Showing papers on "Customer relationship management published in 1998"

Business Market Management: Understanding, Creating and Delivering Value

Abstract: I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW. 1. Business Market Management: Guiding Principles. II. UNDERSTANDING VALUE. 2. Market Sensing: Generating and Using Knowledge about the Marketplace. 3. Understanding Firms as Customers. 4. Crafting Market Strategy. III. CREATING VALUE. 5. Managing Market Offerings. 6. New Offering Realization. 7. Business Channel Management. IV. DELIVERING VALUE. 8. Gaining Customers. 9. Sustaining Reseller Partnerships. 10. Sustaining Customer Relationships. Index.

Integrated interface for web based customer care and trouble management

Abstract: A system and method for opening and tracking trouble tickets over the public Internet. A customer service management system provides information included within a customer profile record to a Web enabled infrastructure which is accessible by a remote customer workstation having a web browser and Internet access. The customer profile information is used to prepopulate data fields in dialogs used to open a trouble ticket. Once a trouble ticket is opened, the customer workstation tracks the existing trouble tickets through a browser based graphical user interface. The graphical user interface provides current and historical status reports of the actions taken to resolve a network event and the service organizations responsible for resolving the network event.

Customer Satisfaction for Financial Services: The Role of Products, Services, and Information Technology

Abstract: In this paper, we study the drivers of customer satisfaction for financial services. We discuss a full Bayesian analysis based on data collected from customers of a leading financial services company. Our approach allows us to explicitly accommodate missing data and enables quantitative assessment of the impact of the drivers of satisfaction across the customer population. We find that satisfaction with product offerings is a primary driver of overall customer satisfaction. The quality of customer service with respect to financial statements and services provided through different channels of delivery such as new information technology enabled automated call centers, and traditional branch offices, are also important in determining overall satisfaction. However, our analysis indicates that the impact of these service delivery factors may differ substantially across customer segments. In order to facilitate managerial action, we discuss how specific operational quality attributes for designing and delivering financial services can be leveraged to enhance satisfaction with product offerings and service delivery. Our approach and findings have significant implications for managing customer satisfaction in the financial services industry.

An exploration of customer exit in retail banking

Abstract: States that if the marketing community is to adopt the prescriptions of the relationship marketing school of thought, more knowledge and understanding of relationships is required. The base of knowledge is growing and there is now greater appreciation of the processes germane to healthy relationships, such as trust, satisfaction and commitment. Much less attention has been paid to the negative aspects such as relationship breakdown and ending. This paper addresses the neglected area of the ending of customer‐bank relationships or customer exit. Interviews were conducted with bank customers who had recently used the exit option. Content analysis of the customers’ stories was used to generate a model of the customer exit process. As reported here, the research took the perspective of the customer. This shows that customers end bank relationships after an involving process of problem(s), effort, emotion and evaluation. A discussion of the findings concludes that banks need to develop relationship management systems and skills.

The influence of salespersons’ customer orientation on buyer‐seller relationship development

Abstract: This article reports the results of a theoretically‐based, empirical study which incorporates the paradigm of relationship marketing. Using a sample of organizational buyers, this study examines the influence of salesperson customer‐oriented behavior on the development of buyer‐seller relationships. Integral to this investigation, a measure of buyer‐seller relationship development is generated and evaluated for its reliability and validity. Findings from this study indicate a strong and significant influence between the customer‐oriented behavior of salespeople and the development of customer relationships. The results of this study and the discussion of the implications begin to provide valuable understanding into the antecedents of relationship development and relationship management. The results of this study and their implications for salespeople, managers, and researchers are discussed along with limitations and recommendations for future research.

Don’t all firms have relationships?

Abstract: The need for suppliers to carefully determine the form of customer relationship which is appropriate for their business is discussed. The experiences of two firms are considered, one of which is successful because it does not develop close relationships with its customers or its suppliers. The other each year applies a sophisticated classification scheme to determine what type of relationship will be most profitable. It makes this assessment on the basis of its understanding of each customer’s needs and of the resources it has available to manage whatever types of relationship it considers appropriate.

