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In a recent project, I was tasked with cataloging data we currently had for an email marketing list. I found duplicates, incorrect addresses and information that was inaccurate or not applicable. What I didn’t expect to find was how many members had bad data in their account.

Most of us have done it before: filled out an online form requesting further information, but either leaving form fields blank or filling them in with answers like “N/A.” However, these answers aren’t filtered out automatically, so although it appears we have first and last names for an entire list, many of them may be incorrect.

The problem arises when the client sends an email to these customers using personalized data fields. If I was to receive an email addressed to “Dear N/A” I would probably blame the company and may lose respect for that business. In reality, it began with me giving them bad information.

Should the company have seen this and either removed the personalization or sought to update my data by some other means? What is the best way to handle incomplete or bad data on the business side? Is data-verification something clients should budget for or is it the customer’s responsibility to complete it correctly in the first place?