Lifetime Customer Value

Lifetime Customer Value

Lifetime Customer Value Jonathan Poland

Lifetime customer value (LCV) is a measure of the total value that a customer will bring to a business over the course of their relationship with the company. This value is determined by considering the amount of money that the customer is likely to spend over the course of their lifetime, as well as the profitability of their purchases and the overall cost of acquiring and retaining the customer. LCV is an important metric for businesses because it can help them understand the long-term value of their customers and make strategic decisions about how to best allocate their marketing and sales resources. By focusing on customers with a high LCV, businesses can maximize their profits and grow over the long term.

here are many different ways to calculate lifetime customer value, and the specific approach that a business uses will depend on its unique circumstances and goals. In general, though, the LCV of a customer can be calculated by adding up the projected value of all of the purchases that the customer is expected to make over the course of their lifetime, minus the costs associated with acquiring and retaining the customer.

Here is an example of how LCV might be calculated:

  • A customer is expected to make 10 purchases from a business over the course of their lifetime, with each purchase being worth $100.
  • The cost of acquiring the customer was $50.
  • The cost of retaining the customer, such as through loyalty programs or other forms of customer service, is $10 per year.

In this example, the LCV of the customer would be calculated as follows:

(10 purchases * $100 per purchase) – ($50 acquisition cost + ($10 retention cost * 10 years)) = $900

This means that over the course of their lifetime, this customer is expected to bring $900 in value to the business.

Once the LCV of a customer has been calculated, it can be used in a variety of ways by a business. For example, a business might use LCV to:

  • Determine which customers are most valuable and allocate marketing resources accordingly.
  • Set pricing and discounting strategies based on a customer’s LCV.
  • Prioritize customer service and support efforts for customers with a high LCV.
  • Develop long-term growth strategies based on the overall LCV of the customer base.

Overall, LCV is a useful metric for businesses because it helps them understand the long-term value of their customers and make strategic decisions to maximize that value.

Learn More
What Is Requirements Quality? Jonathan Poland

What Is Requirements Quality?

Requirements quality refers to the extent to which the requirements for a project align with the business goals and support…

External Risk Jonathan Poland

External Risk

An external risk is a type of risk that is outside of your control and cannot be influenced or managed…

Needs Identification Jonathan Poland

Needs Identification

Needs identification is the process of discovering and understanding a customer’s needs, constraints, pain points, and motivations. This is a…

Sustainable Materials Jonathan Poland

Sustainable Materials

Sustainable materials are materials that have a relatively positive impact on communities and the environment when used in the construction…

Customer Satisfaction Jonathan Poland

Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is the practice of measuring how happy customers are with a brand’s products and services. This is typically…

Latent Need Jonathan Poland

Latent Need

A latent need is a customer need that is not currently being met by the market and is not actively…

Product Diffusion Jonathan Poland

Product Diffusion

Product diffusion refers to the process by which a product or service is accepted and adopted by a target market.…

Supply Chain 101 Jonathan Poland

Supply Chain 101

A supply chain is the network of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in the production, handling, and distribution…

Customer Relationships Jonathan Poland

Customer Relationships

Customer relationships refer to the interactions between a business and its potential, current, and former customers. These interactions can take…

Content Database

Search over 1,000 posts on topics across
business, finance, and capital markets.

Program Risk Jonathan Poland

Program Risk

Program risk refers to the likelihood of a program failing to achieve its goals due to potential outcomes. This type…

Strategic Goals Jonathan Poland

Strategic Goals

Strategic goals are the specific outcomes that an organization or individual hopes to achieve through their strategy. The strategic planning…

Information Security Risk Jonathan Poland

Information Security Risk

Information security risk refers to the potential for unauthorized access, disruption, modification, or destruction of information. This can have serious…

Performance Problems Jonathan Poland

Performance Problems

Performance problems are issues that arise in the workplace due to the inadequate or poor performance of an individual. These…

Technical Requirements Jonathan Poland

Technical Requirements

Technical requirements are specifications for a technology such as a system or application. It is common to define technical requirements…

Service Quality Jonathan Poland

Service Quality

Service Quality is determined by the value it holds for customers. This value can vary from person to person and…

Figure of Merit Jonathan Poland

Figure of Merit

A figure of merit (FOM) is a value used to evaluate the performance of a system or device. It is…

Strategic Partnership Jonathan Poland

Strategic Partnership

A strategic partnership is a relationship between two or more organizations that is characterized by mutual cooperation and the sharing…

Experiment Cycle Time Jonathan Poland

Experiment Cycle Time

Experiment Cycle Time is a measure of how long it takes for an idea to go through the innovation process,…