Multi-dimensional segmentation for use in a customer interaction

• US 20040103051A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Reed, Kenneth L., Hariharan, Hari S., Saito, Michiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A system and method for segmenting customer data that represents a plurality of customers for use in a customer interaction. The segmentation process groups customers with similar characteristics into segments. The segments may be used to classify customers according to a likelihood of the customers to accept a particular marketing offer. The segments may also be used as an analytic framework for customer portfolio management, product development, marketing strategy, and customer interaction capabilities. A multi-dimensional segmentation approach may be used to cross-segment a plurality of customers so that the customers included in the crossed segments can be profiled for more precise targeting of marketing offers. Customers may be segmented according to one or more data types stored in a data warehouse. The multi-dimensional segmentation approach may be applied to relationships between and among the data types to obtain a holistic view of what drives customer value. The segmentations may be driven by a business objective. This enables the segment analysis to be calibrated in the context of the stated business objective.

Claims

1. A method for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, comprising:

segmenting a plurality of customers by behavior data stored in a data warehouse;

segmenting the plurality of customers by value data stored in the data warehouse; and

generating a two-dimensional matrix for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by both behavior data and value data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of segmenting the plurality of customers by behavior data comprises employing distance metrics driven by a business objective.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of segmenting the plurality of customers by behavior data comprises excluding demographic variables from the segmentation decision.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of segmenting the plurality of customers by value data comprises employing distance metrics driven by a business objective.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior data comprises purchase pattern data;

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior data comprises preferences data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior data comprises support needs data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the value data comprises cost data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the value data comprises customer lifetime value data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the value data comprises revenue data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method for segmenting is used in at least one of a customer interaction, customer portfolio management, marketing strategy, and product development.

12. A method for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, the method comprising:

segmenting a plurality of customers by a first characteristic stored in a data warehouse;

segmenting the plurality of customers by a second characteristic stored in the data warehouse; and

generating a two-dimensional matrix for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by both the first characteristic and the second characteristic.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first characteristic is chosen from the group consisting of attitude, behavior, value, satisfaction, brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, lifestyle, life-stage, advertising, and category involvement.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein attitude drives behavior;

behavior drives value;

the relationship experience felt by the customer impacts customer satisfaction;

satisfaction affects brand experience;

brand experience affects brand attachment which is also impacted by advertising;

life-stage and lifestyle affect brand utility and involvement by category;

attitude is affected by brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, and involvement by category.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second characteristics are chosen from the group of attitude, behavior, value, satisfaction, brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, lifestyle, life-stage, advertising, and category involvement.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the method for segmenting is used in at least one of a customer interaction, customer portfolio management, marketing strategy, and product development.

17. A method for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, the method comprising:

segmenting the plurality of customers by a first characteristic stored in a data warehouse;

segmenting the plurality of customers by a second characteristic stored in the data warehouse;

segmenting the plurality of customers by a third characteristic stored in the data warehouse; and

generating a three-dimensional matrix for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by the first, second, and third characteristics.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method for segmenting is used in at least one of a customer interaction, customer portfolio management, marketing strategy, and product development.

19. A memory for access by software within a computer system, the software for insight-driven interaction between an enterprise and a customer, the memory comprising:

a data structure stored in the memory, the data structure including a plurality of data elements for storing information relating to a customer, the plurality of data elements including a plurality of predetermined data elements for storing information relating to customer attitude, customer behavior, customer value, brand experience, and satisfaction, the predetermined data elements being arranged in a predetermined hierarchy for storing interrelationships among the predetermined data elements, the interrelationships comprising;

attitude driving behavior;

behavior driving value;

the relationship experience felt by the customer impacting customer satisfaction;

satisfaction affecting brand experience;

brand experience affecting brand attachment which is also impacted by advertising;

life-stage and lifestyle affect brand utility and involvement by category;

attitude affecting by brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, and involvement by category.

20. A system for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, comprising:

a behavior data segmenting module that segments the plurality of customers by behavior data stored in a data warehouse;

a value data segmenting module that segments the plurality of customers by value data stored in the data warehouse; and

a matrix generating module that generates a two-dimensional matrix for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by both behavior data and value data.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the behavior data segmenting module employs distance metrics driven by a business objective.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

an excluding module that excludes demographic variables from the segmentation decision.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the value data segmenting module employs distance metrics driven by a business objective.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the behavior data comprises purchase pattern data.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the behavior data comprises preferences data.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the behavior data comprises support needs data.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the value data comprises cost data.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the value data comprises customer lifetime value data.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the value data comprises revenue data.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the system for segmenting data is used in at least one of a customer interaction, customer portfolio management, marketing strategy, and product development.

31. A system for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, the system comprising:

a first characteristic segmenting module that segments a plurality of customers by a first characteristic stored in a data warehouse;

a second characteristic segmenting module that segments the plurality of customers by a second characteristic stored in the data warehouse; and

a matrix generating module that generates a two-dimensional matrix for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by both the first characteristic and the second characteristic.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first characteristic is chosen from the group consisting of attitude, behavior, value, satisfaction, brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, lifestyle, life-stage, and category involvement.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein attitude drives behavior;

behavior drives value;

the relationship experience felt by the customer impacts customer satisfaction;

satisfaction affects brand experience;

brand experience affects brand attachment which is also impacted by advertising;

life-stage and lifestyle affect brand utility and involvement by category;

attitude is affected by brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, and involvement by category.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second characteristics are chosen from the group of attitude, behavior, value, satisfaction, brand experience, brand attachment, brand utility, lifestyle, life-stage, and category involvement.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the system for segmenting data is used in at least one of a customer interaction, customer portfolio management, marketing strategy, and product development.

36. A system for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, the system comprising:

a first characteristic segmenting module that segments a plurality of customers by a first characteristic stored in a data warehouse;

a second characteristic segmenting module that segments the plurality of customers by a second characteristic stored in the data warehouse;

a third characteristic segmenting module that segments the plurality of customers by a third characteristic stored in the data warehouse; and

a matrix generating module that generates a three-dimensional matrix for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by the first, second and third characteristics.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the system for segmenting data is used in at least one of a customer interaction, customer portfolio management, marketing strategy, and product development.

38. A method for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, the method comprising:

segmenting a plurality of customers by at least four characteristics stored in a data warehouse; and

generating a multi-dimensional hypercube for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by the at least four characteristics.

39. A system for segmenting data representing a plurality of customers, the system comprising:

a segmenting module that segment a plurality of customers by at least four characteristics stored in a data warehouse; and

a generating module that generates a multi-dimensional hypercube for cross-segmenting the plurality of customers by the at least four characteristics.