Increasingly, organizations are attempting to capture all relevant customer data from different sources and touch points, and to integrate these data to form a panoramic view of the customer. The key is to apply appropriate tools and techniques of linkage analysis, and to deploy the learning to improve both individual interactions and overall business planning with customers.

Burke offers a variety of tools and techniques for the purpose of integrating multiple sources of customer data. One such tool is convergence mapping.

Convergence mapping enables an organization to integrate data from two different “listening posts” in order to identify priorities for improvement. For example, for a client in the hotel and lodging industry, Burke used convergence mapping to integrate data from (a) in-room customer comment cards, and (b) outbound guest surveys. Areas shown in the upper left-hand quadrant are those for which both comment card and survey ratings indicate the need for improvement.