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    • Santa uses Smarty, sitting by a fireplace

    HO HO HO! Merry Christmas, my dear friends,

    I’m taking a minute from my busy toy-making and list-checking (twice) schedule to write you a letter. I know, I know, usually, it’s you and your lovely children writing ME letters, but I’ve loved seeing your efforts to get on the nice list this year and want to give you a peek into how I make the magic happen.

    Because you made my heart feel warm even at the North Pole, I’m sharing the answer to my most asked question: "How do I deliver billions of gifts to people all over the world?” 

    The magic behind my sleigh rides? Hint: it's not the reindeer… I use Smarty.

    Yes, there are many other companies out there claiming I use them, but they’re on the naughty list. 

    Don’t believe me? Let me show you how each Smarty tool helps make Christmas the most magical time of year.

    US Master Address List
    US Master Address List being used by Santa

    Do you know that naughty and nice list I keep? It wouldn’t be nearly as complete without the US Master Address List. This list helps me to keep the right name attached to the right status (naughty or nice) by linking to the person’s address. (You’d be surprised how many girls are named Cass and how many boys are named John out there.) 

    Address verification 

    Smarty’s US Address Verification and International Address Verification are the tools I need to ensure the accuracy of every address on my list worldwide. It’s how I make sure that Susie-Talks-A-Lot gets to Carolyn Reynolds and not accidentally to the cat shelter next door from a typo. Also, SmartyKey® is built in, so even if your city renames the street in front of your house, I’ll know it’s still the same place! Persistent, unique identifiers rock!

    Address autocomplete

    My letters-to-Santa website uses US Address Autocomplete and International Address Autocomplete to make sure all the addresses in our Nice and Naughty database are verified, accurate (including any suite numbers or PO boxes), formatted according to country and territory standards, and ready for delivery. 

    The elves, with their cute (but tiny) hands, often accidentally hit multiple keys at once when entering addresses from letters we receive, so typing in full addresses was causing a big problem. We found address autocomplete, and now all they have to do is type in a few characters, and a list of addresses magically appears, and they can easily select the right one. 

    Mommies and daddies, aunties and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, and best friends will use autocomplete at smart online retailers to make sure their presents are correctly sent to one another. Although I’m not in control of who does or doesn’t use Smarty’s autocomplete tools, I can tell you that the retail and ecommerce companies who do are making more money than those who don’t. They’re also on the nice list. And a new list that we call the “smart” list.

    Geocoding

    US Rooftop Geocoding is the best (and only) way I can make it to every roof in one night! A geocoding pin shows up on rooftops and lets me know that I’m parking my sleigh on the exact rooftop of your home. Presents aren’t mistakenly delivered to the middle of a farm field (parcel-centroid geocodes) or to the naughty dog a few doors down because I’m following the pin that lands on your exact house. 

    If I encounter inclement weather and Rudolf is off his game, visibility can “sleigh” my productivity. Luckily, US Reverse Geocoding can transform geo coordinates from my GPS into verified addresses even from inside the thickest cloudbanks. They don’t call it a cloud API for nothing. 

    Address enrichment

    Santa flying over the city

    When you’ve only got one night to bring joy to every child on earth, efficiency is key. US Property Data attaches 350+ unique attributes to each address, giving me the in-depth info I need to construct my optimal Yuletide flight plan. US Property Data gives me details like structural elevation and roof type (to ensure flawless reindeer landings) and even lets me know which homes have a wet bar so I can enable my elves’ crippling addiction to cocktail onions. 

    No chimney? No problem. If you live in an apartment, US Secondary Address helps me find your door amongst all the others. With so many places to deliver to, having the secondary component (floor number, suite number, basement apartment, whatever!) readily available for me to see is the main reason I can do it all in one night!
     

    Finally, US GeoReference Data helps me make sure I’m evenly distributing presents (and Christmas spirit) to each US Census Block and Tract. Even for a mythical being like myself, it never hurts to be on the up and up. 

    Conclusion

    Christmas is a magical holiday and my favorite holiday (for obvious reasons), but the company that’s making it even more magical for me is Smarty. In the spirit of spreading kindness and cheer and the gift of giving, I let the cat out of my big red bag. 

    Smarty’s the reason I successfully deliver gifts to so many deserving families around the globe. So, if you’re looking to send something special to someone special (no matter the time of year), you can’t go wrong using Smarty’s address tools. 

    Keep up the good work, and cheers to a merry and Smarty Christmas,

    Hot cocoa that reads, "Merry Christmas"
    Santa Claus 🎅

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