CDMS to Refocus on Transactional Data

UK customer insight and database management firm CDMS is rebranding under the name of Transactis, the transactional data provider it bought just under a year ago; and restructuring as it merges with the acquired firm.

CDMS works for major UK clients including Nationwide and Betfair. The new entity claims to handle 1.5% of all UK mail and 7% of all B2C mail - with the retail transaction data pool Transactis has built through the 160 home-shopping and online brands that make up its membership.

Services will now include insight based on transactional data, transactional prospect data, data and database management, image management and catalogue production, customer communications, and the management and execution of campaigns. The firm says it will continue to extend its print and mail business as Transactis Document Solutions, a division of the new merged operation.

Transactis, now jointly based across two sites in London and Liverpool, also has a new combined management team led by new CEO David Steele. Steele joined CDMS in June after fifteen years in customer loyalty and relationship marketing, most recently as Managing Director of Retail at dunnhumby in the UK, leading its commercial relationship with Tesco; and General Manager of its Ireland operation.

Steele says the new name fits with the direction the company is taking 'in an age of greater personalisation, one-to-one communication and multiple contact touch-points'. He explains: 'Our services are geared towards turning clients' transactional data into actionable insight, and then using that understanding to enable clients to set customer strategies, deliver engaging communication and drive business profitability.'

Chris Morris, the former MD of Transactis who launched the company in 2004, will remain with the business as a non-executive director and will continue to work directly with Steele and with clients. He comments: 'By putting the activities of the two operations together, we can extend services to both our clients and our members to boost their insight, targeting, digital print and delivery capability. That's what the market wants.'

Web site: www.transactis.co.uk .