--- title: Things That Go Bounce in the Night - Data Horror Stories description: Dark tails of marketing data disasters from GCL Directs 25 years as the premium Direct Marketing Agency. 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[Resources](http://www.gcldirect.com/resources/) - [Careers](http://www.gcldirect.com/careers) - [Latest Careers](http://www.gcldirect.com/careers/latest-careers/) - [Blog](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog) - [Contact](http://www.gcldirect.com/contact/) [![CALL US NOW](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1604661/1f41ec7a-7629-4e9f-a478-c72e3048233c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1604661/1f41ec7a-7629-4e9f-a478-c72e3048233c) ### Welcome To Our Blog # Things That Go Bounce in the Night - Data Horror Stories [sam](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/author/sam) | 14 October 2014 Share:   - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/file-3659399680-jpg/blog-files/istock_000014528385medium-300x199.jpg)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/datahorrorstories) [![Data Horror Stories](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/file-3659399680-jpg/blog-files/istock_000014528385medium-300x199.jpg?width=300&height=199&name=istock_000014528385medium-300x199.jpg)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/file-3659399680-jpg/blog-files/istock_000014528385medium-300x199.jpg) Dark Stories of Data Disasters from GCL Direct Data can be the Hero or the Villain! Bad data, like Leatherface himself would give even the most seasoned Marketeer reason to run to the Hills!! In a nod to everyone's favourite Halloween Holiday here are some of the best Data Horror Stories (you can come out from behind the cushion now!) Over the years GCL have been asked to find many different types of decision makers. This year we have been asked on more than one occasion for Customer Experience decision makers, after scouring the market and consulting with our expansive partner network we concluded that you cannot purchase this type of contact in large numbers. However, a prospective client was convinced they had found some and it was only after a month of disastrous calling and dismal response rates that they conceded defeat. Luckily GCL were able to salvage the situation by using our internal database. We were able to[build](http://www.gcldirect.com/data/data-building) a sizeable number of contacts with responsibility for customer experience. The result was four times the response rates and a sizeable return on our new clients investment. A long standing [client](http://www.gcldirect.com/case-studies) called us up in a panic having wanted to save a few hundred pounds they had bought some email data from an offshore agency. The sample had checked out with perhaps a few suspect bounces but when the data was used and the email sent the client experienced bounce back rates of over 50%! Using our expansive [data network](http://www.gcldirect.com/guides/data-acquisition) we were able to find some replacement data and we even managed to get back some of the money from the offshore agency. One of our other clients, having acquired a new business sought to consolidate their 70+ Access, Excel and PDF Files (the unholy trio!) GCL's [data services](http://www.gcldirect.com/services/data) team merged all 700k+ records together ready for dedupe...SHOCK HORROR from 700k records only 300k unique records remained. Like the white knight riding to the rescue GCL [matched](http://www.gcldirect.com/dataanalysis) the sectors and segments to resupply like for like records and save the day! Data [management](http://www.gcldirect.com/data/data-management) is not a dirty word, as one of our new clients found out to their cost! For years the client had relied on its internal database built exclusively from web response forms for its marketing needs. However, when a new Marketing Manager came aboard and attempted to run a campaign using the database they were in for a shock! With more than 75% bounce rate just for email it was clear the data was badly in need of an overhaul. The client came to GCL and we were able to de-duplicate, [match and append](http://www.gcldirect.com/dataanalysis) the data to give the client a clean functioning database of thousands of contacts. Had any horror stories of your own? Let us know via twitter [@GCLDirect](https://twitter.com/GCLDirect) or [email](mailto:%20data@gcldirect.com) us directly. ### Categories - [Account Based Marketing (18)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/topic/account-based-marketing) - [ai crm (1)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/topic/ai-crm) - [Appointment Setting (12)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/topic/appointment-setting) - [B2B Appointment Setting (18)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/topic/b2b-appointment-setting) - [B2B Data (19)](https://blog.gclb2b.com/blog/topic/b2b-data) ### RESOURCES ![GCL_-_Workbook_Front_Cover_no_text.png](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GCL_Resources_How-to-convert-MQLS-into-SQLS-300x214.jpeg?width=358&height=377&name=GCL_Resources_How-to-convert-MQLS-into-SQLS-300x214.jpeg) [How To Convert MQLs Into SQLs](https://landing.gcldirect.com/how-to-turn-an-mql-into-an-sql) ![GCL_-_Workbook_Front_Cover_no_text.png](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GCL_Resources_How-to-create-a-winning-b2b-sales-pitch-300x214.jpeg?width=358&height=377&name=GCL_Resources_How-to-create-a-winning-b2b-sales-pitch-300x214.jpeg) [How To Create A Winning B2B Sales Pitch](https://landing.gcldirect.com/your-guide-to-winning-more-sales-pitches) ![GCL_-_Workbook_Front_Cover_no_text.png](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GCL_Resources_The-guide-to-holistic-lead-generation-300x214.jpeg?width=358&height=377&name=GCL_Resources_The-guide-to-holistic-lead-generation-300x214.jpeg) [The Guide To Holistic Lead Generation](https://landing.gcldirect.com/the-guide-to-holistic-lead-generation) #### Subscribe To Our Resources Simply enter your email address to receive  alerts of new resources **![](https://blog.gclb2b.com/hs-fs/hubfs/layout/logo.png?width=113&name=logo.png)**   **HEAD OFFICE** 2nd Floor, Charter House, 52 Charlotte Street, Birmingham. 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