Showing papers on "Customer relationship management published in 2006"

Challenges and opportunities in multichannel customer management

Abstract: Multichannel customer management is the design, deployment, coordination, and evaluation of channels through which firms and customers interact, with the goal of enhancing customer value through ef...

Data Mining in Manufacturing: A Review

Abstract: The paper reviews applications of data mining in manufacturing engineering, in particular production processes, operations, fault detection, maintenance, decision support, and product quality improvement. Customer relationship management, information integration aspects, and standardization are also briefly discussed. This review is focused on demonstrating the relevancy of data mining to manufacturing industry, rather than discussing the data mining domain in general. The volume of general data mining literature makes it difficult to gain a precise view of a target area such as manufacturing engineering, which has its own particular needs and requirements for mining applications. This review reveals progressive applications in addition to existing gaps and less considered areas such as manufacturing planning and shop floor control.

Customer Relationship Management: from Strategy to Implementation

Abstract: This article examines Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, from the perspective of strategy formulation and implementation. We commence by reviewing the origins and role of CRM and highlighting the importance of adopting a cross-functional approach to CRM strategy formulation. We examine alternative approaches to CRM strategy development and, using an 'interaction research' approach, propose a model that addresses both CRM strategy and implementation. We identify four critical implementation components of a successful CRM programme and examine these in the context of five key cross-functional CRM processes. The model structure is used to help identify a research agenda

Methodology for customer relationship management

Abstract: Customer relationship management (CRM) is a customer-focused business strategy that dynamically integrates sales, marketing and customer care service in order to create and add value for the company and its customers.This change towards a customer-focused strategy is leading to a strong demand for CRM solutions by companies. However, in spite of companies' interest in this new management model, many CRM implementations fail. One of the main reasons for this lack of success is that the existing methodologies being used to approach a CRM project are not adequate, since they do not satisfactorily integrate and complement the strategic and technological aspects of CRM.This paper describes a formal methodology for directing the process of developing and implementing a CRM System that considers and integrates various aspects, such as defining a customer strategy, re-engineering customer-oriented business processes, human resources management, the computer system, management of change and continuous improvement.

The royalty of loyalty: CRM, quality and retention

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the study is to examine and develop a better understanding of triangle relationship between quality, customer relationship management (CRM) and customer loyalty (CL) which might lead to companies' competitiveness (CC).Design/methodology/approach – A research model (5Qs) was designed to measure satisfaction and loyalty. This model is based on two conditions: the customer database and CRM strategy are well structured; and that management control systems have the capacity to produce required data for the analysis.Findings – Changing in quality over time within various segments or related to specific products or categories of products/services can be used as an indicator the level of loyalty. By linking infrastructure, interaction and atmosphere indicators to the quality of object and processes, researchers and managers can document which changes in CRM strategy improve the overall satisfaction and loyalty, hence the ultimate outcomes.Practical implications – Key ways to build a stron...

Service orientation and performance: an organizational perspective

Abstract: Purpose – With the growing interest in service orientation research, the concept has been demonstrated to be a defining factor in the creation of superior customer service and value. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate service orientation as a socially constructed variable, empirically examine its relationship with measures of organization performance, and offer implications for management.Design/methodology/approach – This study was conducted to conceptualize and measure service orientation as an element of organizational culture, understand the linkage between service orientation as a strategic choice and organizational performance, and measure service orientation utilizing a multi‐informant approach.Findings – The data indicated that organizational service orientation in banking is positively correlated with employee commitment, longevity, and esprit de corps, consumer products performance, service quality image, and banking profitability.Research limitations/implications – The study had five princ...

Handbook of CRM : archieving excellence in customer management

Abstract: A Strategic Framework for CRM The Strategy Development Process The Value Creation Process The Multi-Channel Integration Process The Information Management Process The CRM Performance Assessment Process Organising for CRM Implementation Chapter references CRM reading list

Electronic Customer Relationship Management

Abstract: Electronic customer relationship management (eCRM) has become the latest paradigm in the world of customer relationship management. Recent business surveys suggest that up to 50 per cent of such implementations do not yield measurable returns on investment. A secondary analysis of 13 case studies suggests that many of these limited success implementations can be attributed to usability and resistance factors. The objective of this paper is to review the general usability and resistance principles in order to build an integrative framework for analyzing eCRM case studies. The conclusions suggest that if organizations want to get the most from their eCRM implementations they need to revisit the general principles of usability and resistance and apply them thoroughly and consistently.

The art of service recovery: fact or fiction?

