Published on 24/07/2023

Data at FLOA: A Factor Guiding All Our Thinking

At FLOA, our thinking is always guided by data. By building and deploying our data platform, we have been able to realise our goals and speed up revolutions in the field of payment solutions. This platform centralises all of our data and its applications in various areas: risk scoring1, fraud detection, customer experience, process automation, etc.

To put it simply, at FLOA, data is everywhere, but it always works alongside people, as Sébastien Robert, Chief Data Officer, would be the first to tell you. In his view, data is part of the culture at FLOA. When used correctly, data is an effective way to streamline customer journeys and ensure transactions are secure.

Using Data to Develop and Optimise FLOA’s Products and Services

In 2019, FLOA made a strategic shift by organising itself around data. We have adopted effective solutions to meet various needs. We use:

Snowflake to create a unified data architecture. Snowflake allows staff to better manage, process and analyse large volumes of data;
Dataiku to automate data preparation and statistical analysis, for example. Using Dataiku, staff can also convert data into predictions (detection of payment defaults over a given time period, for example);
Content Square for better analysis of user behaviour on our website or mobile app;
Talend for data integration (combining data from different sources to centralise it and obtain an overall view that facilitates processing). FLOA uses Talend Data Fabric to transfer data to its data platform and carry out automated processing;
Microsoft Azure Cloud for storage of our data;
Data Galaxy to facilitate data governance (method of managing and organising the data collected);
Tableau, visual analytics platform, to get the most out of the data collected and better analyse it using reports, dashboards, etc.

All of these systems have contributed to our development and the optimisation of our services. They have enabled us to achieve our goals while also limiting risk.

“The use of data is at the heart of FLOA’s business activity. To meet our ambitious goals, we have built and deployed a data platform² centralising all our data and its applications. From risk scoring¹ to fraud detection, from process automation to strategic management, right down to the customer experience, data is everywhere at FLOA.”

- Sébastien Robert, Chief Data Officer.

Using Data to Identify Risky and Fraudulent Profiles

In France in 2021, nearly 7.5 million fraudulent transactions were carried out² (by card, cheque, bank transfer or direct debit). But the good news is that, here at FLOA, we also use data to identify fraudulent or risky profiles. That’s how we are able to reduce the risk involved in what we do to a minimum. We use standardised processes that draw on data science to identify suspicious behaviour (or unusual behaviour) and eliminate it.

By doing this, we’ve succeeded in considerably reducing the fraud rate. So, as a merchant, whether brick-and-mortar or online, you can rest assured that your transactions are secure.

“We use data to streamline customer journeys, ensure the transaction is secure, and provide an almost instant response to requests for credit. Our expertise is down to both experience and continual innovation. We develop scores adapted to specific sectors and partner considerations, so that we can offer the best possible experience while at the same time ensuring the security of the transaction and verifying the solvency of the person making the request. In short, FLOA makes a reliable and robust partner for all online merchants.”

- Sébastien Robert, Chief Data Officer.

People-Focused Data Use

While we firmly believe that data can help us to improve our processes, we also know that it can never replace people. Data is an intrinsic part of what we do, but the way we use it is entirely people-focused.

That is why we surround ourselves with the very best people: data experts (analysts, scientists, etc.), IT experts (project managers, developers, etc.) who, in parallel with the work done by our data platform, are able to fully realise their potential and put it to use for the customers we support.

At FLOA, the rule is that data has to serve people, and not the other way around. It’s only when data is correctly collected, managed and monitored by experts that its true potential is revealed.

“At FLOA, data is cultural and an intrinsic part of what we do. It’s a tool used across the entire company. However, the way we use it is strongly people-focused! We are always looking for the right data to adapt to meet all needs and be useful to all, even to the employer brand. It’s not for nothing that we have been voted Customer Service Provider of the Year several times!”

- Sébastien Robert, Chief Data Officer.

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