How to Do Customer Data Mining

Customer data mining is the collection of information about clients to enable you, the business owner, to serve them better. Depending on the information you want, this can be very informal or it can be very structured and detailed. You can do customer data mining with a simple database program, or you can invest money in a customer data-mining program.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Gather basic information about your customers to start data mining. Collect their names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and other basic information.
2. Keep records of when the customer buys, why the customer buys and what the product is being used for. Simple conversations as you wait on your customer and complete the sale provide this information for your data mining; plus, it gives you a chance to get to know your customer better on a personal basis.
3. Track demographics based on geographic location of your customer and the socio-economic neighborhood where business is done. Governmental records on your community are a good place to start. This can give you insight on finding new customers in the neighborhood.
4. Add to the basic information as your relationship with your customer grows. Periodically offer surveys, giveaways or some other tool to find out more about your customer and their needs. If you make the request about the customer and the need, the customer will be happy to supply the information to you.
5. Enter your data in a desktop database. As you begin to collect more information, you can begin to see patterns develop. Tracking with a computer database enables you to manipulate your customer data in a quick and painless manner.
6. Make sure you and your employees do not violate any privacy laws as you do customer data mining. If your customers feel you know too much about them, they may take their business elsewhere.