Customer intelligence is new, timely, fact-based insight created from massive quantities of data.  It will normally take the form of patterns, trends and predictions.  It draws on data about individual behavior, the quantifiable risks brought by that individual, and the current and future profitability of that individual.

Customer intelligence is created by transforming data, enhancing data and creating new data using statistical methods.  It can only be called customer intelligence if it is put into a form that is usable for stimulating consistent revenue growth and innovation.  It is, ultimately, the only way to get true value out of the customer data asset.

The term “customer intelligence” was first coined by Phil Winters in 1998 and is now in wide use.