Single customer view (SCV): The complete story

It’s surprising in this current ‘data focused’ era we still come across larger sized clients that do not have a Single Customer View (SCV) database where all data sources are stored.

Often companies have multiple data sources held in separate silos. This data could relate to different parts of the business or just be from multiple data sources that have never been linked; for example:

• Website data – online accounts/ browse history

• Transactional data – online and offline

• Communications history

• Acquisition data and mailing lists

• Response data – Voucher redemption, email opens/clicks

• Surveys, Questionnaires and preference data

A database management system (DBMS) is important because it manages data efficiently and allows users to perform multiple tasks with ease. A DBMS provides the ability to extract, transform and load data and some even have the ability to perform analytics and reporting. Above all, it manages a large amount of information within a single software application. The keys features and benefits include:

• Delivers a holistic view of customers and prospects
• Bring together disparate data sources into one central location
• Gain a better understanding of customer behaviour, preferences and value
• Use insights to drive customer engagement, retention and cross selling activities
• Create a single version of the truth for reporting, understanding and sharing your data
• Support the delivery of targeted and personalised communications and campaigns

At Data HQ, we design and build bespoke relational databases, designed to meet the specific requirements of the client, identified during scoping. The database design will be optimised to link relevant data sources and any other systems within the solution.

How is a Single Customer View Achieved?

• Specialist tools allow access to multiple B2C and B2B datasets in order to cleanse and enhance source data.

• Routines will be created to de-duplicate and merge data sources into the single view.

• All data is flagged by source and its original integrity will be maintained along with the enhanced, consolidated version.

Due to the flexibility of the tools, the database can be configured to link directly to operational and source systems, and provide back any derived or enriched data to these systems. Once the Single View has been created, you can also supply and configure third party applications, such as:

• FastStats Discoverer – Data mining, analysis, selection and data extracts

• PeopleStage – Marketing Automation

• Excelsior – Dashboard Reporting

Why a Single Customer View?

While your data is held across multiple sources without any unifying link, you risk wasting a valuable asset and will not be able to form a complete view of your customers.

With only a partial view of your customers, your understanding of their true value is limited. You could miss opportunities, risk contradictory reporting, and potentially alienate customers if you are limited to a “one size fits all” marketing strategy. By linking all data sources you can create a single version of the truth, which will give consistent results and can power everything from campaign management to data analysis, customer insight and business decision-making.

One consideration is the DBMS’s ability to link data sources if there is not a common identifier or data cannot be matched exactly across the sources. The advantage with Data HQ’s SCVs is we use various techniques to link disparate data sources. We use as much of the available data as we can, regardless as to whether they match exactly, to link the data sources and create a SCV that provides a complete and full picture for each and every customer.

Implementing a SCV gives the best possible understanding of your customers. This can help identify patterns and insights that can inform your entire marketing strategy. By truly knowing your customers and combining this knowledge with a multi-channel marketing strategy, you are able to engage with your customers as individuals with truly personalised and targeted communications.

Behind every great marketing automation engine (and reporting suite) is a well-built and maintained SCV.

Further reading: Data HQ's complete guide to data quality