How Should Construction Suppliers Measure Prospect Database Quality in 2026? | InfoGlobalData

These are provider-reported, cross-industry results—not a construction-specific benchmark or a target every supplier should expect. Use them as context for why validation matters, then establish a baseline from your own database.

A high validity rate reduces avoidable delivery failures, but it does not prove that the recipient still works for the listed company or has purchasing authority.

2. Contact and company accuracy

What it measures: The percentage of records whose key business details match reliable, current sources.

Check fields such as:

• Company name and website
• Contractor specialization
• Contact name and job title
• Business location and service area
• Company size or business type
• Relevant purchasing or operational responsibilities

A useful audit samples records and checks them against official company websites, business directories, or other credible sources. Report the percentage of sampled records with correct information, and track errors by field.

Validity’s finding that 76% of respondents considered less than half their CRM data accurate and complete reinforces the need to measure actual record accuracy rather than assume that imported data is reliable.

3. Data freshness

What it measures: How recently the record was verified and whether it still reflects the prospect’s current business situation.

Track the percentage of records reviewed within a defined period, such as the previous 90 or 180 days. These intervals are operational starting points, not universal standards; high-value or frequently changing accounts may need more frequent checks.

Record freshness is particularly important when contractors change roles, expand into new trades, relocate, or restructure their businesses. A record with no verification date is difficult to prioritize for rechecking.

4. Duplicate-record rate

What it measures: The proportion of records that represent the same contact or company more than once.

Duplicates can cause multiple representatives to contact the same prospect, inflate audience counts, and distort campaign reporting. They can also create inconsistent company histories when different versions of a record contain conflicting titles or email addresses.

Calculate the duplicate rate using a defined rule—for example, duplicate records divided by total records reviewed. Specify whether you are measuring duplicate people, duplicate email addresses, or duplicate companies, because these are different problems.

Validity’s 2025 research identifies CRM data management as a continuing business challenge, but it does not establish a construction-specific duplicate rate. Suppliers should measure duplicates in their own systems rather than adopt an unsupported industry benchmark.

5. Target-market fit

What it measures: The percentage of records that match the supplier’s ideal customer profile.

A prospect can have a perfectly valid email address and still be a poor lead. A manufacturer selling commercial HVAC equipment, for example, may have little reason to prioritize a residential painting contractor.

Define target-fit criteria before evaluating the list:

• Relevant contractor trade or specialization
• Geographic coverage and service area
• Residential, commercial, or industrial focus
• Company size and likely purchasing capacity
• Relevant job titles and buying responsibilities