The financial services industry is experiencing dramatic changes worldwide as the rules of the game change, turning from a product orientation to a focus on developing and delivering differentiated capabilities to very specific customer segments. Central to this transformation is the need for an information infrastructure to support new business models. This requirement translates into the need for a tool or information system that supports the research and decision-making process for management and planners. We must be able to match the delivery infrastructure of services to customer usage by any customer segment even a segment of one.

The most successful companies know that customers are at the core of their business and that understanding what customers want is the key to retaining them. In a market characterised by decreased customer loyalty and increased demand for convenience and personalized service, staying competitive means reducing customer turnover. To maintain a competitive advantage, we must continually look for ways to reach out to customers where they live, work, and play-around the clock. We all want to retain profitable customers. Ready access to customer information means strategic marketing and sales decisions with more speed and greater precision.