This paper examines how Experian, one of the world's largest consumer and business information providers, operates on the internet. It outlines the company's online service offerings, including credit reporting and consumer data services, before analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of internet integration. Key benefits include global accessibility, around-the-clock service availability, and reduced operating costs through automation. The paper then focuses on the significant security challenges Experian faces, particularly identity theft, referencing a documented 1997 incident in which a flawed web service exposed consumer credit data. The paper concludes with recommendations for implementing digital certificates and emerging biometric technologies to reduce identity theft vulnerability.
Experian is a global organization that provides financial reporting services to its subscribers. The organization helps its users make informed decisions in the fields of marketing, advertising, decision-making, and consumer-related services such as customer relationship management (CRM). Experian also provides outsourcing services to businesses (Experian Web Site, 2003).
Experian is among the largest consumer and business information providers in the world. The wide network of consumers and businesses subscribed to the organization complements the company's standing within the industry. The company has maintained a consistent focus on integration with its consumers and business clients — a significant reason for the scale of its operations (Experian Web Site, 2003).
One component of the company's large-scale integration strategy is the provision of online services to subscribed consumers and businesses. Experian has established a range of services for both personal and corporate consumers on the internet. These services span from receiving credit reports online to providing businesses with consumer-related information (Experian Web Site, 2003; Saunders, 2002).
The internet has increased communication between the organization and its consumers. However, alongside the benefits of greater availability of financial reporting services through internet integration, a number of issues arise that may have an adverse effect on the organization.
In order to keep pace with globalization, organizations are encouraged to make their services globally accessible. Globalizing service delivery means that consumers should be able to reach businesses more easily, regardless of location. This is precisely one advantage Experian gains from using the internet to provide services to consumers around the world.
With services available online, consumers and businesses can request credit reports and other financial information at any time of day or night. Consumers no longer need to conform to the organization's official operating hours and can use services at their own convenience. This represents another consumer-oriented advantage Experian gains from internet delivery.
The internet also allows organizations to reduce operating costs, since much of the system can be automated and a single process can replace the manual work of many employees.1 Automation of routine tasks also reduces the likelihood of human error, which further lowers the hidden costs Experian incurs from mistakes — including lost time and disruption to normal operations.
All of the advantages described above complement Experian's efforts to improve service quality for consumers. These benefits translate into higher consumer satisfaction and, ultimately, greater consumer loyalty — which is most advantageous for the long-term sustainability of Experian within the industry.
"Security threats and identity theft exposure"
"Documented 1997 breach and ongoing vulnerabilities"
"Digital certificates and biometrics as solutions"
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