The customer relationship management process: its measurement and impact on performance

Nowadays, companies have as key element for their marketing techniques the customer relationship management (CRM) systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that affect the implementation of CRM in a business. A survey was conducted with the completion of structured questionnaires by collecting data from business in the area of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMT). The findings showed that companies of EMT implement satisfactorily strategic methods relating to CRM, putting their customers at the heart of their business. Moreover, they invest heavily in the management of their customers, wanting to gain a long-term relationship with them and simultaneously to integrate customer-oriented approach to the culture and the structure of the company. The external and internal factors that act strongly in maintaining and developing the customer relationship with the business, were identified. The number of employees and the year of foundation are critical factors in the implementation of CRM.

The evolution of the digital economy has significantly influenced Customer Relationship Management (CRM), reshaping business strategies across industries. This study explores the development and challenges of CRM implementation during 2010–2024, with a focus on its adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA framework, 36 scholarly articles were analyzed to identify trends, obstacles, and outcomes associated with CRM in the digital economy. Findings reveal a steady increase in CRM adoption, particularly among SMEs, driven by advancements in electronic CRM (E-CRM) systems and the COVID-19 pandemic’s acceleration of digital transformation. Empirical data highlights that over 60% of Indonesian SMEs adopting CRM experienced a 20% sales increase within a year. Moreover, CRM implementation has enhanced customer loyalty by 25% and reduced marketing costs by 10% in European markets. However, significant challenges persist, including high implementation costs, inadequate technological readiness, and rising cybersecurity threats. For instance, cyberattacks targeting CRM systems have decreased customer trust by up to 15%. The study concludes that while CRM significantly boosts operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and business innovation, addressing implementation barriers is crucial for its broader adoption. It recommends enhanced government and institutional support to provide SMEs with access to CRM technologies and training. The findings underscore CRM's critical role in fostering competitive advantages and call for future research to examine its long-term impacts in developing economies.

Due to the rapid growth in the electronic business, information technology has become very necessary for building up efficiency and effective transactions among organizations. Consequently, Cloud Computing (CC) becomes a very important area to achieve the organization's performance. The process of integration between Cloud Computing (CC) and the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a new research area. Therefore, scientific research and literature review related to Cloud Computing and CRM processes are limited. Yet, the impact of Cloud Computing on CRM processes remains under exploration and investigation. To this effect, this paper takes on a holistic approach that examines the combined effects of Cloud Computing Benefits (cost and ease of use) and CRM processes (customer acquisition, customer retention and customer expansion) on organization's performance. It also presents a conceptual framework for Cloud Computing and CRM processes, based on the analysis of various models presented in Cloud Computing and CRM processes. The main emphasis is focused on the concept of Cloud Computing Benefits (cost and ease of use) and CRM processes (customer acquisition, customer retention and customer expansion) by examining some reasons that make the organization interested in using this modern technology from one hand and how Cloud Computing can encourage organizations to implement CRM to improve their performance on the other. Therefore, this paper contributes to develop three models: Cloud Computing Benefits, CRM process, and integration between the Cloud Computing and CRM process to improve organization performance model. Also, it describes more valid factors to identify how an organization deals with its performance in the future by providing an advice for the Information Technology (IT) industry as how an analytical integration between Cloud Computing Benefits and CRM process improves organization's performance – something that should be taken into account in developing countries to attain a competitive advantage. This study is divided in three sections: Literature Review, Research Model, and Conclusion.

Due to the rapid growth in the electronic business, information technology has become necessary for building efficiency and effective transactions among organizations. Consequently, Cloud Computing (CC) becomes a very important area to achieve the organization's performance. The process of integration between Cloud Computing (CC) and the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a new research area. Therefore, scientific research and literature review related to Cloud Computing and CRM processes are limited. This paper takes a holistic approach that examines the combined effects of Cloud Computing Benefits (cost and ease of use) and CRM processes (customer acquisition, customer retention and customer expansion) on organization's performance. It also presents a conceptual framework for Cloud Computing and CRM processes, based on the analysis of various models presented in Cloud Computing and CRM processes. The main emphasis is focused on the concept of Cloud Computing Benefits and CRM processes by examining some reasons that make the organization interested in using this modern technology from one hand and how Cloud Computing can encourage organizations to implement CRM to improve their performance on the other. This paper contributes to develop three models: Cloud Computing Benefits, CRM process, and integration between the Cloud Computing and CRM process to improve organization performance model. Also, it describes more valid factors to identify how an organization deals with its performance in the future by providing an advice for the Information Technology (IT) industry as how an analytical integration between Cloud Computing Benefits and CRM process improves organization's performance – something that should be taken into account in developing countries to attain a competitive advantage. This study is divided in three sections: Literature Review, Research Model, and Conclusion.

