SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 23, 2006 -- Experian(R), the global information solutions company, today announced that findings from a new study published by the AberdeenGroup indicate Experian is the leading provider of marketing services to best-in-class companies who utilize customer intelligence management to identify, define, and respond to their best customers. According to the report, companies exemplifying these industry leading practices attained greater than 25 percent year over year improvement in gross revenues and customer acquisition and retention rates.

The December 2005 report, titled Customer Intelligence Management Benchmark Report: Converting Data to Profits, focuses on the value companies can derive from implementing an enterprise-wide customer intelligence management process. The report surveyed executives at 125 companies across a broad range of industries and company sizes. Of the report's best-in-class respondents, 74 percent cited the need to adopt customer-centric strategies as the motivation to improve data management practices. The report notes that the capabilities, services and technology provided by third party firms directly contributes to identifying, acquiring and retaining a company's most profitable customers.

"Our research showed, best-in-class companies that outsource services to third party providers, selected Experian most often for services that improve their ability to manage customer intelligence," said Leslie Ament, director of Aberdeen's customer intelligence research practice. "These leading firms often decide to focus on their core operational competencies, outsourcing select customer intelligence management capabilities and processes to third party service providers for necessary expertise and time management savings."

The report showed that companies who exemplify best-in-class customer intelligence management practices out-perform their counterparts. These companies, particularly in retail, financial services, and consumer products, predominantly reported using Experian as their partner for managing customer intelligence. In leveraging the expertise and comprehensive set of services from Experian, best-in-class companies were able to achieve greater than 25 percent annual improvement in areas critical to profitable growth as measured by customer life time value.

"Key to assisting our clients in achieving profitable growth through the adoption of customer intelligence management practices are Experian's information and database services that help marketers gain an accurate, complete view of their customers and prospects across the enterprise, improve the integrity of their information, and develop more effective communication strategies," said Mark Parise, president of Experian Marketing Services. "To be recognized by industry leading companies is a testament to Experian's commitment to bring value to our customers through services and technology that enable customer-centric strategies."

"Organizations have spent millions capturing, analyzing and applying customer intelligence with the goal of growing revenues by increasing focus on customer-centric strategy and execution," stated Leslie Ament, director of Aberdeen's customer intelligence research practice. "We believe forward thinking organizations will continue to invest in select technology enablers, process development, performance measurement capabilities and services that empower them to apply customer intelligence towards better decision-making in support of more profitable growth."

For more information about Experian's services and to obtain a complimentary copy of the AberdeenGroup benchmark report, visit the company's Web site at http://www.experianmarketingsolutions.com .

About Aberdeen

Aberdeen delivers unbiased, primary research that helps enterprises derive tangible business value from technology-enabled solutions. Through continuous benchmarking and analysis of value chain practices, Aberdeen offers a unique mix of research, tools, and services to help Global Business Executives IMPROVE the financial and competitive position of their business; PRIORITIZE operational improvement areas to drive immediate, tangible value to their business, and LEVERAGE information technology for tangible business value.

About Experian

Experian is the global leader in providing value-added information solutions to organizations and consumers. It has an unrivaled understanding of individuals, markets and economies around the world.

Experian provides information, analytics, decision-making solutions and processing services. It assists organizations in understanding their markets and customers and helps them find, develop and manage profitable customer relationships to make their businesses more profitable.

Experian promotes greater financial health and opportunity among consumers by enabling them to understand, manage and protect their personal information, helping them control financial aspects of key life events and make the most advantageous financial decisions.

Experian works with more than 50,000 clients across diverse industries, including financial services, telecommunications, health care, insurance, retail and catalog, automotive, manufacturing, leisure, utilities, e-commerce, property and government. A subsidiary of GUS plc with headquarters in Nottingham, UK, and Costa Mesa, Calif., Experian employs 12,000 people in 31 countries who support clients in more than 60 countries. Annual sales exceed $2.5 billion.

The word "Experian" is a registered trademark in the EU and other countries and is owned by Experian Ltd. and/or its associated companies.