Analyzing Customer Behavior Trends

If you’re still looking at channels separately, you’re missing out on real ROI. Here’s how to think about measurement loops instead: What’s a measurement loop? Feedback flowing between channels instead of a straight line of clicks. Why does linear attribution fail? It focuses on the channel and the last click, ignoring the influence of everything else in the journey. Closed-loop feedback works. Search informs email. Email informs social. Social fuels search again. Cross-platform tracking is key. Continuous data flow prevents drop-offs when people switch apps. The loop in motion combines channel, here are some of my favorites: - Simple but goody, Social Impressions / Landing Page Clicks - Tracking Topical Authority: A Simpler Way to Monitor a Complex KPI Topical authority is tricky but it’s one of the most useful signals you can track. Here's one way to break it down. - Start by calculating total reach across both SEO and organic social. You can do this combined or separately by SEO and social search. - Then stack that against key outcomes: -- Primary KPIs like conversions or lead volume -- Secondary KPIs like product detail views or email signups - Now take all of that and map it out in a simple waterfall-style diagram for each topic cluster weekly or biweekly, depending on how fast your content is moving. - Once you look at it this way, you’ll start to see patterns in behavior. The momentum becomes clearer. Other KPIs to track? Not last-click. Look at social-to-form starts, search-to-email reopens, and re-engagement conversions. Multi-channel measurement loops don’t just give cleaner reports. They compound impact. ------------------------ Find this insightful? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Ryan Edwards for more. Join our newsletter to get tips and tricks to help you turn data to insights and insights into strategy. Join 3,000+ other marketers https://lnkd.in/gyrXK4mf

20 years ago, transparency was seen as a risk. Today, it's become the strongest currency in building customer trust. Take ANITA DONGRE's brand- Grassroots. By being completely transparent about their: > Organic fabric sourcing > Fair wage practices > Sustainable production methods  They've built unprecedented customer loyalty. 65% of shoppers now switch brands based on supply chain transparency (FMI- The Food Industry Association Report, 2024) Transparency has become a cornerstone for fostering customer loyalty, and brands like Anita Dongre’s Grassroots are setting a powerful example. By openly sharing their methods and practices, they build trust with consumers who prioritize honesty and ethical sourcing. Today's customers invest in values, caring about product origins, makers, environmental impact, and fair labor. But here's what most brands miss: transparency isn't just about sharing information—it's about building trust. With over 20+ years in retailing across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, I’ve learned that: > Being transparent about challenges, processes, and mistakes turns customers into trusted partners who understand our value and commitment. > The future belongs to brands brave enough to open their books and share their stories. Because in today's connected world, the most valuable thing we can offer isn't just quality products—it's authentic transparency. What transparency practices would you like to see more brands adopt? #RetailStrategy #CustomerTrust

Expedia designed a scalable tool to view the real-time clickstream events using #kafka , #websockets and #postgres. The system was able to handle more than 1 million events per minute. Let's understand in simple words the design and architecture of this system. What is clickstream ? 🤔 🤔 Clickstream comprises of all the activities done by the user on any website. For eg:- page views, searches, promo selection, clicks on ads, etc. Why is clickstream important ? ⚒ ⚒ Clickstream provides useful insights into user behaviour, and helps business identify opportunities for introducing new features, and enhancements. How is the clickstream data processed & viewed ? 🔍 🔍 Clickstream data is processed through offline systems and stored in data warehouses. It's not possible to view the clickstream data real-time. What solution did Expedia build ? 1️⃣ They built a tool that helped business users view the clickstream data real-time. 2️⃣ The tool was a web UI where users could enter the events they are interested in (for eg:- user_clicked events) and then view the data on a dashboard. What was the architecture of the system ? ➡ Kafka - The clickstream events were logged and processed by a Kafka cluster. ➡ Filter workers - These K8s workers consumed and filtered messages from Kafka partitions. They comprised a Kafka consumer group. ➡ Websocket Handler - The user's browser established a #websocket connection with this application and fetched the relevant events. ➡ PostgreSQL - To keep the filter workers in sync, Postgres's LISTEN/NOTIFY feature was used. The Websocket Handler executed queries (INSERT/update) on Postgres which in turn notified the filter workers. ➡ Filtered Topic Kafka - This Kafka cluster had all the filtered events which were finally delivered to the Websocket Handler. What were the challenges faced in the design ? 🎯 Scalability - Surge in the message volume was handled by scaling filter workers. This ensured that messages were not delayed. 🎯 Back-pressure - The output of each filter worker was configurable and hence back-pressure could be applied on the Websocket Handler. 🎯 Consistency - The Listen/Notify feature ensured consistency and also reduced the network and CPU overhead for polling. This is a very useful case study for someone who is interested in #systemdesign. It's also an excellent question for system design interviews. For those interested in detailed design, I have shared the link to the blog in the first comment. The blog is comprehensive and extensively covers the challenges and the solution. Let me know if your company also has designed a similar solution for viewing the clickstream data real-time in the comments below. #technology #databases #distributedsystems #systemdesign