Reach out and touch your customers

Abstract: A casual but intentional touch of a customer's shoulder by the server increased his tips and, by extension, perhaps enhanced the overall dining experience for the customer.

Web Banking in USA

Abstract: This report presents a survey* on Web sites of banks in USA. It was done in order to learn about Web banking models that are being adopted in United States. We see American banks using the Web to reach opportunities in three different categories: to market information, to deliver banking products and services and to improve customer relationship. We split each one of these categories in three levels of interaction, to classify different kinds of applications that are found in each of the searched Web sites.

A comparative study of business to consumer electronic commerce within the Australian insurance sector

Abstract: Electronic commerce is causing fundamental changes in the insurance sector. Inherent opportunities of this innovative sales channel are driving the development of a new customer relationship paradigm, development of new products, pursuit of low cost ‘self service’ strategies, and emergence of ‘virtual brokers’. The Australian insurance sector is well positioned to take advantage of electronic commerce due to the high level of PC penetration, high Internet usage, and extensive broadband infrastructure. The perception is that the Australian insurance sector is meeting these challenges. Surprisingly, despite the emergence of electronic commerce as a ‘hot topic’ in the information technology and insurance sector literature, little empirical research has been reported. Much of the extant literature can be criticized as being too generic and superficial. It is argued that until research is focused on specific aspects of electronic commerce, we will fail to capture meaningful insights. The aim of this research project is to develop a research framework appropriate for electronic commerce, research and to apply it to a specific sector (insurance), in a specific geographical region (Australia), using a specific electronic commerce, medium (Internet), for a specific purpose (business to consumer sale of risk products). The research objective is to discover which Australian insurance companies are using electronic commerce for what. The survey found that of the 21 largest Australian insurance companies only 18 have web sites. These sites are mainly used for promotional purposes and not for directly generating sales. Only six companies offer customer-specific pricing of their products. And of these, only four companies sell any of their products over the Internet. Paradoxically, despite pressing business drivers in the insurance sector and a favourable electronic commerce environment in Australia, these findings demonstrate a significant gap between appreciation of the importance of electronic commerce and realization of commercial potential. Whilst most Australian insurance companies are well aware of the special importance of electronic commerce, many fail to take full advantage. Although further qualitative research is recommended to understand why this is so, it is clear that a significant gap remains between the technical capabilities of electronic commerce and actual practice in the Australian insurance sector.

Using hierarchical information integration to examine customer preferences in banking

Abstract: The process of choosing a bank has been studied for several decades through different approaches. This paper presents a bank choice analysis designed to assess the usefulness of the hierarchical information integration method which involves measuring individual preferences. The substantive conclusions of this study are that, on average, respondents prefer the extended loyalty programs, the continuous information flow from the bank, the off‐site ATMs, the maximum five‐minutes waiting time in the branches and a simple application for all the accounts the bank offers. In terms of higher‐order decision constructs, delivery channels and customer relations have the strongest influence on the respondents’ preferences. The results suggest that hierarchical information integration may be a potentially useful method for bank managers to study complex decision‐making problems such as bank choice.

Learning excellence: Southwest Airlines’ approach

Abstract: In an era in which adapting to change means survival, it is important to study what successful organizations have done. While the airline industry in the USA has not made thriving financial headlines, one small company has been able to satisfy its customers completely and achieve a place among the Fortune 500 in a relatively short period of time. In three steps, this article examines what Southwest Airlines has done to reach this level of achievement and maintain its excellent employee and customer relations. First, the company is defined as “excellent” according to the criteria established by Peters and Waterman. Second, management‐employee relations, organizational training and strong leadership are identified as the sources of employee motivation. Third, loss of strong leadership and organizational structure are discussed as possible future problems influencing motivation and service. The article closes by pointing to Southwest Airline’s concept of service as the true source of motivation and excellence.

