Experian, the global information solutions company, has announced the acquisition of Eiger Systems, a provider of bank account validation and payment processing software.  Eiger Systems strengthens Experian's expertise in data integrity, and further extends its services within the fast-growing payments arena.

Eiger Systems' software enables organisations to validate consumer and corporate bank sort code and account details, whether captured on paper, online or over the telephone, and ensures they are submitted securely to BACS, the UK's automated clearing house.

This enables organisations to ensure that Direct Debits, such as the collection of utility bills, and direct credit payments to suppliers or employees are set up with accurate bank details and arrive at the correct destination account. Around one in three of all UK Direct Debits and direct credits are processed by Eiger Systems' software.
 
More than 1,000 organisations and over one third of FTSE 100 companies use Eiger Systems' software, including many of Europe's clearing banks, insurance companies, telecommunication providers, utility companies, building societies, charities, local authorities and central government departments. 

Building on the capabilities of QAS, Experian's international address and identity management software provider, this acquisition further extends Experian's data integrity capabilities - now providing clients with access to both personal and financial data accuracy software. The combination of both companies' technologies will enable clients to simultaneously validate customers' name and address details, via QAS' award-winning QuickAddress software, and customers' bank information using Eiger Systems' data validation software. 

By doing this at the point of data capture - whether on paper, online or over the telephone - clients will be able to reduce the margin of error when entering customers' details, saving time and money in processing payments while also improving customer service levels. 

The acquisition of Eiger Systems is consistent with Experian's global strategy of acquiring complementary businesses that provide new products, new data or entry into new vertical or regional markets, while leveraging the core assets of other Experian companies.