conversion of the destination language
When a postal address is validated, the output format is processed in a precise language (i.e. English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, etc.). There may be some cases where we need to enter the address in a language and receive it as a reclaimed address in another language. That can be performed with professional validation software that translates the address (i.e. Italian “cap” becomes “zip code” in English) but it can also turn the characters in Latin, native and other. That’s a huge competitive advantage because it reduces transliteration time and eliminates the human resource in charge of this task.
7) Use in real time, batch, API or plugin
Despite real time being the preferred normalization mode for millions of users, it is not the only option. Besides the instantaneous validation and batch validation, we suggest an alternative to this method that is the innovative API or plug-in to integrate to the websites and virtual environments. This is a valid way to set the parameters and meet the needs of the users that manage the normalization and use the program.
8) Less costs and more resources by normalizing the addresses
Let’s continue with the list of lesser known advantages: the economic factor. Normalization is not an expense but a long-term investment that will pay itself back reducing costs and optimizing resources. The expenses will be reset and any waste of money due to shipments delivered to wrong addresses will be eliminated. Every organized company knows that wrong deliveries cause economical and reputation damage that affect the sales in general.
9) Not only normalization: the other functionalities of a validator
The postal address normalization is just the tip of the iceberg and it is not the only possible operation. Modern validators provide several opportunities such as setting the validation of names, email addresses or phone numbers. Moreover, we can also get graphic coordinates through geocoding which means that the entered address is reclaimed and then translated into the corresponding latitude and longitude and finally signaled on the interactive map.
10) Free trial of Address 4 for online validation
This list can be completed with just one question: how much does it cost to normalize postal addresses? It depends, that’s the answer. There are several options such as subscription, the purchase of credits or software. Address 4 offers the trial version of its advanced suite to anybody who wants to test it freely. The trial is free, you just need to login and enter the addresses to reclaim. The system offers 100 free credits, after which additional credits can be purchased. If you wish to know more, you can go to the free trial page and try the suite now!
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