Corporate failures jumped by 10.7% in 2006, according to the latest figures released by Experian, to 20,067. This is the highest annual number of corporate failures recorded since Experian began reporting in 1997 and represents a growing threat to any company targeting business customers.
Nick Frazer, B2B marketing director at Experian, said: "The record number of business failures is a major issue B2B marketers can no longer ignore. Pre-screening data will also help avoid unnecessary and expensive sales visits to high-risk prospects and will improve conversion rates."
Experian's pre-screened data service uses the company's commercial credit information to enable marketers to screen their B2B marketing databases and lists to remove any prospects and customers that do not meet credit risk criteria.
The number of business failures in the UK of 5,837 in the fourth quarter of 2006 was also the highest quarterly number compared with previous quarters since Experian's records began in 1997.
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