This report is an abridged version of Econsultancy’s Customer Data Platforms Best Practice Guide. It provides a clear definition of what a customer data platform (CDP) is and how it differs from other data tools. It outlines the benefits and potential challenges of the platforms and guides businesses through the process of implementing one. It covers:

  • Purpose: What does a CDP do and what are the seven features, defined by the CDP Institute, that are common to all CDPs?
  • Customer experience: What are the benefits of unified data, and how can this enable personalisation and increase the lifetime value of a customer?
  • The ‘cookiepocalypse’: How can CDPs help businesses get ready for the decline of third-party cookies and utilise their first-party data more effectively?
  • Troubleshooting: What are some of the challenges organisations face when implementing a CDP and how can these be overcome?
  • Implementation: How does a business determine which CDP vendor is right for its organisation, and what steps can it take to audit its current systems and prepare for the smooth launch of the new technology?