Abstract: Purpose – To determine the impact of service recovery on consumer evaluations of service delivery.Design/methodology/approach – An experiment investigated consumer responses to three dimensions of perceived fairness of recovery efforts: redress, responsiveness, and empathy/courtesy.Findings – Results revealed that higher levels of redress independently increase positive consumer responses. It was further found that the interaction of employee responsiveness and courtesy can also have a dramatic impact on consumer evaluations. Satisfaction was highest and negative word‐of‐mouth (WOM) intentions were lowest only under conditions of high responsiveness and courtesy. Additionally, an interaction between courtesy and tangible rewards significantly decreased the level of negative WOM.Practical implications – The research offers empirical support for the “service recovery paradox” suggesting effective post‐recovery efforts may not only counteract bad service experiences, but may increase satisfaction beyond leve...

Which Came First, it or Productivity? Virtuous Cycle of Investment and Use in Enterprise Systems

Abstract: While it is now well established that IT intensive firms are more productive, a critical question remains: Does IT cause productivity or are productive firms simply willing to spend more on IT? We address this question by examining the productivity and performance effects of enterprise systems investments in a uniquely detailed and comprehensive data set of 623 large, public U.S firms. The data represent all U.S. customers of a large vendor during 1998-2005 and include the vendor's three main enterprise system suites: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). A particular benefit of our data is that they distinguish the purchase of enterprise systems from their installation and use. Since enterprise systems often take years to implement, firm performance at the time of purchase often differs markedly from performance after the systems go live. Specifically, in our ERP data, we find that purchase events are uncorrelated with performance while go-live events are positively correlated. This indicates that the use of ERP systems actually causes performance gains rather than strong performance driving the purchase of ERP. In contrast, for SCM and CRM, we find that performance is correlated with both purchase and go-live events. Because SCM and CRM are installed after ERP, these results imply that firms that experience performance gains from ERP go on to purchase SCM and CRM. Our results are robust against several alternative explanations and specifications and suggest that a causal relationship between ERP and performance triggers additional IT adoption in firms that derive value from their initial investment. These results provide an explanation of simultaneity in IT value research that fits with rational economic decision-making: Firms that successfully implement IT, react by investing in more IT. Our work suggests replacing either-or views of causality with a positive feedback loop conceptualization in which successful IT investments initiate a virtuous cycle of investment and gain. Our work also reveals other important estimation issues that can help researchers identify relationships between IT and business value.

Identifying significant factors influencing consumer trust in an online travel site.

Abstract: The critical role of trust as an enabler, especially in a relationship in which the consumer does not have direct control over the actions of a seller and in which marketers seek long-term relations with their consumers, has been widely recognized in both academia and industry. Based on previous studies in multiple disciplines, this study develops a model representing the determinants of consumer trust in an online travel site and reports the results of an empirical investigation for this model. Theoretically, the study advances our current understanding of consumer trust in e-commerce by proposing a model and providing evidence for the major elements contributing to the formation of this construct. From a managerial perspective, the study provides practitioners with practical insights on how to design Internet marketing strategies that can initiate, develop, and maintain consumer trust.

CRM Implementation: Effectiveness Issues and Insights

Abstract: Conceptually, customer relationship management (CRM) has been widely embraced by businesses. In practice, however, examples of success contrast with anecdotes where the diffusion of CRM into organizations continues to be a slow process and/or where CRM implementation outcomes have fallen short of expectations. Successful implementation depends on a number of factors such as fit between a firm's CRM strategy and programs and its broader marketing strategy, and intraorganizational and interorganizational cooperation and coordination among entities involved in implementation. Building on the results of a survey of the CRM-implementation-related experiences of 101 U.S.-based firms, in this article the authors identify factors associated with successful CRM implementation and advance directions for future research.

CRM Implementation: Effectiveness Issues and Insights

Abstract: Conceptually, customer relationship management (CRM) has been widely embraced by businesses. In practice, however, examples of success contrast with anecdotes where the diffusion of CRM into organizations continues to be a slow process and/or where CRM implementation outcomes have fallen short of expectations. Successful implementation depends on a number of factors such as fit between of a firm’s CRM strategy and programs and its broader marketing strategy, and intraorganizational and interorganizational cooperation and coordination among entities involved in implementation. Building on the results of a survey of the CRM-implementation-related experiences of 101 U.S.-based firms, in this article the authors identify factors associated with successful CRM implementation and advance directions for future research.

Managing customers for value: an overview and research agenda

Abstract: This article provides an introduction to and overview of this special issue on “Managing Customers for Value.” The field of customer management has grown rapidly in recent years, with significant r...

Towards a holistic perspective of customer relationship management (CRM) implementation: a case study of the housing and development board, Singapore

Abstract: Organizations have increasingly recognized the importance of managing customer relationships, and many organizations are turning to customer relationship management (CRM) to better serve customers and facilitate closer relationships with them. This paper examines the implementation of CRM at the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in Singapore. The CRM architecture (comprising operational CRM, collaborative CRM and analytical CRM) deployed at HDB reflects a holistic approach to CRM implementation that integrates three key perspectives of CRM, namely, the business, technology and customer perspectives. Drawing from the case study, we present a holistic framework for CRM that binds information technologies with business processes for the delivery of high service quality.