The Brutal Truth About Consumer Trust in Home Care Why do some brands inspire trust effortlessly while others struggle to convince consumers? Home care isn’t like beauty or food, where customers instinctively check labels. For decades, legacy brands have relied on familiarity over transparency—building trust through big advertising spends rather than real ingredient disclosures. But that’s changing. Consumer trust is now shifting toward brands that disclose, educate, and take a stand. 1️⃣ The Parle-G Effect: Legacy Trust vs. New-Age Transparency For years, people have trusted brands like Surf Excel, Vim, and Harpic—not because they knew what was inside, but because they were always there on shelves and TV screens. This is the "Parle-G effect"—familiarity breeds trust. But today, trust is no longer inherited; it’s earned. The rise of brands like Kapiva (Ayurveda transparency), The Whole Truth (ingredient honesty) shows how modern brands build trust differently—by being upfront about what’s inside. 2️⃣ The Johnson & Johnson Shock: When Legacy Trust Breaks For decades, J&J was the gold standard for baby care. But lawsuits over talcum powder contamination with asbestos shattered consumer confidence worldwide. Even in India, brands like Mother Sparsh surged because young parents started reading labels—they no longer assumed safety just because a product was from a heritage brand. 3️⃣ The Patanjali vs. FSSAI Scandal: Why Trust Must Be Backed by Proof Consumers initially believed in Patanjali’s “natural” positioning. But repeated quality violations (like the recent FSSAI crackdown on misleading claims) eroded trust. The lesson? Trust cannot be built on slogans alone. If a brand claims toxin-free, natural, or safe—it must prove it consistently. 4️⃣ The Decathlon & Ikea Strategy: Trust Through Radical Transparency Decathlon shares detailed product breakdowns—how much polyester is used, where a product is made, and even the carbon footprint. Customers trust them because they don’t have to “guess” what they’re buying. Ikea lists every material, every environmental impact, and even assembly instructions upfront. No surprises. Just facts. In home care, Koparo is taking the same approach—putting ingredients front and center. Not just saying "toxin-free," but explaining why certain ingredients matter for better or worse (like the bioaccumulation of harmful chemicals in traditional cleaners). So What’s Next for Consumer Trust in Home Care? ✅ Brands that educate will win over brands that advertise. ✅ Ingredient transparency will become a non-negotiable (just like food labels). ✅ Consumers will demand not just safe products—but proof of safety. At Koparo, we’re all in on radical transparency. No vague claims. No marketing gimmicks. Just home care that’s safe, effective, and backed by science. The real question is—do you know what’s inside your cleaning products? #ToxinFree #Koparo #HomeCareRevolution 🚀

Every sales leader I talk to at the moment is struggling with some version of the same issue. The symptoms are different, but the underlying cause is the same. - Sales cycles elongating - Deal slippage - Prospects not showing up to meetings - An uptick in ghosting - Poor forecast accuracy - A drop in deal volumes - A drop in conversion rates What's actually happening out there in Buyer land? I've been delivering win-loss reviews for B2B companies around the world since 2011 and I'm seeing buyer behaviours I've never observed before... Let me break down some of them quickly for you and share some guidance on how to use these lessons to your advantage: Trend #1: Risk has jumped up the decision tree in order of importance, to the very top of the list for many clients, even more so when it's a new vendor. Action: Go deeper on risk in your discovery conversations, recognise that risk is both organisational and personal...find ways to better manage, mitigate and share risk with your clients...Be the low risk option. Trend #2: Value for Money, Responsiveness and Cost are consistently selected as the most important decision criteria by many clients. Action: Responsiveness should be an easy one to get right, but many sellers are stretched too thin right now...do less, but do it better. Trend #3: Change in Strategic Direction is the most frequently cited reason for customers coming to market for a new solution at the moment. Action: Try to reverse engineer this reason, to understanding what caused this change in direction and what it actually means for the business. These are your keys to the kingdom, when building a rock solid business case. Trend #4: Feedback from Peers and Colleagues has emerged as the most trusted information source for almost all respondents. Action: Case studies and customer references are losing their luster...find ways to tap into the trust which prospective clients have in their own peer network, as a way to unlock deeper connections and build trust. Trend #5: Customers are demanding more detail in the proposal documents, tender responses and business cases which they are receiving. Action: Put in the work, avoid the cookie-cutter responses, find your win themes and weave them in, share the detail they need to make an informed decision. I haven't got a crystal ball, so I can't tell you if/when the pendulum will swing back the other way, from a buyer behaviour perspective. What I can tell you with a high degree of certainty is that prospective customers have raised the bar, in terms of their expectations from their vendor partners. It's our job now to to elevate the preparation, patience and professionalism of B2B sellers everywhere, to meet these changing needs and maintain our relevance to the customers we serve.

