What is Context?

Context, also called customer context, is a marketing term that refers to a deep, data-driven understanding of a customer that positions a business to make relevant offers when the customer is poised to make a purchase. An important component of these informed offers is getting the context information in the right hands at the right time. For example, a store clerk could be armed with information ranging from a customer's browsing history to what they've purchased from the business both online and in stores. This, combined with environmental factors such as the reason the customer is shopping – are they looking for a wedding gift? - is the context that can help businesses make timely, compelling offers that may lead to more sales and higher customer loyalty.

The concept of context also has some applications in contact centers. Context in contact centers is a combination of data integration and omnichannel service. First, an agent needs to have ready access to all relevant data about the customer, which requires pulling data out of multiple databases and presenting it to the agent in a meaningful format. Next, the customer needs to be able to seamlessly move across channels, which includes the agent having access to everything that happened in the other channels. When agents "know" the customers, it gives them context so that they can deliver a better experience.