Customers are often studied because certain decisions are significantly affected by their behavior or expected actions. For this reason, customer analytics is said to be an applied discipline. Such applications can exist at two different levels of analysis. The macro perspective applies knowledge of customers to aggregate level of problem faced by a large group or by society as a whole. The micro perspective seeks application of this knowledge to problems faced by the individual firm or organization.
On the macro, or aggregate level we know that customers collectively influence economic and social conditions within the entire society. In a market system based on individual choice, customers strongly influence what product will be produced, for whom it will be produced, and what resources will be used to produce it. Consequently, the collective behavior of customers has a significant influence on the quality and level of our standard of living. Understanding customer analytics from a macro perspective can provide knowledge to aggregate economic and social trends and might be able to even predict such trends. In addition, this understanding may suggest ways to increase the efficiency of the market system and improve the well-being of people in society.
The micro perspective involves understanding customers for the purpose of helping a firm or organization accomplish its objectives. Advertising managers, product designers, and many others in profit oriented business are interested in understanding their customers in order to be more effective accomplishing their objectives. In addition, managers of various nonprofit organizations have been gaining profit from the same knowledge. For example, the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society have been effective in applying knowledge of customer analytics concepts to their activities with successful results.
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