System and method for managing customer information of electronic equipment and recording medium for storing program for managing customer information

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a customer information management system for automatically obtaining individual identification information necessary at the time of obtaining and managing the customer information of electronic equipment, and for preventing any manual input miss or illegal value input. SOLUTION: In this customer information management system, a client machine 10 side owned by a customer reads product individual information from a product individual information storing means 11 for storing product individual information by an information reading means 12, and transmits it with personal information inputted by an input and display means 13 to a host machine 20 by a data transmitting and receiving means 14. Then, the host machine 20 side for managing the product individual information and personal information as customer management information collates the customer management information from the client machine 10 received by a transmitting and receiving means 25 with customer management information in a customer information data base 22 by a collating means 23, and when the transmitted customer management information is not registered, the host machine 20 side registers the customer management information in the customer information data base by a registering means 24. COPYRIGHT: (C)2000,JPO

Leadership challenges for the future [of the software industry]

Abstract: The software industry's phenomenal growth over the past 10 years presents significant challenges for management. The author describes how management issues in software differ from those in hardware development, and he proposes 10 areas of leadership competency that software managers need in order to succeed: (1) business literacy; (2) technology vision; (3) cross-functional orientation; (4) strategic partnership management; (5) customer relations; (6) total quality discipline; (7) market decisiveness; (8) technical teamwork; (9) knowledge development; and (10) leadership versatility.

Retail Banking: Managing Competition among Your Own Channels

Abstract: Channels don't own customers How far into your bank do you allow the market to penetrate? Rules of the road The promise of lower transaction costs, increased sales productivity, and more convenient service has lured banks into setting up new electronic and product-specific channels. But they have quickly found that their delivery capabilities are outstripping the traditional branch-centered model they use to manage them. As a result, they face stubbornly high efficiency ratios, expected revenues that never materialize, and channel managers at odds with the standards by which they are measured and rewarded. To resolve these problems, banks must adopt a new approach to the management of multiple channels. In particular, they must address four issues: * Who owns the customer? * How are operational issues resolved? * How are managers measured and rewarded? * Where does each business fit? Customer ownership "By all means add the new channels, but book the revenues with the branch network, where they belong." The notion that customers can be "owned" is championed by branch managers seeking to preserve a branch-centered organization. They maintain that the branch remains the prime point of contact for sales, service, and relationship management. But their argument does not stand up to close scrutiny. Far from staying loyal to a branch, most customers today use a number of channels [ILLUSTRATION FOR EXHIBIT 1 OMITTED]. They graze from ATM to telephone to branch, depending on their needs at any given time. They are no more "owned" by a banking channel than they are by a TV channel. If a bank designing a multichannel organization persists in assuming that a channel can own customers, it is deluding itself about how customers use banks and the range of choices they enjoy. Operational issues "Maybe individual channels don't own the customer, but there has to be a single point of accountability for coherent product and channel offerings, branding, and resolution of customer service issues. Someone has to look out for the customer in this institution!" This familiar refrain is sounded by advocates of "customer-centered" management. For them, retail banks should be organized around customer segments, and those who manage these segments should dictate what products and services are available and how they are delivered. But this approach can be dangerous. Most delivery channels are used by several customer segments, and a channel decision made by the manager of one of them could adversely affect other segments. Say the owner of a mass-market segment directed branch tellers to encourage these customers to use ATMs. If the tellers inadvertently encouraged mass affluent customers to do the same, they might prompt unwanted defections among these customers. Resolving operational issues such as how products and channels will be offered to target customers must be an explicit part of multichannel management design. It is also likely to require CEO involvement, for two reasons. First, decisions on these issues help to shape a bank's customer value proposition. Will customers enjoy universal access to the full portfolio of channels, for example, or will there be incentives (or disincentives) to use certain channels? Second, a decision that is optimal from a business unit's perspective may not be optimal for the institution as a whole. The CEO must be involved in decisions such as: can dedicated product delivery platforms, such as investment centers, develop their own brands independently of the bank's umbrella brand? Can individual channels choose to distribute other providers' products, such as mutual funds and mortgages, if they see a profit opportunity? Will the various salesforces be allowed to compete directly, or be required to collaborate? Performance measurement and rewards "You're not going to take away my revenues and just give them to some new channel, are you? …

