---
updatedAt: 2026-02-25T12:58:07.000Z
---

# Describe Customer

Updates information about a Customer object in Kustomer.

Use `describeCustomer` to add predefined and custom attributes to the Customer\
object of the customer logged into the chat.

## Usage

```ts
import KustomerChat from '@kustomer/chat-react-native';

KustomerChat.describeCustomer(
  {
    sharedPhones: ['+1 555 555 5555'],
    sharedEmails: ['someemail@example.com'],
    twitter: 'someTwitterHandle',
    facebook: 'someFacebookHandle',
    linkedin: 'someLinkedInHandle',
    instagram: 'someInstagramHandle',
  },
  {
    'custom.attribute': 'someValue',
  }
);
```

## Predefined attributes

The following attributes are predefined and can be used to describe the\
customer:

| Attribute    | Type      | Description                                          |
| ------------ | --------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| sharedPhones | string\[] | An array of phone numbers.                           |
| sharedEmails | string\[] | An array of email addresses.                         |
| twitter      | string    | The customer's Twitter handle.                       |
| facebook     | string    | The customer's Facebook handle.                      |
| linkedin     | string    | The customer's LinkedIn handle.                      |
| instagram    | string    | The customer's Instagram handle.                     |
| phones       | string\[] | **Deprecated (v2.5.0)** An array of phone numbers.   |
| emails       | string\[] | **Deprecated (v2.5.0)** An array of email addresses. |

> 🚧 Note: `phones` and `emails` deprecated
>
> As of `2.5.0`the `phones`and `emails` fields have been deprecated in favor of `sharedPhones`and `sharedEmails`. These fields behave the same, but more accurately represent the fields they update.
>
> `phones` and `emails` will continue to work, but may be removed in a future version.

## Custom attributes

You can also send the SDK custom attribute values for custom attributes enabled\
in Kustomer.

**Always** use the attribute name instead of the Display Name listed in the\
Klasses editor (**Settings > Platform > Klasses**) in Kustomer. The attribute\
name will always be formatted in camelCase or PascalCase without spaces and also\
describes the data type for the attribute.

For example, if a custom attribute has a Display Name of "Avg Sat Score" and has\
a number data type, then the name may appear as AvgSatScoreNum. You would use\
`AvgSatScoreNum`, the system name for the custom attribute, with the SDK.

### Activate custom attributes for the Customer klass

To update custom attributes, ensure you have the custom attribute key-value\
pairs activated for the Customer klass on the Kustomer platform. To edit or view\
custom attributes for the Customer klass, go to Settings and select **Platform >\
Klasses > Customer**.

To learn more, see\
[Define custom attribute in Kustomer](https://help.kustomer.com/define-attributes-Skr924HI)\
in the Kustomer Help Center.