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A visibility gap lenders can't afford to ignore Alternative data is often associated with thin-file or credit invisible consumers. But its value extends far beyond those segments. Experian's Clarity Services database includes approximately one in five credit-active consumers, including one in four consumers with prime-and-above credit profiles. That means lenders may be missing important signals, not only for emerging borrowers, but also for applicants who appear well qualified using traditional bureau data alone. Consider two consumers with the same credit score. Based on traditional credit data, they may appear equally creditworthy. But when Clarity data is added, one consumer may demonstrate stable repayment behavior while another shows recent defaults on alternative finance products. The credit score hasn't changed, but the decisioning context has. That's where alternative data creates value: helping lenders distinguish between consumers who look similar on paper but represent very different levels of risk and opportunity. In this Ask the Expert session, Experian’s Julius Heim, Vice President of Analytics Product Build, Innovation and Scores, and Natasha Madan, Senior Director, Analytics Consulting, explain how different alternative data assets solve different business challenges and why the greatest return comes from using them together throughout the credit lifecycle. What that visibility gap is really costing lenders Better visibility matters because every lending decision carries consequences. Without alternative data, lenders may approve applicants whose repayment behavior suggests elevated risk but isn't reflected in a traditional credit file. Without cash flow insights, they may decline consumers who appear thin file on bureau data despite demonstrating strong income and responsible financial management. The result is a two-sided cost: avoidable bad debt on one side and missed growth opportunities on the other. But ROI extends beyond approvals alone. It also appears through stronger marketing strategies, improved conversion, reduced friction and more precise risk segmentation throughout the lending lifecycle. "ROI can mean many things ... marketing to the right people, achieving better approval rates, reducing risk, getting less friction and overall profitability."Julius Heim, Vice President of Analytics Product Build, Innovation and Scores Where alternative data creates ROI Improve approval strategies Use additional consumer signals to recover creditworthy applicants while avoiding unnecessary declines. Reduce portfolio risk Identify elevated repayment risk earlier through enhanced visibility beyond traditional bureau data. Improve portfolio performance Increase conversion, reduce friction and strengthen profitability across the credit lifecycle. Different data. Different jobs. Not all alternative data solves the same problem. Clarity Services can help lenders strengthen decisions early in the customer journey. It provides additional visibility during prospecting and acquisition, helping identify potential risk before an application moves through the underwriting process. Cash flow insights can provide value in a different way. When traditional credit information offers part of the picture, consumer-permissioned cash flow data can provide greater insight into income, spending patterns and financial capacity. That makes it especially valuable as a second look during underwriting. Together, these complementary data assets help lenders improve decisioning throughout the credit lifecycle. They can support acquisition, underwriting, account management and collections while building on the trusted foundation of traditional bureau data. Research also continues to demonstrate measurable lift when cash flow insights are combined with traditional credit information. "I recently did a study with a client where we actually saw a 20% lift in KS [Kolmogorov-Smirnov] above and beyond credit bureau data. Again, the bureau data itself was very predictive. But even from the cash flow data, we still got a 20% lift, which is an amazing stat." Julius Heim, Vice President of Analytics Product Build, Innovation and Scores The greatest value comes from using these data sources together for a more holistic consumer view. Start with proof, then build Adopting alternative data doesn't have to begin with a large transformation. A practical first step is a data study. By comparing current decision strategies with enhanced data, lenders can identify where additional visibility creates measurable lift within their own portfolios. This approach allows institutions to validate results before making broader operational changes. Every lender has different workflows, technology environments and business priorities. A flexible implementation strategy helps organizations incorporate new data in ways that support existing processes rather than disrupting them. Three ways to get started Run a data study Benchmark current decision strategies and quantify potential lift. Start simple Begin with targeted data