6 Reasons to Choose Fuzzy Name Matching over Exact Matching

Are you tired of the frustrations that come with exact name matching? Perhaps you’ve encountered situations where you needed to find something or someone, but a minor typo or spelling variation threw a wrench into your search plans. It can be maddening, especially when precision is crucial. That’s where Fuzzy name matching comes to your rescue. 

To give you an idea, here are a few reasons to choose fuzzy over exact matching.

What is Fuzzy Name Matching?

Imagine you’re looking for a book at your local library, and you know it’s called “The Adventure of Sherrlok Holms” by Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes, you got the title wrong, and you even misspelled the author’s name. 

With fuzzy name matching, you won’t be left empty-handed. It can handle these minor mistakes, find the closest match, and help you discover the book you’re searching for. No more spelling perfection required.

Expanding Your Search Horizons

Exact matching can be pretty unforgiving. If you’re using a search engine, for instance, it often insists on showing results only for the exact keywords you provided. But what if you didn’t remember the exact name of that great restaurant you visited last summer? 

With fuzzy name matching, you can type in “amazing seafood place near the beach,” and voila! The search engine can understand your intent and help you find the restaurant even if you can’t recall its name.

Making Databases More User-Friendly

Have you ever tried searching for a product on an e-commerce website, only to realize you’re not sure about the exact model name or brand? Fuzzy name matching can turn this frustrating ordeal into a breeze. Just provide a few keywords, and it can help you navigate the vast online stores, find similar products, and make your shopping experience more enjoyable.

Smarter Contacts and Address Books

There is always that one friend whose name is a constant struggle to spell correctly. You know it sounds like “John,” but is it “Jon,” “Johnn,” or perhaps “Jhon”? 

Fuzzy name matching in your contact list can be a savior. You can confidently type in any of those variations, and your phone will figure out who you’re looking for. No more scrolling through a long list of contacts, trying to remember the exact spelling.

Improved Customer Service and CRM

In the business world, maintaining a customer relationship management (CRM) system is essential. However, your customers may not always remember the exact name of the product or service they purchased from you. 

Fuzzy name matching can enhance your CRM’s search capabilities, allowing you to quickly find the information you need, even if your customers provide incomplete or slightly misspelled details.

More Efficient Data Cleanup

If you’re responsible for managing databases or conducting data analysis, you’re probably familiar with the hassle of cleaning up inconsistent or poorly formatted data. Fuzzy name matching can be a powerful ally in this endeavor. It can identify duplicate records, merge similar entries, and help you maintain a clean and organized dataset, saving you time and headaches.