Handbook of Technology in Financial Services

Abstract: Preface BANKING TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY Grab a Ringside Seat for the Best of Banking Technology Banking Technology in Emerging Markets Going Global -- Systems Issues for Servicing Global Business A Brief Case History in Internet Banking How "Internet Bill Presentment" Changes the Deployment Strategy for Homebanking and Online Payment The Self Service Revolution: Harnessing the Power of Kiosks & ATMs Checking It Twice: Check Imaging System Offers Greater Flexibility and Efficiency Internet Banking: Leveling the Playing Field for Community Banks Through Internet Banking Straight Talk on SET: Challenges and Opportunities from a Business Perspective SECURITIES TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY The Future of the Securities Industry: Convergence of Trust and Brokerage A Portfolio Management System for the 21st Century Logging Monitoring in the Financial Services Industry Straight Through Processing Designing and Evaluating Investment Performance Systems INSURANCE TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY Outsourcing Business Communications in the Insurance Industry New Business Model for Insurance Industry Demands New Automation Model The Internet and Evolving Technology: Changing How Insurance Companies Service and Operate Producer Management Systems -- The Need for Automation and Integration Understanding and Implementing Business Intelligence Solutions in the Insurance Industry TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES The "Must Have" Guide to Total Quality for the Financial Services Manager Distributed Integration: An Alternative to Data Warehousing Distributions Solutions in n-Tier Design in the Financial Services Industry Windows Distributed Internet Architecture for Financial Services Evaluating Financial and Application Prototyping Environments Customer Profiling for Financial Services Business Rule Systems Customer Data Quality: The Foundation for a One-to-One Customer Relationship A History of Knowledge-Based Systems in Financial Services The Unfolding Wireless Technology in the Financial Services Industry Personal Financial Appliances Putting Inbound Fax Automation to Work in the Financial Organization VPNs for Financial Services Designing a High-Performance, High-Availability Network Infrastructure Applications of GIS Technology in Financial Services Designing and Implementing a Virus Prevention Policy in Financial Services Organizations: Key Issues and Critical Needs Voice Over ATM Toward a More Perfect Union: The European Monetary Conversion and Its Impact on Information Technology Systems that Build Themselves: Anatomy of a Development Before the Fact Software Engineering Methodology Multimedia-Based Training (MBT) for Financial Services Law (or the Lack of it) on the Web: A Primer for Financial Services Technology Managers Internet Security Analysis Report: An Executive Overview Multicast Applications and Technology for the Financial Services Industry An Introduction to the Internet for Financial Services Developers Introduction to e-Commerce Using Net-Based Interactive Technology for Online Marketing, Sales and Support of Financial Services Firms PRODUCT BRIEFS Appendix A: Selected Product Briefs

Purchase information processor

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a purchase information processor capable of easily performing order operation even by a customer purchasing the same merchandise every shopping time. SOLUTION: This purchase information processor 1 is provided with an input means 11, a customer information database(DB) 22 for storing identification information of the customer corresponding to an identifier, a in-basket information DB 24 for storing order information of the customer as in-shopping basket information, a history information DB 22 for storing purchase history information of the customer, a customer management means 27 that has an identification function 27a to identify the customer from the customer's identifier, a read-out function 27b to read out the identified purchase history information of the customer, and a storage means control function 27c to store the read out purchase history information in the in-basket information DB 24 as the in-shopping basket information, and a shopping basket processing means 29 fort rewriting the in-shopping basket information of the in-basket information DB 24 in accordance with the order information. COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO

Communicating with Customers

Abstract: Background: Development of the Service Economy Customers, Clients, Consumers: Customer Relations as an Organizational Strategy Non-Verbal Communication Listening Skills: The Interpersonal and Strategic Levels Questioning Skills Communication: A Transactional Analysis Model Communication: A Neuro-Linguistic Programming Model Communication: An Assertiveness Training Model Telephone Communication Skills Communicating in Writing Total Communication: Instruction Manuals, Hotlines, Customer Suggestion Schemes, Open Days, Data Links, Etc Overview: Dealing with Customers from Hell and Other Places Reviews of Training Videos on Customer Relations Reviews of Simulations, Instrumentations, Case Studies on Customer Relations Multiple Choice Test-Bank on Customer Relations.

