> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://plexo.gitbook.io/rest-api/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://plexo.gitbook.io/rest-api/core-concepts/customers.md).

# Customers

*Brief explanation: A customer represents the person or entity making a payment. Customers can have associated payment instruments (tokenized cards) for recurring payments.*

## What is a Customer?

A customer in Plexo represents a buyer or payer who makes purchases through your merchant account. Customers are optional but recommended for:

* Recurring payments and subscriptions
* Storing tokenized payment methods
* Tracking customer payment history
* Pre-filling payment information

## Customer Properties

**Key Fields:**

* `Id` - Unique Plexo identifier (UUID)
* `ReferenceId` - Your system's customer identifier (required)
* `Email` - Customer email address
* `FirstName` / `LastName` - Customer name
* `Phone` - Contact phone number
* `Document` / `Identification` - Identity document (CI, RUT, CPF, etc.)
* `Address` - Billing address
* `Birthdate` - Date of birth
* `Metadata` - Custom key-value data
* `Status` - Customer status

## Payment Instruments

Customers can have multiple tokenized payment instruments (cards) associated with their account. These tokens can be used for:

* One-click checkout
* Recurring billing
* Subscription payments
* Card-on-file transactions

## Customer Lifecycle

1. **Create Customer**: Register a new customer with contact information
2. **Add Payment Instruments**: Tokenize and store payment methods
3. **Process Payments**: Use stored instruments for transactions
4. **Update Information**: Modify customer details as needed
5. **Delete Customer**: Remove customer and associated data

## Use Cases

**When to Use Customers:**

1. **Recurring Payments** - Store payment methods for subscription billing
2. **Improved UX** - Pre-fill checkout forms with saved information
3. **Customer Analytics** - Track payment behavior and history
4. **Compliance** - Store customer data for regulatory requirements

**When Customers are Optional:**

* One-time guest checkouts
* Simple payment flows
* Anonymous transactions

## Related Resources

* [Customer Management Guide](/rest-api/customers-and-saved-methods/customer-management.md)
* [Tokenization](/rest-api/core-concepts/tokenization.md)
* [Recurring Payments](/rest-api/customers-and-saved-methods/recurring-payments.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://plexo.gitbook.io/rest-api/core-concepts/customers.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.