The generational divide in Grocery Shopping Behavior: A Glimpse into the Future. A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Public Opinion Research (institut für demoskopie allensbach gmbh) on behalf of the Initiative Deutsche Zahlungssysteme e.V. reveals a fascinating shift in how different generations approach grocery shopping in Germany. While 90% of Germans still prefer the traditional way of shopping for groceries and daily necessities in physical supermarkets, only 13% make use of self-service checkouts, and a mere 10% opt for online ordering with home delivery. However, when zooming in on the younger demographic of 16-29-year-olds, a distinct trend emerges. A staggering 40% of this age group prefers to order their groceries online. Moreover, should they visit a supermarket, 56% express a desire to increasingly use self-service checkouts in the future. Additionally, 30% are open to the concept of modern scanner supermarkets, where traditional checkouts are rendered obsolete. This data highlights not just a generational break in shopping preferences but also signals a broader transformation in consumer behavior, driven by technological advancements and changing lifestyles. It's a clarion call for retailers to adapt and innovate, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of their customers. As we stand on the brink of this digital shopping revolution, it's crucial for businesses to understand these patterns and integrate solutions that resonate with the younger, tech-savvy generation, while also maintaining appeal to those who prefer traditional shopping methods. #retailinnovation #consumerbehavior #digitaltransformation #generationalshift #futureofshopping #retailtech #efood #selfscanning #lifestyle #generationz #digitalshopping #retail #europe #germany #dach

🇲🇾 Malaysia’s Demographics: The Hidden Drivers of Culture & Consumption Malaysia is frequently referred to as a 'Mini Asia' due to its demographic diversity, which reflects the broader regional complexity. 🕌 Religious Mix & the Halal Economy With 63.5% of the population identifying as Muslim (Census Malaysia, 2020), halal certification serves as a fundamental indicator of trust. 📱🏙Young, urbanised and highly connected Malaysia has a median age of 31 years (Worldometer, 2025), making it one of the youngest populations in SEA. The country also exhibits a 79% urbanisation rate and 97.4% internet penetration (DataReportal, 2024) This mix of youth and connectivity is reshaping consumption: 9 in 10 Malaysian consumers were found to still prefer shopping online than in physical stores (Shopee), 80% regular social media user willing to try new products and brands (Vodus). ⚠️ Key Challenges 💰On paper, Malaysia appears to be a market ready to spend, with GDP per capita (2024) and household disposable income per capita (2025) higher than in regional peers (Trading Economics, Statista) 🏷However, 42% of Malaysians consistently compare prices before making a purchase (Standard Insight). At the same time, nearly 22% of consumers cite cutting unnecessary expenses as a top financial goal for 2024. 💡 Malaysia’s market is young, digital-first, and high-purchasing-power, yet deeply shaped by religious values and cautious consumer behavior. Southeast Asia’s next opportunities will belong to the brands prepared to adapt early. Source: Statista, Trade Economics, Worldometer, LJMS, DataReportal, Standard Insight, Vodus, Ubertrends *While information from Asia Circles is publicly accessible and derived from third-party sources, its verification and validity are not guaranteed. #MarketInsight #ConsumerInsight #Malaysia #MalaysiaMarket #DigitalEconomy #BusinessStrategy #ConsumerBehavior #ConsumerTrends