Modern Miners Plumb for Gold

Abstract: Credit scoring joins a growing arsenal of data mining and analysis tools, which banks hope will strengthen their ties to customers In their quest to fashion the $200 billion financial services institution of the 21st Century, the people who manage giant new banks are spending a bundle on a technology strategy that is supposed to make the mergers work: their strategy is the database. No, not databases-one for demand deposits, another for savings, still more for each class of loans, plus cards, brokerage, insurance, annuities, 401(k)s, securities underwriting, and more. A single database. One warehouse of all records, plus the ability to sort through it exhaustively to find patterns that may, or may not, imbue banks to a captured base of brand loyal customers. The vision is one-to-one marketing, in other words, trying to leverage database technology to replicate the personal relationship of a community bank across a million customers. The method is "mining." This new kind of mining is perhaps in some ways not too far afield from the other type of mining. In its heydey, the other mining had geologists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and an army of men digging deep into rock and earth, from the hills of California to the wells drilled in Texas, in search of oil and ore, silver, copper and gold. New mines, low yields Today's miners may be surprised to find themselves working for banks, though, for sure, not their father's brand of bank. They are often Ph.D.'s in economics, psychology, and sociology whose mission is to apply a dizzying assortment of technical tools to unearth unrecognized, potential new sources of revenue hidden within myriad data. Connecting all the silos of sundry databases is one enormous endeavor. Extracting meaning and value from them is an all together different task. To get there, the banking industry has been spending a lot, but without a lot of significant results yet. "I'd give the industry a C-minus in effectively leveraging their investments in data warehousing and data mining," says bank technology consultant Richard Cornelius of Andersen Consulting. "People really haven't been able to figure out the riddle of what insights can be gleaned from this great pool of data I have on my customers, how to improve my customer intimacy, really understand my customer's needs, their wants, and better sell to them." To do that, top brass at banks today are outfitting in-house and external analysts with everything from a sleek new relational database to a jerry-rigged assemblage strung together in a basement at M.I.T. Today's arsenal also includes "enterprise resource planning" systems which integrate databases and help to manage the customer relationship, and "neural networks" which try to mimic the intelligence and speed of a human brain's capacity for information processing, as well as knowledge systems governed by algorithms. Still another important tool for modern data mining is a new variation on an old theme: the use of advanced quantitative techniques to analyze credit risk and customer behavior, whose forebear is the credit scorecard. Tallying the score Once, when a computer was a person who crunched numbers, loan applications were evaluated by people. Bank lending officers judged a consumer's credit worthiness on a few variables: employment, income, age, assets, outstanding debt, and history of repayment. Loans to businesses worked much the same way, only somewhat more involved. But for all the virtues of human judgement which make it superior to computer "intelligence," people are inherently partial. However much they may try to be impartial, to be biased is to be human. Credit scoring, as it has evolved, is an applied decision science, also known as management science or operations research. Decision science uses statistics and mathematics to build models and algorithms and run "regressions" and "linear programming" through computer software to solve complex problems consisting of far more variables than one person could possibly calculate. …

Managing salespeople : a relationship approach

Abstract: A relationship management theme throughout the text teaches managers to guide salespeople in establishing and maintaining relationships with their customers. Separate chapters on international and technology issues. Up-to-date coverage includes ethics, managing the salesperson in an international setting, and implications of technology in managing salespersons.

Assessing customer orientation in public, non-profit organizations: a profile of ohio state university extension

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to describe the customer orientation profile of Ohio State University Extension (OSU Extension). The sample for the study consisted of Extension personnel (n= 265) at the county level. An evaluative framework was utilized to describe the organizational customer orientation proJile infour dimensions: Definition, Sensitivity, Measurement, andlmplementation. Additionally, the level of commitment to Customer Service and attitude toward Continuous Quality Improvement (@I,) were analyzed. A mail survey was used to collect the research data. A slightly high level of customer orientation was found, portiavying the organization (OSIJ Extension) as extroverted, proactive, formal, and actionoriented. A slightly high level of commitment to customer service and a slightly positive attitude toward CQI were exhibited by OSIJ Extension personnel. A statistically signtftcant association was found between customer service andcustomer orientation, andalso between customer orientation andattitude toward CQI, job title and gender. Paraprofessionals had a higher customer orientation than professionals and support stafl Females had a higher customer orientation than males.