attributes or proven scores before expanding to more advanced use cases. Build with confidence Scale implementation based on measured business outcomes and organizational priorities. This approach allows lenders to validate results, build confidence and expand their strategy over time. Explore alternative data with a trusted partner Every lending decision benefits from better consumer insight. Experian helps lenders combine trusted credit data with alternative data, cash flow insights and advanced analytics to strengthen decisioning, improve portfolio performance and uncover new opportunities for growth. Whether you're evaluating alternative data for the first time or expanding an existing strategy, Experian can help you identify where additional consumer insight can create measurable business value. Learn more Contact us About our experts Julius Heim Vice President of Analytics Product Build, Innovation and Scores, Experian Julius Heim works at the intersection of financial services, analytics and innovation. He focuses on leveraging data to drive smarter decision-making and support more inclusive financial ecosystems. Julius brings a practical perspective on how organizations can translate insights into real-world impact, with particular interest in emerging trends across fintech, credit, and the use of alternative data, such as cash-flow data, across the credit lifecycle. Previously, he served as Head of Analytics on the lender side and held roles in insurance analytics earlier in his career. Natasha Madan Senior Director, Analytics Consulting, Experian Natasha Madan partners with lenders to drive smarter, data-driven credit and risk decisions. She specializes in leveraging alternative data and advanced analytics to help organizations improve portfolio performance, optimize customer acquisition, and expand responsible access to credit. During her 15 years at Experian, Natasha has held leadership roles spanning data analytics, product analytics and consulting, giving her a broad perspective of how data can be leverage to solve complex business challenges. She has worked with a diverse range of lenders – including banks, credit unions, fintechs and specialty finance companies to develop analytics strategies that optimize customer acquisition, underwriting and portfolio management. Natasha is passionate about helping organizations unlock the full potential of data to improve both business outcomes and consumer financial inclusion.

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Consumer visibility is changing Roughly 45 million Americans, or 1 in 5 consumers, are considered credit invisible or unscoreable.[1] They’re working, paying bills and participating in the economy, yet many are not fully visible during the lending process. That creates both a visibility challenge and a growth opportunity for lenders. In this Ask the Expert session, Corliss Hill, Senior Director, Inclusion and Belonging at Experian, joins Dr. Vaneesha Dutra, Endowed Professor of Finance at Morehouse College, to discuss how evolving consumer behaviors are reshaping conversations around financial inclusion and lending decisions. For lenders, visibility matters because confident decisions depend on reliable context and insight. Broader consumer signals can help institutions better understand repayment behaviors, financial stability and consumer capacity. “The benefit of banks using alternative data is that they capture a very significant and new consumer base. That's 20% of the population, 45 million Americans.”Dr. Vaneesha Dutra, Endowed Professor of Finance A more complete understanding of today’s consumers Today’s consumers often manage obligations across a wide range of payment types and financial channels, creating additional signals through cash flow activity, recurring payments and consumer-permissioned financial data. Rent, utilities, subscriptions and mobile phone payments can all provide meaningful insight into how consumers manage their financial lives. What’s changing isn’t the need for risk assessment. It’s the amount of consumer behavior lenders can now evaluate. For example, a consumer experiencing temporary financial disruption may fall behind on certain obligations while continuing to consistently pay rent, utilities and phone bills. Those recurring payment behaviors can provide important context into financial priorities and stability. “These are consumers that pay rent on time every month, pay utilities every month on time and meet many other financial obligations in a timely manner.”Dr. Vaneesha Dutra, Endowed Professor of Finance From visibility to more-informed decisioning Broader consumer insights may help lenders move from limited visibility to more informed decisioning. The conversation shifts when lenders move from asking: “Should we take a risk on this consumer?” to: “Do we have enough information to fully understand this consumer?” That broader context can help institutions: Strengthen risk assessment. Identify financially active consumers with strong repayment behaviors. Support more informed lending strategies. Alternative data