A graph-based approach to customer segmentation using the RFM model

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Filho, André Luiz Corrêa Vianna, de Lima, Leonardo, Kleina, Mariana
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Filho, André Luiz Corrêa Vianna
de Lima, Leonardo
Kleina, Mariana
author_facet Filho, André Luiz Corrêa Vianna
de Lima, Leonardo
Kleina, Mariana
contents The present article proposes a graph-based approach to customer segmentation, combining the RFM analysis with the classical optimization max-$k$-cut problem. We consider each customer as a vertex of a weighted graph, and the edge weights are given by the distances between the vectors corresponding to the $(R,F,M)$-scores of the customers. We design a procedure to build a reduced graph with fewer vertices and edges, and the customer segmentation is obtained by solving the max-$k$-cut for this reduced graph. We prove that the optimal objective function values of the original and the reduced problems are equal. Additionally, we show that an optimal solution to the original problem can be easily obtained from an optimal solution to the reduced problem, which provides an advantage in dealing with computational complexity in large instances. Applying our methodology to a real customer dataset allowed us to identify distinct behaviors between groups and analyze their meaning and value from a business perspective.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_08136
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A graph-based approach to customer segmentation using the RFM model
Filho, André Luiz Corrêa Vianna
de Lima, Leonardo
Kleina, Mariana
Optimization and Control
The present article proposes a graph-based approach to customer segmentation, combining the RFM analysis with the classical optimization max-$k$-cut problem. We consider each customer as a vertex of a weighted graph, and the edge weights are given by the distances between the vectors corresponding to the $(R,F,M)$-scores of the customers. We design a procedure to build a reduced graph with fewer vertices and edges, and the customer segmentation is obtained by solving the max-$k$-cut for this reduced graph. We prove that the optimal objective function values of the original and the reduced problems are equal. Additionally, we show that an optimal solution to the original problem can be easily obtained from an optimal solution to the reduced problem, which provides an advantage in dealing with computational complexity in large instances. Applying our methodology to a real customer dataset allowed us to identify distinct behaviors between groups and analyze their meaning and value from a business perspective.
title A graph-based approach to customer segmentation using the RFM model
topic Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.08136