A New Way to Reach Small Businesses

Abstract: Continuous relationship marketing (CRM) is widely used in business-to-consumer marketing, where it has proved effective in a variety of industries including financial services, telecom, healthcare, and media? Yet most large companies have only recently begun to apply the technique in marketing to small businesses, even though there are more than 55 million firms of 500 or fewer employees in the United States Annual sales between large and small businesses reached $9 trillion (or two-thirds of the nation's total commerce) in 1996, and small businesses are often a large company's most profitable customers, with a lifetime value three or four times that of the average consumer Until recently, firms had legitimate reasons to overlook CRM as an approach to small business marketing The data often needed to drive a CRM program was poor or unavailable, and conflicts arose between the personal relationship sales and service channels that have long dominated business-to-business marketing and the new alternative channels that are frequently used to capture the full value of a CRM strategy Resourceful and determined marketers are only now finding ways to overcome these obstacles (Exhibit 1) Exhibit 1 Disappearing obstacles to CRM Barriers to implementing Forces breaking down barriers business-to-business CRM Dominance of personal Superior economics of direct channels selling Customers increasingly comfortable using direct channels such as telephone and Internet Poor or unavailable Client server and data warehouse customer information implementation Salesforce automation and contact; management tools Intranet and extranet connectivity Inability to coordinate Diminishing role of intermediaries channels and manage Need to create cooperative conflict multichannel approaches tailored to customer needs Improved data management capabilities What is CRM, and who uses it? CRM is a data-driven approach that enables companies to assess each customer's current needs and potential profitability and tailor sales offers and service?(**) It often involves using multiple channels - the Internet, direct mail, telesales, and field sales - to improve effectiveness and efficiency A company can make contact with prospective customers through relatively low-cost direct mail or telesales channels, for example, then close sales using a higher-cost field salesforce Alternatively, customers can browse a Web site for product information before calling a telesales representative who will answer detailed questions and execute the transaction Measures of these interactions are then fed back into a database to determine what does or does not work and what improvements need to be made Industries characterized by the accessibility of transaction data and by ongoing customer relationships of varying profitability - such as telecommunications, banking, insurance, utilities, computer hardware and software, pharmaceuticals, and package delivery - are well suited to CRM [ILLUSTRATION FOR EXHIBIT 2 OMITTED] Banks, telecommunications providers, and insurance companies in particular often possess detailed customer information and transaction histories As a result, they have been among the earliest adopters of the technique These types of company typically augment their customer files, or a sample thereof, with publicly available information from a provider such as Dun & Bradstreet or ABI The data, which includes contact details, estimated sales, industry code, age of business, number of employees, payment histories, recent major purchases, and credit scores, can enable companies to develop lifetime-value models of customers, profitability scores, and behavior-based segmentation models …

Data Mining at a Major Bank: Lessons from a Large Marketing Application

Abstract: This paper summarizes experiences and results of productively using knowledge discovery and data mining technology in a large retail bank We present data mining as part of a greater effort to develop and deploy an integrated IT-infrastructure for loyalty based customer management, combining data warehousing, and campaign management together with data mining technology We have completed a first campaign where potential customers were selected using the new built data warehouse together with data mining Because of the better insight we have used a decision tree as selection method

Marketing of Library and information services at British Council Library Networks in India

Abstract: The paper outlines the marketing approaches used in the British Council Library Network in India. The market analysis is done in order to get a profile of the customers in these libraries. Excellent customer relations are maintained by delivering quality service. Customer interaction is a continuous process and this is ensured by conscious listening to the customers, meet the members programmes, questionnaires, surveys, and suggestion boxes. The libraries use promotional techniques such as mailshots, distribution of -publicity material, publicity through press and advertising in order to increase the customer base. Extension activities such as lectures and seminars attract the target customers to the library apart from furthering the social cause. http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dbit.18.3.3398

