Single Customer View (SCV)
A Single Customer View (SCV) also called Customer 360 or a unified customer profile is a consolidated, up-to-date record of each customer that combines data from all channels and systems (web/app behavior, CRM, POS, email, service, offline) into one actionable profile. Modern platforms (e.g., CDPs) create a persistent, unified customer database that other tools can access for analytics, personalization, and activation.
Why It Matters
Consistency across channels: One profile powers coordinated experiences (web, app, ads, store, service).
Better decisions & measurement: A unified view links interactions and purchases for clearer attribution and LTV.
Higher performance: Teams use SCV to improve personalization relevance and reduce waste (e.g., suppression of existing customers in acquisition campaigns).
Data governance & trust: A single source of truth supports accuracy, access/rectification, and privacy controls.
How It Works (Core Building Blocks)
Data collection & unification: Ingest online/offline data into a CDP/MDM that maintains persistent profiles.
Identity resolution: Merge identifiers across devices and systems using deterministic (exact IDs like email/customer ID) and/or probabilistic (statistical) matching to form one profile.
Profile store (“golden record”): Real-time profile with stitched events and attributes that downstream tools can query and activate.
Activation & orchestration: Use the SCV to personalize content, suppress audiences, and measure impact across channels.
Examples
Retail/eCommerce: Web browse data + POS purchases + email engagement stitched into a single profile that triggers back-in-stock and blocks new-customer discounts for existing buyers.
SaaS/B2B: CRM opportunities + product usage + support tickets unified to power health scores and expansion plays.
Service/Support: Agents see past orders, preferences, and open cases in one Customer 360 screen for faster resolution.
Best Practices
Clarify the SCV’s purpose. Prioritize use cases (e.g., abandonment suppression, LTV modeling, churn prevention) before integrating every source.
Design identity resolution rules. Start deterministic (exact IDs); consider probabilistic where signals vary document merge/holdout logic.
Govern data quality. Define standards for accuracy, recency, and dedupe; correct or erase inaccurate data promptly.
Build for activation. Ensure profiles are accessible to other systems (ads, email, analytics) with clear schema and consent flags.
Respect privacy by design. Apply lawful basis (consent/contract/legitimate interests), data minimisation, and transparency. Keep only what’s needed and keep it accurate.
Measure business impact. Track uplift in conversion rate, AOV/RPV, churn reduction, media efficiency from SCV-driven programs.
Related Terms
Customer Data Platform (CDP)
Customer 360 / Unified Profile
Identity Resolution
Master Data Management (MDM)
FAQs
Q1. Is an SCV the same as a CRM?
Not exactly. A CRM focuses on sales/service workflows; an SCV unifies data from many systems (including CRM) into one profile that’s accessible for activation across channels.
Q2. Do we need a CDP for SCV?
A CDP is a common way to build SCV because it creates a persistent unified database and exposes it to other tools but some teams use MDM/data lake + custom pipelines.
Q3. What’s the difference between deterministic and probabilistic matching?
Deterministic uses exact identifiers (email, customer ID) and is precise; probabilistic uses patterns/signals to infer matches, increasing reach but with some uncertainty. Many programs use both.
Q4. Is SCV required for personalization?
Serious omnichannel personalization and accurate suppression usually require some level of SCV so every channel acts on the same profile.
Q5. What about privacy and consent?You must have a lawful basis for processing and follow GDPR principles like data minimisation and accuracy; document your basis (e.g., consent or legitimate interests) and provide controls/opt-outs.