Telephone Matches
APT offers a four-stage match process:
- We standardize your data so that it matches to the max. Before we ever start a match, we sequentially implement our Basic Sanitation clean-up routines on the incoming file to ensure that it is fully standardized.
- Next, we run multi-level matches. We search for matches in up to ten different ways, evaluating and scoring all the possible matches according to their strengths and weaknesses.
- Then, we run a series of routines that compare the match scores and pick the best match, drawing the line between good matches and close calls.
- Finally, we check our work. We randomly spot-check our matches, and then more carefully check through the close calls, both matches and near-matches, to ensure the programs have run properly.
Get a Bad Phone Match Somewhere?Top Ten List: Problems that Trip Up Our Competitors:
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You'll Get Back Our Unique "Match Type" Coding:
We give you back a "Match Type" code that you can use not only to look at the nature of each match but to help you find and fix problems with your file that our match has potentially uncovered. Our match type coding is not meant to be a confidence code but rather to provide a heads-up as to what are the major conflict points in the record match, if any. In the first position, you will see an A, B or C. This reflects the quality of the address match. The second position, 0 through 9, indicates the major problem point in the match.- A= Matched on address perfectly or near-perfectly
- B= Matched to vague somewhat different address in phone file
- C= Matched at different address
- 0= Perfect match to second file on key match points
- 1= Only difference is names to initials
- 2= Difference is last name, individual is a woman, maiden name on one file or and middle name on the other, same address
- 3= Different address within ZIP or nearby ZIP, can just point to minor differences in the way an address is displayed in the files
- 4= Different addresses, but still within a reasonable, extended area reflecting a probable recent move
- 5= Different address far outside of extended area, again reflecting a probable recent move
- 6= Matched to another individual in household
- 7= Minor difference in spelling of name
- 9= Multiple problem points
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| If you are phoning in a local race, you should closely examine phone numbers with a 4 or 5 in the second position of the Match Type, as these phones have been matched at an address some distance away, suggesting that the voter may have moved outside of the district. | We will provide a match score if it is requested. The higher the score, the more confident the match. However, any match we provide passes the accuracy test and survives our back-end review. | We have routines that look at dates of birth when they are available to help reduce overmatching. If you have date of birth on your file, you will see a 1-2% improvement in the match accuracy, mostly because it helps us rule out matches in close call situations when the birthdates are in conflict. | Always supply us with all of the voters in the households involved in your selection. If you pick and choose voters to send, you could potentially lose out on some good matches if the telephone numbers are listed in another household member's name. |