From data to impact: unlocking customer data potential with D365 Customer Insights

When talking with digital forerunners, marketing automation is increasingly tied to efficiency, customer activation, and measurable business growth. Companies using Microsoft Dynamics 365 and other customer engagement platforms are realising that unifying customer data is only the first step. The real challenge lies in making it actionable, turning raw data into meaningful engagement and measurable business impact.

The growing demand for smarter data utilisation

We see it time and again - businesses invest in platforms to bring customer data together, yet many still struggle with fragmentation and underutilised automation. Marketers and business leaders are now asking:

• How can we orchestrate journeys that feel personal and drive real business outcomes?
• How do we move from isolated data points to real-time, customer-centric decision-making?
• Are we truly making the most of our marketing technology investments?

The shift from campaign-based marketing to always-on, data-driven engagement is accelerating. Companies that successfully unlock the power of their data are the ones seeing tangible results: increased customer acquisition, enhanced customer experience, increased retention, and scalable customer activation.

How businesses can unlock value from D365 Customer Insights

Since its introduction in late 2021, D365 Customer Insights has helped businesses unify and activate customer data for more effective engagement. At Columbia Road, we’ve been working with our clients to build and utilise the platform, ensuring they turn their investment into measurable business impact. According to our vast marketing automation experience with D365 and other platforms, businesses need to go beyond implementation and focus on continuous improvement.

Key ways to drive business impact with D365 Customer Insights

• Prioritising commercial impact: The most successful businesses don’t just implement a marketing automation platform; they use it to create end-to-end customer engagement use cases that directly support sales and marketing goals.
• Quick time-to-value: Rather than large-scale implementation projects, companies should take an iterative approach, starting with high-impact use cases and continuously refining their automation and personalisation efforts. The secret of making tech investments pay off is to make sure they start delivering value as soon as possible.
• Embedding data-driven ways of working: Real business value comes from ensuring marketing and sales teams actively use insights from D365 CI to continuously optimise campaigns, automate key processes, and improve decision-making.

Challenges that remain

• Bridging the gap between tech and business: Many organisations still lack a clear strategy to connect their data-driven marketing efforts to business goals.
• Driving adoption and leading change: Without clear processes and active change management, new platforms often fail to become part of daily work - and their potential goes unrealised.
• Data fragmentation persists: Despite using customer engagement platforms, many companies still struggle with disconnected data sources, limiting the full potential of automation and insights.
• AI-powered automation is underutilised: The tools exist, but companies need strong data foundations before AI can deliver optimal results.

The inclusion of a CDP in D365 and why CI Data matters

AI-powered capabilities in Microsoft’s ecosystem, such as Copilot in D365 Customer Insights, are generating interest. Proper utilisation of customer data via a CDP can enhance marketing automation by:

• Improving segmentation and targeting with intelligent recommendations.
  Enabling real-time decision-making based on customer behaviour patterns.
• Helping businesses optimise channel selection and content personalisation.

But here's the key: AI is not a magic fix for disconnected data or ineffective marketing strategies. Companies investing in better data utilisation today will be the ones seeing fast business impact from AI-driven marketing today.

Why companies need a partner that bridges tech, processes, and people

One of the biggest challenges companies face when implementing D365 CI is finding the right expertise: a consultancy that understands both the technical side (data integration, AI, automation) and the business side (marketing strategy, customer engagement).
At Columbia Road, we help companies unlock the full potential of both Data and Journeys modules in D365 CI, turning it from a platform investment into a business growth driver.

Our approach ensures that:

• Customer data is structured and actionable for both marketing and sales teams.
• Automation supports, rather than replaces, strategic marketing efforts.
• AI-enhanced capabilities are leveraged where they make a real difference.

Are you leveraging your customer data?

The businesses that succeed in marketing automation are the ones that move beyond simply having customer data to actually using it strategically. If you’re wondering:

• Are we making the most of our customer data?
• Is our marketing automation driving real business impact?
• How can we prepare for AI-powered marketing without losing sight of the fundamentals? 

Let’s talk. Columbia Road can help you bridge the gap between data, automation, and business outcomes. Get in touch and let’s make it happen!