Leveraging CRM for Sales: The Role of Organizational Capabilities in Successful CRM Implementation

Abstract: Customer relationship management (CRM) is one of the fastest growing business practices in today’s environment. CRM has been credited with substantial improvements in improving the effectiveness of sales forces. This paper offers an investigation of CRM implementation and proposes a model that explains the roles of organizational learning, business process orientation, customer-centric orientation, and task–technology fit in enabling the transformation of CRM from a technological tool to an advantage-producing resource. The development of the framework is based on extant theory and an analysis of responses to open-ended questions assessing (dis)satisfaction with CRM implementation. Implications for sales management are discussed.

Customer Relationship Management in Higher Education: Using Information Systems to Improve the Student-School Relationship

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore customer relationship management (CRM) in a higher education setting.Design/methodology/approach – The development and implementation of a CRM project in a state community college was examined as were the benefits realized by implementing CRM. As colleges increasingly embrace distance learning and e‐business, CRM will become stronger and more pervasive. Viewing students as customers provides a competitive advantage for higher education and enhances a college's ability to attract, retain and serve its customers. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with individuals involved with the planning, development and implementation of a statewide CIS system. Student support personnel were additionally interviewed.Findings – The benefits of implementing CRM in a college setting include a student‐centric focus, improved customer data and process management, increased student loyalty, retention and satisfaction with the college's programs and services.Research lim...

Developing successful technology‐based services: the issue of identifying and involving innovative users

Abstract: Purpose– The aim of this paper is to explore the identification of innovative customers and the effectiveness of employing such customers to generate new service ideas in a technology-based service setting.Design/methodology/approach– The first study reported here employs the “technology readiness” (TR) construct and involves telephone surveys with randomly selected Swedish consumers. The second involves a field experiment.Findings– Findings from Study I suggest that the TR is a useful tool for identifying users who exhibit both innovative attitudes and behaviors. The results from Study II show that users with a high TR are highly creative as reflected by the quantity and quality of new service ideas.Research limitations/implications– The sample size for Study II was relatively small and making empirical generalizations with confidence should await results from studies involving larger samples. However, in sum the research demonstrates that TR appears to be an effective tool for identifying innovative customers who would be both willing to participate in new service development and capable of generating creative ideas.Originality/value– Service businesses interested in using customers to help generate new ideas could benefit from this research.

Customer loyalty programs: are they fair to consumers?

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the fairness of loyalty programs to consumers regarding two emerging criticisms of loyalty programs: discriminating value proposition segmentation and potential exploitation of captured personal information.Design/methodology/approach – Equity theory and exchange theory are the theoretical foundations used for evaluation of the aspects of loyalty program fairness.Findings – First, through the application of equity theory, firms can more effectively recognize and reward more valuable customers without alienating less valuable customers. Second, through the use of exchange theory, firms can secure authorization to collect and use individual customer information from customers in exchange for enhanced value proposition offerings via loyalty programs. Loyalty programs can induce customers to give up their personal information in exchange for benefits they would not otherwise receive. Marketers use the higher level of benefits available through loyalty programs...

Sales technology orientation, information effectiveness, and sales performance

Abstract: Sales managers need a practical means for evaluating returns from investments in sales technology implementations (including sales automation and sales-based customer relationship management systems). This research proposes a behavioral process model approach that can be applied to evaluate sales technology implementations. We develop and test the model with data collected from the sales force of a major consumer packaged goods company. The results indicate that a salesperson’s technology orientation has a direct impact on internal role performance, and it affects performance with customers through a double-mediated mechanism involving the effective use of information and smart selling behaviors (planning and adaptive selling). Sales managers can influence sales technology orientation by providing better internal technology support, considering technology orientation along with customer’s approval of technology in account assignments, and understanding the probability of negative effects through a salespe...

A structural equation modelling of the antecedents of relationship quality in the Malaysia banking sector

Abstract: The intense competition among firms in the new global environment has made it inevitable for firms to seek ways to create and maintain quality relationship with customers, and Malaysia banks are no exception. However, little is understood from empirical viewpoint about the antecedents of relationship quality specifically, the actual influence of overall customer satisfaction and its indicators. Based on data collected from 220 customers of 15 retail banks in Malaysia and analysed using the structural equation modelling technique, findings are that overall customer satisfaction is a key determinant of relationship quality. The indicators of customer satisfaction include trust, commitment, communication, service quality, service satisfaction and conflict handling. These results are not confounded by any service differential among the participating banks. Important theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

From Customer Lifetime Value to Shareholder Value: Theory, Empirical Evidence, and Issues for Future Research

Abstract: The authors propose a chain of effects framework for understanding how customer lifetime value (CLV) affects shareholder value (SHV). In the chain of effects framework, the authors propose that CLV...