What it is (plain English)
The customer identity and relationship model for external customers: accounts, contacts, consumers, and households. Sold products, install base, contracts, and entitlements provide related downstream service context.
Problems it solves
- Agents cannot consistently identify the customer or relationship being served.
- Customer history and reporting fragment across duplicate identities.
- B2B and B2C service models are mixed without clear ownership.
What must exist first
Define the appropriate B2B account/contact or B2C consumer/household model and the authoritative customer source.
What the customer needs to provide
- Customer identity and relationship data.
- Identity matching and ownership rules.
- The system of record and synchronization direction.
- Related sold-product, contract, and entitlement scope when needed.
Where it can go next
Customer identity supports CSM and industry workflows; optional install-base, contract, and entitlement records add product and support-eligibility context.