Inbound Organization

Chapter 16Centralized View of the Customer

For teams to make decisions closest to the customer, they need to have access to the right historical data. A centralized view of the customer is a single record for every contact. It includes each event or interaction a connection has with the organization. All contacts with the people or content from marketing, sales, service, and operations become the data archive of your organization's relationship with that person.

A centralized view of the customer allows an inbound team to have access to essential transaction data and product status. It will enable your team to develop insights into the contact's behavior, issues, interests, and needs. These data insights guide the creation of an action plan designed to engage and help each customer.

A centralized view of the customer improves your relationship because response and decision-making time are faster and more comprehensive. Interactions become personalized with individual requests and preferences, and it is easier for employees to identify previous potholes and subjects to avoid. The centralized view of the customer helps take complex information and makes it simple so the team can make decisions and take action.

When the data about your customer is in one place, you have the potential to analyze it and take action. From this comes insights into your customer's activities and personal preferences. Your customer-facing teams can be proactive, anticipating what customers might need ...