isn’t about replacing established credit approaches. It’s about helping lenders build on trusted credit foundations with additional context and insight. Responsible lending starts with better context For lenders, the path forward is practical and actionable. As lenders evaluate broader consumer behaviors, three priorities become increasingly important: Modernize data strategies Incorporate broader consumer signals alongside existing credit data to create a more holistic view of repayment behavior and financial stability. Engage consumers earlier Earlier intervention may help lenders better support consumers before financial challenges become more severe. Create pathways to financial access Smaller lending opportunities can help consumers establish stronger financial profiles and demonstrate positive repayment behaviors over time. The institutions that lead will be the ones that can combine strong risk practices with a broader understanding of consumer behavior. Whitepaper: Bridging the credit divide: income, risk and inclusion in consumer finance Building on the themes discussed in this Ask the Expert session, Dr. Dutra explores how demographic shifts, evolving borrower behaviors and broader consumer visibility are reshaping lending strategies and what they mean for lenders seeking to balance growth, risk management and financial inclusion. Download whitepaper Explore alternative data with Experian Experian can help lenders combine broader consumer insights with trusted credit data to strengthen decisioning, improve risk assessment and support more-informed lending strategies. With solutions spanning identity, cash flow and advanced analytics, lenders can gain a more complete view of consumer behavior and expand access to credit with greater confidence. Learn more Watch episode 1 About our experts Corliss Hill Senior Director, Belonging Business Partner, Experian Corliss Hill is a collaborative leader well-versed in working with executive stakeholders, crossfunctional teams, external partners and community organizations to design and deliver initiatives and programs that create sustainable impact. With over 25 years of extensive experience in multicultural marketing, communications, PR and inclusion and belonging initiatives, she is dedicated to advancing equitable access to financial. Her mission is to drive impactful marketing initiatives that foster meaningful change and address systemic barriers to inclusion and the communities they serve.Hill has been a part of the Experian family since 2021, and resides in Atlanta with her daughter who is a rising 11-year-old entrepreneur. Vaneesha Dutra, Ph.D. Endowed Professor of Finance and Associate Dean, Morehouse College Vaneesha Dutra, Ph.D., serves as Associate Dean in the Division of Business and Economics. With more than 20 years of experience spanning higher education, banking and real estate, Dr. Dutra’s work focuses on the racial and gender wealth gap, financial literacy and financial decision-making. She is an active researcher and consultant whose work has earned numerous grants and fellowships, including serving as the inaugural Tracy A. Pruitt Visiting Research Faculty Fellow at the Wharton School of Business. Dr. Dutra has also been named a Research Faculty Fellow for both the Center for Black Entrepreneurship and the PNC Bank Center for Entrepreneurship. [1] Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Expanding access to credit.

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Lending hasn’t slowed down—but many decisioning processes have. Applications are coming in faster. Fraud is becoming more sophisticated. Borrowers expect near-instant responses. And yet, inside many organizations, decisions are still being made across fragmented systems, manual reviews, and rigid strategies that weren’t designed and aren’t optimized for today’s environment. That broadening gap isn’t just an operational issue but often stems from a lack of innovation as well. And it’s quietly costing lenders growth, efficiency, and competitive position. When decisioning falls behind, some symptoms are easy to recognize, like applications taking days to process, teams overloaded with manual reviews, and credit and fraud decisions happening in separate platforms. Others are not as obvious, but arguably more impactful, slipping bottom lines and fraud and therefore losses lurking in lenders’ portfolios. The root issue is a fragmented infrastructure. Experian has reported that while 79% of financial institutions surveyed globally want fewer vendors or more unified approaches, they typically use eight or more tools across credit, fraud and compliance. As most decisioning environments cannot integrate data, adapt strategies, and execute decisions in real time, lenders often have to make tradeoffs. Speed vs. accuracy; growth vs. risk; and automation vs. control are just some. Meanwhile, the market has moved on. Leading lenders are no longer optimizing individual steps. They’re rethinking decisioning as a connected, intelligent system. Gaps forming from status quo in 8 key decision areas Across