Substantial investments directed towards sophisticated strategies, persuasive texts, and creative campaigns don’t always translate into expected results. This frustration, quite common in the market, is often not related to execution quality but rather to a frequently overlooked element: outdated contacts.
More than just a database, a qualified, active, and reliable contact base is the true foundation of any successful corporate campaign. Ignoring this point can compromise not only the delivery of actions but also the relationship with the target audience and, consequently, the return on investment (ROI).
Managers and decision-makers recognize the value of data as a source for strategic actions. However, having a large volume of information is useless if there’s no guarantee that this data is accurate, valid, and up-to-date. According to a Validity study, 75% of respondents state that approaches based on inaccurate or outdated data lead to customer loss and hinder the accurate measurement of action results.
The problem goes beyond incomplete records or typos. The real bottleneck lies in the lack of communication journey monitoring. Many contacts re-enter the relationship cycle after a period of inactivity but through different numbers or channels. Not recognizing this pattern prevents the company from adjusting its actions in real-time and compromises opportunity utilization. Without a continuous validation structure and proper integration between databases and data-consuming channels, the base quickly becomes obsolete — even if seemingly extensive.
The absence of data governance and mechanisms that prioritize the right number for each CPF (Brazilian tax ID) generates direct impacts: poorly targeted campaigns, ineffective attempts, budget waste, operational rework, performance loss, and, in more sensitive cases, damage to customer relationships due to repeated or incorrect contact attempts.
Additionally, the lack of intelligence about return behavior — how and when the customer re-engages — prevents the development of more effective re-engagement strategies. The result is an operation that indiscriminately tries multiple numbers for the same CPF, consuming resources, team time, and risking legal violations, such as LGPD breaches due to improper contacts.
Although it may seem like a complex problem, this scenario can be reversed with methodologies that prioritize the intelligent use of data. The key lies in directing efforts to the validated number with the highest response probability and aligned with the relationship history of that CPF. Having an enriched, updated, and strategically built database is essential to ensure the message reaches those who truly matter — on the right phone, through the right channel, at the right time.
In this context, technology plays a central role, not just as a one-time validation tool but as part of an ongoing relationship framework. Models based on inference and behavior, combined with a daily feedback system, make the contact base a living asset — capable of learning from data and continuously improving.
Beyond identifying whether a number is active, it’s crucial to recognize which contact has the highest potential to generate results. This means reducing attempts, increasing effectiveness rates, protecting the brand’s image, and offering a more relevant customer experience.
The use of data-driven decision layers is what differentiates high-performance operations from those that merely blast messages to everyone. Therefore, it’s essential for companies to adopt models that not only clean data but also learn from it. What worked? When did it work? And what can work again?
Treating the contact base as a strategic asset — integrating external sources, historical behavior, carrier validation, and channel preferences — is the safest path to generating real value. After all, no one likes to be impacted by communication that makes no sense for their moment or profile. And just as excessive attempts harm the customer, they also harm the company.
Avoiding this kind of damage requires consistency, intelligence, and structure. A living base is one that evolves over time, adapts to customer behavior, and delivers value to both the sender and the recipient.
