Many of our mid-market clients have shared how challenging it’s been for them to establish a complete 360° single view of their customers. This is due to the lack of data management capabilities and processes conducive towards forming meaningful actionable insights about their customer’s journey with them.
Historically to address this problem, there have been two recognized types of Customer Data Platforms (CDP): Packaged and Composable. Packaged CDPs are your all-in-one, pre-built solution that have their own data repository, armed with workflows and configurations for managing customer data. Composable CDPs are actually a collection of many data management functions trying to achieve the same results as its packaged counterparts - a throwback to the ‘best of breed’ methodology. Fast forward to today. We’re seeing an emergence of a new category that we call “Bodiless CDPs”.
What is it?
The Bodiless CDP is a bit of a hybrid that consolidates the feature rich capabilities of traditional Packaged CDPs (e.g. data collection, manipulation, and activation), with the reduced infrastructure footprint of Composable CDPs. The reason we call it “bodiless” is because these CDPs don’t require a new data repository, but instead leverage your existing database structures while providing the option to add features you need when the time is right. Their magic resides in the movement of data and integration!
The bread and butter of bodiless CDPs is their cloud-native architecture that makes them champions at modern integration methods and legacy compatibility. Bodiless CDPs feature over 100 source and destination connectors that make the task of consuming and then activating your data a breeze, especially if your target marketing automation platform is Braze. If a connector isn't there for you, have no fear, this is where their robust API capabilities provide your DevOps team with the tools to achieve your data transfer goals. Some bodiless CDPs, like Census, even have a feature that allows you to embed their code into your custom/home grown data hub so that you can send data where it needs to go.
Agility
With a bodiless CDP, you know exactly what you are getting - data collection, data manipulation, and data activation. This core trifecta is what bodiless CDPs do best. But, if you need functions outside of this trifecta, a bodiless CDP is more flexible than traditional options that have you confined to a rigid construct or standard packaged features. For example, if you require identity resolution, you can add-on the best third-party solution available instead relying on costly CDP bundles that may not fully satisfy your needs. Real-time data syncing was a key feature in traditional CDPs missing in Composable CDPs. That’s no longer the case since some bodiless CDPs now have the real-time data syncing capabilities through partnerships with popular cloud based data platforms. What if you have a legacy data source in your tech stack that can only spit out CSV data files? No problem, a bodiless CDP can ingest that for you and get that data to where it needs to go. With a bodiless CDP, you have the flexibility to choose what's right for your organization.
Scalability
Because bodiless CDPs are typically more scalable than Packaged CDPs, you can forget about data limitations cramping your growth. They’re built to grow alongside your business through scalability and futureproofing. No matter how much your data explodes in volume and complexity, a Bodiless CDP can seamlessly adapt and expand to keep up. This smooth scaling ensures continued top-notch performance and efficiency, without any disruptive hiccups. Furthermore, due to their boundaryless design, they can bend and twist to accommodate new tech trends whatever unique needs your business throws their way. This translates to a data infrastructure that stays relevant and effective for the long haul, giving you the adaptability to stay ahead of the curve and seize new opportunities in the ever-changing digital landscape.
Cost Effective
Let's talk about cost-effectiveness. Bodiless CDPs may require extra upfront capital for development and setup, but there’s an upside because they're like the savvy shoppers of the CDP world. Due to the flexible nature of Bodiless CDPs, businesses can forego paying for things they don't need. They help you keep ongoing maintenance and operational costs down by giving you the option to choose what ala carte services you need. So, you may have to shell out a bit more at the start, but your total cost of ownership will be less overall.
For those mid-market Marketers looking to elevate their data game, a Bodiless CDP is a smart play to gain a lot of rich functionality without breaking the bank. They provide the agility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness to meet all those sophisticated new demands of modern marketing. If you want to stay ahead of the curve and ride that wave of data-driven innovation, Bodiless CDPs might just be your ticket to success!
If you enjoy this article, then you may really like our article “Better Together Braze and Census.”
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