RFM Analysis (Recency, Frequency, Monetary)

Biological Parallel

Cleaner wrasse fish prioritize clients based on: recent visits (recency—familiar fish get faster service), visit frequency (regulars receive preferential treatment), and body size (monetary value—larger fish = more parasites = better meal). RFM segmentation mirrors cleaner fish triage: recent interactors are more likely to return, frequent visitors demonstrate commitment, high-value exchanges justify more investment. Both systems optimize limited attention across variable-quality relationships.