Credit Services provides information to organisations to help them lend profitably to their customers.
Experian has developed core expertise in building and managing very large and comprehensive databases containing the credit applications and repayment histories of consumers and businesses. Our clients use this information to manage the risks associated with lending money and to determine, for example, the terms of a credit agreement, whether to offer a loan or issue a credit card and what action to take with an overdue account.
Experian’s expertise in database management has also led to the development of specialist databases and services for the automotive sector.
Consumer information
Experian operates 16 consumer credit bureaux, maintaining information on over 500 million consumers. Our goal as a consumer credit reporting agency is to help lenders make better informed and faster credit decisions through access to detailed historical information about how consumers have fulfilled their credit obligations.
Experian owns consumer credit bureaux in the US, UK, Brazil, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and Spain, and has an interest in bureaux in India, Russia and Singapore.
Experian credit reports vary by country, but typically include identification information, past and present credit obligations, court judgments, suspected fraudulent applications and previous addresses. The information is used by lenders across the entire customer lifecycle.
Prospecting and origination
At the prospecting stage, where regulations permit, credit reports are used to identify consumers for pre-approved offers of credit. At the application stage, credit reference checks are undertaken to verify the applicant’s identity, assess credit risk and the potential for fraud, and set the terms and conditions of the credit offer.
Account management and collections
Credit information is also used to drive account management and retention programmes. Changes in a consumer credit report often provide an indication of change in the risk or opportunity presented by existing customers.
Experian’s credit reports also help improve the return on collections processes by optimising collection efforts, locating debtors and confirming and updating contact details.
Back to top
Business information
Experian maintains information on about 40 million businesses across the world, of all shapes and sizes. We own and operate business credit bureaux in the US, UK, Brazil, China, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Norway and South Africa, and have an interest in a bureau in Singapore.
Experian’s business information is used by clients to set the credit terms for new accounts and to manage existing account relationships. A typical business report will include a wide range of information, including company’s registration and ownership details, trading addresses, how quickly the business is paying its bills, a credit risk score, court judgments and a history of its financial performance.
Our ownership of both consumer and business credit information means that Experian is particularly well positioned to help assess the creditworthiness of small to medium-sized businesses, often the largest and fastest growing segment of an economy. Here the finances of the owners are frequently closely linked to those of the business. By combining personal and commercial credit information in one report, Experian provides a complete picture of the creditworthiness of small businesses.
Automotive information
Experian supplies vehicle history information in the US, UK, China, Holland and Italy to help dealers, finance providers, insurers and consumers understand the risk associated with used vehicles.
Our information is used to determine whether a vehicle has been registered as a write-off or stolen, or if it has outstanding finance. A vehicle history check can also help establish the market value of a vehicle, the accuracy of the odometer reading and whether or not the vehicle has changed owners, been damaged in an accident, or been imported.