My Favorite Analyses: the Recency-Frequency matrix. This simple yet powerful framework goes beyond traditional segmentation to provide actionable insights into customer behavior. By focusing on how recently and how often customers engage with your brand, you can tailor your strategies to maximize lifetime value. Why it works: - Recency: Customers who have purchased recently are more likely to purchase again. It's a strong indicator of engagement and future behavior. - Frequency: Customers who purchase more often demonstrate loyalty and satisfaction, leading to a higher customer value. Recency and Frequency are the most important indicators of customer value, exhibiting more correlation to CLV than Monetary Value which is the third component in traditional RFM analyses. The Recency-Frequency matrix helps you categorize your customers into segments based on behaviors instead of factors like demographics or psychographics that imply actions. The analysis reveals distinct customer segments that require unique marketing strategies, including your Champions, the customers who Need Attention, and those who have Already Churned. Implementing the Matrix: Depending on the size of your customer dataset, the Recency-Frequency matrix can be built in a spreadsheet or a more hefty tool like SQL or R. - Excel/Google Sheets: Use `MAXIFS`, `COUNT`, `PERCENTRANK`, and a pivot table to build the Recency-Frequency matrix, but watch out for row limits. - SQL: Leverage functions like `DATEDIFF` and `COUNT` to calculate metrics, and segment with `NTILE`. - R: The `RFM` package handles large datasets with ease, offering advanced segmentation and visualization. This approach isn’t just theory — it’s a data-backed method for ensuring your marketing dollars are spent where they’ll make the most impact. DM me if you'd like to learn more, including the marketing strategies that I most commonly recommend for each Recency-Frequency matrix customer segment. Art+Science Analytics Institute | University of Notre Dame | University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | University of Chicago | D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University | ELVTR | Grow with Google - Data Analytics #Analytics #DataStorytelling #MyFavoriteAnalyses #ROI #MROI

Here's the new rule of GTM for 2025: it's about about TRUST not DISTRACTION. In 2024 and earlier, most companies were STILL playing the volume game: More cold emails More ads More noise But here's what I learned building partner programs at WeWork and Amex: 1. Identify Trusted Advocates Customers are more likely to trust recommendations from voices they already know and respect. Who influences our target audience? Who already has their attention and trust? These could be industry leaders, complementary solution providers, or niche communities. Build partnerships with those who already have a strong connection to your ideal customers. 2. Collaborate to Add Value, Not Noise Instead of interrupting your audience with another cold email or ad, collaborate with partners to create meaningful, value-driven touch points. - Co-host a webinar addressing a shared customer pain point. - Develop a joint white paper showcasing both brands’ expertise. - Offer bundled solutions that make life easier for the customer. 3. Leverage Existing Trust to Open Doors Partners are amplifiers AND bridges. They help you cross the “river of distraction” and reach customers without the noise. A well-placed introduction or co-branded recommendation carries far more weight than another outbound message. 4. Measure the Shift from Interruption to Influence If trust-building is your new GTM focus, your success metrics need to change too. Track things like: - Partner-Sourced Leads: Leads generated through trusted partner referrals. - Engagement Rates: How customers interact with co-created content or campaigns. - Pipeline Velocity: How quickly partner-driven deals progress compared to direct sales efforts. Breaking through the noise requires genuine relationships. It's no longer about whose voice is the loudest, it’s whose voice your audience already trusts. The future isn't about interruption and distraction. It's about trust.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝘆 (𝗦𝟮𝗣) 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹? One major reason, I believe, is the misalignment between what users actually need and the technology that was selected. As one user from a recent implementation I reviewed told me: "It’s like they sold us a sports car, but we needed a reliable family car. The flashy features look great, but they don’t help me with what I actually need to do every day." This disconnect is a classical example of the Kano model. Developed in the 1980s by Japanese Professor Noriaki Kano, the Kano Model helps businesses understand what drives customer satisfaction. It’s especially relevant today, seeing providers suddenly jump on the AI train. An adapted Kano Model categorises customer needs into four key types: 1️⃣ 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁-𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 which represent the basics that customers expect and cause "dissatisfaction" and frustration if they’re missing. A smooth PR to PO process and easy receiving functionality is a must. Conversely, if they are present, they are simply just taken for granted. 2️⃣ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 which directly impact "satisfaction". They have a tendency to increase satisfaction if they are better than anticipated. An advanced spend analytics or workflow automation could impress Executives with productivity and ROI. 3️⃣ 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 are the unexpected “delighters” that can excite and perhaps surprise users but are not needed. This could be predictive analytics or fancy dashboards, impressive but won't be missed if absent. 4️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, the elements that don’t impact satisfaction at all, whether they’re present or not. No one really cares about them, but they are there. So what causes a possible misalignment in expectations? If we map the Kano model to S2P technology choices, find here a possible (slightly generalised) explanation: ■𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 care about the Must-be features to get their job done as efficiently and reliable as possible. Missing these & there is an immediate repercussion on satisfaction levels. ■𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 are looking for Performance features that show measurable ROI and drive efficiency. Even if the team get their job done, without productivity savings, this group won't be happy. ■𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 are highly interested in selling or buying Attractive features, the shiny AI, flashy dashboards which offer a stand-out position in the market. Often things which Users and non-techie Executives wouldn't care about. PS: Seasoned Tech sales know to avoid this trap. So what are the take-aways? The right balance between Must-be, Performance and Attractive features is needed. Because, when Must-Be requirements or Performance features fail, they’ll likely drag the success of your S2P implementation down with them. Agree with this observation? Let's discuss in the comments.