the lending lifecycle, there are eight critical moments where decisioning can either accelerate growth or create friction. Pre-qualification: Pre-qualification should expand your funnel with confidence. But limited data access and static criteria often result in overly conservative targeting or missed opportunities. Additionally, the delay in acting on a pre-qualification funnel highlights a key area for opportunity among many lenders. Instant credit decisions: Customers expect real-time outcomes. When decisions rely on manual intervention or fragmented inputs, speed and conversions suffer. Prescreen and targeting: Disconnected data and rigid segmentation can lead to poorly aligned offers, reducing response rates and wasting acquisition spend. Credit line management: Without dynamic strategies, credit lines may be too restrictive (limiting growth) or too aggressive (increasing risk). Early delinquency management: Missed early signals and delayed interventions make it harder to prevent accounts from deteriorating. Mid- and late-stage delinquency: Strategies that don’t adapt to evolving borrower behavior reduce recovery effectiveness and increase losses. Collections and recovery: Manual, one-size-fits-all approaches limit recovery rates and increase operational cost. Ongoing strategy optimization: Perhaps the most overlooked gap: many lenders lack the ability to continuously test, learn, and refine decision strategies as conditions change. What these gaps are really costing you Individually, each of these breakdowns may seem manageable. Together, they can create systemic drag on performance. That shows up in four critical ways: Missed growth opportunities: Good borrowers are declined, abandoned, or never targeted in the first place. Credit offers fail to align with actual borrower potential. Higher operational costs: Manual reviews and disconnected workflows consume time and resources that could be spent on higher-value work. Increased fraud exposure and friction: Fraud is proliferating and becoming more expensive to manage. The Federal Trade Commission reported $12.5B were lost to fraud in the U.S. in 2024, a 25% increase over the prior year. For many financial institutions, the first reaction is often to add more steps to the decisioning process, which can impact good borrowers. Increased competitive pressure: Fintechs and modern lenders are focused on delivering faster, more personalized experiences, capturing share while traditional processes lag behind. 80% of banks and credit unions plan to increase their technology spending in 2026, yet many continue to fall short on planned system deployments, according to Cornerstone Advisors’ annual “What’s Going On in Banking” research report. What innovative decisioning leaders are doing differently Leading lenders are changing how decisions are made, creating a competitive advantage. Instead of stitching together point solutions, they’re adopting a more integrated approach that brings together: Comprehensive data – including both credit and fraud insights Optimized decision strategies – designed to balance growth and risk Real-time execution – enabling faster, more consistent outcomes Continuous optimization – adapting to changing market conditions Strategic partnerships – leveraging third-party industry expertise to augment their own This shift eliminates the need for tradeoffs and instead allows lenders to increase approvals while maintaining control, reducing manual effort while improving consistency, and responding faster without sacrificing confidence. The stakes are high and the competition for consumers is even higher, particularly against a backdrop of ever-evolving fraud risks, continuously increasing consumer expectations for seamless, digital-first experiences and often limited resources. Nearly half of banks and 59% of credit unions have already deployed generative AI, with more investing now, according to the Cornerstone Advisors’ report. Closing the innovation gap requires a more fundamental shift toward decisioning systems that are connected, scalable, and built for continuous change. A new foundation for decisioning This is where platforms like Experian Decisioning are changing the landscape. By bringing together credit and fraud insights, decision strategies, and a flexible technology architecture, lenders can move beyond fragmented processes and build a more unified, intelligent decisioning approach. One that fits within existing systems but also evolves with your needs. Where to start Impactful change doesn’t need to be an overhaul of everything at once for most organizations. The first step is understanding where your biggest gaps exist, and which decision areas are creating the most friction or missed opportunity. Once you can see where decisioning is not optimized, you can begin to redesign it in a way that’s faster and more adept for what lending has become. By making better decisions, faster, and with greater confidence, lenders can process applications more efficiently and also break away from the pack by leveraging decisioning as a strategic advantage. Learn more