For customer data maintenance—the process of keeping existing customer addresses current—the most reliable source is typically the USPS-related move update process, specifically NCOALink® (National Change of Address Link). NCOALink® is a secure USPS dataset built from approximately 160 million permanent change-of-address records filed by individuals, families, and businesses.
Accessing NCOALink® for customer records is distinct from acquiring a prospecting list of new movers, which usually comes from third-party data providers or compilers using property, mortgage, or other compiled signals.
For organizations sending compliance-sensitive or essential customer communications (e.g., banking, insurance, healthcare, utilities), utilizing NCOALink® is critical for ensuring mail reaches the intended recipient. However, it is essential to understand the licensing, permission, compliance, and data-handling requirements, as not every organization can use every move record for every purpose.
Move data should be integrated into a comprehensive address quality strategy:
- Pre-Mailing: NCOALink® processing should be performed to catch moves before a mailing is sent.
- Post-Mailing: ACS™ (Address Change Service) data should be utilized to capture electronic change-of-address and non-delivery information from the mailstream.
- Internal Workflows: The entire process must be connected to internal business rules and returned mail management to ensure the updated address is fed back into the source systems, thereby preventing wasted marketing spend, returned mail, and compliance exposure.
Move update data for customer record maintenance is primarily sourced from USPS-related processes like NCOALink® (built from permanent change-of-address records). For marketing prospecting, new mover data may come from third-party providers. The correct source depends on whether you are prospecting, maintaining customer records, or supporting compliance-sensitive communications.
