In banking marketing, scoring encompasses various practices. Credit scoring is the most common, consisting of assigning a score to a potential borrower to assess their loan eligibility and establish a benchmark interest rate before any negotiation. This system applies to both individuals (mortgages and consumer loans) and businesses. An individual’s credit score is generally based on factors such as their employment status (contract, status, occupation), family situation, banking history, and other socio-demographic data like age and address. It aims to assess the customer’s risk of default. This score is established using models that analyze vast amounts of past credit data, including payment incidents and defaults.

While widely used, credit scoring is sometimes criticized for its potential biases and its ability to exclude certain profiles from access to credit. It is imperative that scoring criteria comply with current legislation to avoid any discrimination. Besides credit scoring, other forms of bank scoring exist. For example, a risk score can be permanently assigned to a client for routine operational decisions such as managing debtors and overdrafts. These scores can also be used in marketing campaigns, including telemarketing, direct mail, email marketing, and other methods.