CLV puts a value on the customer relationship; thus, it is a key component in the CRM system. Knowing the customer's value helps an organization determine which customers they want to strengthen their relationship with and which ones they don't. Read this article to explore the concept of customer lifetime value and why an organization needs to utilize it in its decision-making. Focus on the methodology for calculating CLV and think about the variability inherent in each step of the calculation.
Opponents often cite the inaccuracy of a CLV prediction to argue they should not be used to drive significant business decisions. For example, major drivers to the value of a customer such as the nature of the relationship are often not available as appropriately structured data and thus not included in the formula.