Contact Data
Part of CRM data quality
Handling incomplete customer records
Triage missing CRM information by the work it affects, assign unresolved gaps and avoid guessed values that make a record misleading.
For an incomplete customer record, ask what the missing information is needed for, whether it can be obtained now and who will resolve it. Leave an unknown fact unknown. Filling a required field with a guess can make the record look complete while giving the next person a false answer.
Sort gaps by the work they block
Start with the task, not the percentage of fields filled. A missing contact route may prevent a reply; a missing account owner may leave an enquiry unattended. A missing decision date may be reasonable while the customer is still considering a proposal. Treat those gaps differently.
| Gap | Question to ask | Possible treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Needed for work due now | Can the responsible person act without it? | Obtain it or hold the handover for review. |
| Needed later | At what event should it become known? | Leave it open and set a review point. |
| Not relevant to this record | Why is the field being requested? | Review the requirement or use an approved “not applicable” state. |
| Conflicts with another source | Which source and date are dependable? | Investigate before overwriting a value. |
Distinguish unknown, not yet confirmed, not applicable and incorrect in the team’s recording rule. A blank field may be honest, but it needs an owner when the gap blocks current work.
Give each exception a route
For a record that cannot support its next task, record what is missing, why it matters, who will seek the answer and when it will be reviewed. If the customer must supply the answer, state the question to ask. If another team holds it, use the normal handover. Avoid returning the record to a queue without someone accountable for resolving it.
Check related records before asking a customer to repeat information. The contact route may exist on the right person record while the opportunity is linked to the wrong contact. Fix the relationship when that is the problem.
If a value was once correct but is now old, distinguish the historical and current facts where the task needs both.
Use controls at the right point
Make a field required when its absence would prevent a legitimate decision or handover. If users routinely enter placeholders, review whether the rule applies too early, the choices are wrong or the information has no clear owner. Requiring a value cannot verify its truth.
Check import outcomes too. HubSpot describes errors and missing values during column mapping, which can be reviewed and corrected in the import tool. Inspect affected fields and correct values through an approved route.
For organisations subject to the Australian Privacy Principles, APP 10 requires reasonable steps concerning the quality of personal information collected and, having regard to purpose, information used or disclosed.
APP 13 requires reasonable correction steps in specified circumstances, including when an APP entity is satisfied that information it holds is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, or the individual requests correction. Obtain information the task needs and correct known errors without collecting extra personal detail merely to fill a screen.
Key Requirements Under Australian Privacy Principles (APP)
- APP 10: Quality of Personal InformationRequires reasonable steps to ensure personal information is accurate, up-to-date, complete, and relevant.
- APP 13: Correction of Personal InformationRequires reasonable steps to correct inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading information.
Correcting Data During CRM Imports
- Review import errors during column mappingUse HubSpot’s import tool to identify missing values and mapping issues.
- Inspect affected fieldsVerify data integrity before finalising the import.
- Correct values through an approved routeEnsure corrections follow internal governance and privacy compliance.