Electronic banking and payments

Abstract: Rapid competitive change in financial services is underpinned by new technology, allowing radically improved customer relationship management at much lower channel cost. Internet is just one of the new channels available; interactive TV, mobile phones and smart cards will be just as important. Established banks face major integration challenges, which could be eased by appropriate technology selection and the use of managed access services. The emergence of electronic commerce will demand new payment mechanisms; distinct roles exist for electronic purses, micropayments, electronic credit instructions and high information payments. The successful banks will be those which grasp these new opportunities, using technology to deliver real service excellence, and designing solutions not around their products, nor around their channels, but around their customers. (6 pages)

Customer interfacing—lessons learned

Abstract: Customer interfacing is the process through which one works with and relates to one's customers. Often in the technical world, modelers find it easier to interface with computers rather than customers. It is not uncommon for those involved in the technical field of simulation to enjoy the more technical and analytical aspects of making a model. Consequently, customer interfacing is not performed well. Unfortunately, a valid model cannot be "ivory towered". One must consistently work with one's customers to produce a valid representation of the customer's system. This paper discusses a few lessons learned in interfacing with customers. It presents some of the prime opportunities for customer interfacing during a project and looks at the habits of good interfacing.

Game machine user management system

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide marketing information for developing new game machines or introducing game machines to a game parlor by finding a relation between a customer modified data of sex, age, etc., of customers and using conditions of each game machine by using the customer identification data as a key so as to prepare a marketing data. SOLUTION: A customer management computer 21 in a chained main store finds mutual relation between chained store master file data and marketing data file data of each chained store which is sent from each store using a store identification number as a key so that a marketing database file for chained store development is prepared. Regional characteristics of stores, location conditions, main customers names of prefectures, area names, sex, age, and occupations of customers model names of pachinko machines, playing time, etc., are recorded in this file by relating them with each other. This constitution can provide marketing information such as machine models suited to regional characteristics in developing a new store.

Choosing a Cash Management Bank: Customer Criteria and Bank Strategies

Abstract: At present most European banks can only be considered domestic banks in the sense that they are operating in one country only. However, this situation is changing because the integration of Europe makes borders less important, and both the banks and their customers tend to become more internationally oriented. Further, the European banking sector is becoming more concentrated and many banks must consider not only their home market but also the whole of Europe as the potential market.

Transformation d'entreprise et développement des SI : le cas IBM

Abstract: Between 1965 and 1989, the different corporate transformations in a simple and stable environment contributed to reinforce the structure of IBM that was functional and then divisional. These transformations were based upon structured methodologies for IS development. But with an environment complex and unstable, this divisional structure appeared to be unadaptated and its transformation was mandatory. The first phase of the reengineering of IBM marketing and sales processes in 1993, limited to the scope of the USA still relied on structured methodologies. This led to a failure. On the opposite, in 1994, the second phase of the worldwide reengineering was participative and with an explicit vision towards an innovative structure. IBM France, the "worldwide pilot" for the transformation of IBM customer relationship management processes is carried out through the resort of corporate prototyping. This allows to propose criteria helping to choose among IS development methods in a corporate transformation context. This choice can be made according to the targeted structure of the transformation (vision), the corporate objective and the environment type. The hypothesis is that in a transformation context towards a functional structure, when the objective is cost savings and when the environment is stable and simple, the structured methodologies will contribute more than cooperative methods, like prototyping, to this corporate transformation. On the other hand, in a transformation context towards an innovative structure, when the objective is flexibility and when the environment is unstable and complex, the methods likely to contribute to this corporate transformation are cooperative.

Relationship Management By Team: Empirical Evidence For The Impact Of Supplier Team Design Quality On The Effectiveness Of Supplier-Customer Relationships

Abstract: The paper deals with the design of effective relationship marketing (RM) teams. The authors draw upon major findings of team effectiveness research and can show empirically that the design quality of a customer management team within a supplier firm regarding team composition, group processes, and the organizational context of the team accounts for the fulfilment of three crucial relationship management tasks: exchange, coordination, and adaptation. The fulfilment of these tasks themselves has a considerable impact on relationship atmosphere - in terms of trust and commitment - as well as relationship effectiveness regarding sales, product/service development, and new customer acquisition. Finally, it is shown that the exploitation of the potentials of a customer relationship is significantly related to the design quality of the supplier team