Duplicate Detection

Full definition

Duplicate detection is the system that compares each incoming lead against recent history to identify repeats. The simplest approach is exact matching on email or phone, but real-world dupes are messier: two formats of the same phone number, a typo in the email, the same person submitted by two different suppliers, or a resubmission weeks later. Good duplicate detection normalizes inputs (stripping phone formatting, lowercasing emails, trimming whitespace) and uses fuzzy matching for names and addresses. Match windows are configurable — a lead seen in the last 30 days might be a dupe, while the same lead 6 months later might be a legitimate re-engagement. Dupes are flagged before distribution so buyers don't waste time on a contact they already worked, and so suppliers get visibility into how often their submissions collide with other channels.