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| News & Updates from Merlin Information Services |
Spring 2009 |
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Merlin to offer Premium Credit Headers from Experian
by Mike Dores, President |
After many years of on-and-off negotiations, Merlin and Experian have agreed to a long-term licensing arrangement whereby Merlin will offer Experian credit header data to a variety of qualified industries, including private investigators. The monthly updated file includes names and akas, phone numbers, up to eight previous address, birthdates and Social Security numbers (truncated in most applications). Access to the data is restricted based on the provisions of 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
The Experian credit header has long been considered the most current and complete skiptracing database and Merlin is proud to have passed Experian’s rigorous qualification requirements to become a distributor of the product. Beginning this fall, Merlin plans to incorporate the Experian data into our Link to America™ and Link to America Pro products and also offer it as a standalone credit header search. We do not anticipate any price increase for the Link to America products with the addition of the Experian data.
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Archives
Winter 09
Fall 08
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Winter 08
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Merlin to Launch Upgraded Website in July |
Brand new look for Merlin!
The summer of ’09 will be marked by some exciting changes at Merlin…..most notably the launch of our redesigned website. The new site will feature a new corporate logo and color scheme, navigational and user interface enhancements, and an innovative Multi-Database Search tool.
Eighteen years after its inception, the mythical wizard associated with the current Merlin brand will give way to a more updated technological image. Showcasing the new image, the redesigned website is intended to improve the customer experience, offer advanced search capabilities, and support other company initiatives such as the Merlin Partner Program.
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New Multi-Database Search Tool Coming Soon! |
As part of the upcoming enhanced website, Merlin will be unveiling a new, Multi-Database Search tool for faster and improved search results. Multi-Database Searching makes it easy for customers to search several databases at once. Now, with just a few keystrokes, customers will be able to search more databases without redundant data entry.
The Multi-Database Search will include searches into credit headers, white pages data, national assets and a variety of current and historical California databases. Like other Merlin databases, customers will still be able to “dig deeper” from the Multi-Database results by using a secondary menu to search further into individual specialty databases.
Several Merlin customers were asked to participate in a focus group to help Merlin’s design team with the Multi-Database Search. “We get our best product ideas from our own customers, “ says Mike Dores, Merlin’s founder and President. “We’ve learned over the years to really listen to our customers -- we know our focus for new development should always be driven by our customers’ needs.”
Look for more information soon about the Multi-Database Search!
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Merlin Expands its Partner Program |
Merlin is excited to announce the launch of its expanded Partner Program! Whether you are looking to add value to a current offering at your own website, or searching for an innovative standalone solution, Merlin now offers a wide range of Partnership opportunities to fit your needs and help boost your revenue.
- Have an existing product that would be enhanced by Merlin’s rich data sets?
- Looking to sell or refer Merlin’s best-of-class products to your customers?
At Merlin Information Services, we understand the value of partnerships. Visit our new Partner website and explore the many ways Merlin can assist your company today!
partners.merlindata.com
From implementation assistance to joint marketing opportunities, Merlin is here to help your business succeed!
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Merlin is pleased to announce the launch of our newest database, CarFacts.
CarFacts contains national vehicle registration information, searchable by owner, address, or VIN. This database includes over 105 million records from numerous public and private sources, including DMV information from some state agencies.
CarFacts is a valuable source for phone numbers and addresses not available in other databases.
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When searching Merlin’s new CarFacts database, use the following tips to improve your hit rate.
- If you are searching by an uncommon name, it’s generally best to run the search nationwide so you don’t limit your results. The Results List can be sorted by state.
- If you are searching a common name, include a city, state, or ZIP code to narrow your results.
- Double check the VIN # and be careful not to confuse the letter “O” with the number “0”.
- When searching by address, it’s best to limit the amount of data you input. Leave out unit or apartment numbers, “Street” or “Ave”, and directionals such as “N” or “SW”.
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Nathan Williams
National Partnership Manager
Nathan joined Merlin in 2008. With valuable industry experience from his previous position at ChoicePoint, Inc., his focus is on enhancing Merlin’s Partner Program . Knowledge in the data industry, along with a good understanding about creating mutually beneficial partnerships, makes Nathan a great asset to Merlin and for our customers. Nathan enjoys working with the great team at Merlin and we’re glad to have him!
On weekends, he can be found hiking in Glacier National Park, boating on Flathead Lake, or enjoying a local symphony or play with his family.
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Amy Farrell
Partnership Consultant
Amy has been on the Merlin team for over 10 years. As a database expert, she helps Merlin’s Partners determine the best products for resale and provides XML integration support. Amy is a valuable resource who knows Merlin’s products and customers well; although she admits enjoying the challenge of keeping up with our constantly changing data industry.
In her spare time, Amy enjoys spending time outside in the beautiful Flathead Valley – playing softball, camping, working in her yard, and playing with her daughter.
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Upcoming Trade Shows and Conferences |
Merlin will be at the following trade shows and conferences. Please stop by our booth and meet the Merlin team!
April 30 – May 2
National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS)
Las Vegas, NV
April 30 – May 2
National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys (NARCA)
Boston, MA
July 13 – 15
Association of Credit & Collection Professionals (ACA)
Las Vegas, NV
October 18 – 20
Financial Services Collections Conference
Las Vegas, NV
October 20 – 22
COPSWest (CPOA)
Ontario, CA
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Community Support and Involvement |
Merlin Receives Better Business Bureau Honor
Merlin is proud to have been awarded an honorable mention at the 2009 Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics. The Torch Awards are presented to companies in recognition of their outstanding commitment to exceptional standards in relationship to their consumers, employees, suppliers, competitors, shareholders, and surrounding communities.
Merlin Goes Green!
Merlin participated in the “Trees to Paper to Trees" Recycling Drive in April. Employees spent recent months gathering recyclable materials to contribute. The funds from the recycling drive are used to purchase street trees for the community. Merlin plans to participate regularly. Employees are already looking forward to the fall drive!
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Merlin to offer Premium Credit Headers from Experian - continued |
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For those new to skiptracing, a credit header is the top portion of a credit bureau report. It does not contain any credit information and is therefore not governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The data is searchable by any combination of name, address, SSN or date of birth. Because each individual can have up to 8 previous addresses, a search by name plus an old address will often produce a current address, making credit headers an excellent source for locating people.
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“Nice newsletter! Informative! Also, KUDOS to you all for your giving nature at Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thanks for your great product(s). Keep up the good work!”
Lisa Wallace, Wallace Research & Investigations
“I find the MERLIN newsletter enjoyable and always find something that I can use. I also like the bio on the Sales Team -- it's a nice touch.”
Steve Bloch, R. Stephen Bloch, Esq.
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