Organizations are spending lots and lots of money acquiring new solutions and or, improving on the existing ones for continuous improvement to processes and practices to effectively run the business. Customer service is one of the major players in any organization. To be able to support the customers, the organisation has to make sure it has suitable solutions to support this need. Many organizations use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to directly influence the needed performance in customer service. The purpose of the study was to develop a conceptual framework for CRM system usage in energy utility industry in South Africa. In order to achieve this, the researcher reviewed literature relevant for CRM system usage in energy utility industry. Several theories talking about CRM system use, adoption, acceptance, and implementation were also reviewed. The study collected data using close-ended questionnaires that were developed based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) and Task-technology fit (TFF) frameworks. The data were collected from different participants within the energy utility industry. The collected data were analysed quantitatively using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). The results of the study indicated that task characteristics, technology, environment, organization as well as security characteristics, influence CRM usage in South African energy utility industries. This research study contributed to the Information Systems' body of knowledge by presenting a framework that would be used for CRM system usage in South African energy utility industries.

This paper develops and empirically tests a model to evaluate a manufacturer’s strategy which provides customer relationship management (CRM) technology to its exclusive retailers. The impact of the strategy on manufacturer-retailer relationship quality is also examined. The research objectives are (1) to identify and test factors that promote active implementation of CRM technology among small retail organizations; (2) to determine whether our expanded concept of CRM implementation that integrates customer information management activities and relationship marketing activities explains CRM performance better; and (3) to investigate whether a manufacturer’s support contributes to manufacturer-retailer relationship quality. Statistical analysis shows that the model provides an adequate fit to the data. The retailer’s perception of the importance of customer information, manufacturer support, and trade area competitiveness significantly impacts the intensity of CRM implementation by small retailers. CRM implementation intensity positively influences the performance outcomes of CRM, which in turn greatly improves the quality of the manufacturer-retailer relationship. Different from our expectation, supporting retailers with CRM technology did not directly impact the manufacturerretailer relationship quality. The ease of use of the CRM system also did not influence CRM implementation intensity significantly. The implications of these results and their importance for successful CRM implementation are discussed.

The general perspective of the chapter is focused on discovering marketing knowledge based on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. The question is: “How to do automate processes in the implemented CRM system to discover the knowledge that is useful for marketing?” It is a natural question because the stored data creates a large volume and it is difficult to set up a marketing with hands. This chapter focuses on finding the necessary product specifications to automate the marketing needs this CRM system must offer to be optimal in today's modern global society. The existing controversy is between IT for everyday use, real IT capabilities, human skills, and knowledge to support more complex implemented processes. Emphasis is placed on automation and intelligence. The analysis shows that CRM systems are interested in managing customer relationships in the form of a single agent or process to perform the necessary actions using implemented algorithms that utilize various intelligence, statistical methods, multi-criteria decision-making, and automated learning predictions.

In the modern business world, customer service stands as a decisive factor of differentiation across various industries, including the realm of notarial services. The relevance of this topic is underscored by the increasing awareness that quality customer service can significantly enhance their satisfaction, loyalty, and competitive positioning. The aim of this work is to explore how customer service can be leveraged as a competitive advantage in the notarial sector, identifying key principles and optimal practices conducive to enhancing both customer service quality and operational excellence. The research analyzes the current state of customer service in the notarial services sector, shedding light on common challenges and areas in need of improvement. Through the use of an array of analytical methods, the study identifies critical factors conducive to quality customer service, such as responsiveness, professionalism, transparency, and personalized approach. The results indicate that notaries who prioritize customer-centric practices not only elevate client satisfaction levels but also achieve higher client retention rates and positive recommendations from both clients and fellow notaries. The conclusions drawn from this research highlight the transformative impact of customer service quality on the competitive dynamics of the notarial services industry. Notaries distinguished by high levels of customer service possess greater opportunities for differentiation in a crowded market, client acquisition and retention, and fostering long-term business growth. This study contributes to the advancement of scientific discourse by offering a thorough analysis of the mechanisms through which customer service confers competitive advantages in the realm of professional services. The scientific novelty of this research lies in its focus on the notarial services sector, a domain often overlooked in studies dedicated to customer service. The research elucidates specific practices and outcomes in this niche, providing valuable insights for both scholarly research and practical application. The practical significance of the study lies in offering actionable recommendations for notaries seeking to enhance the quality of their services. These recommendations include the implementation of customer relationship management (CRM) systems, the execution of regular training programs for staff, and the development of transparent communication channels to ensure prompt responsiveness to client needs.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to study the application of knowledge management (KM) factors on customer relationship management (CRM) process in Malaysian Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status organisations.Design/methodology/approach– A questionnaire survey was conducted on KM workers (customer service) in Malaysian MSC status organisations. Based on the extensive review of the current literature, eight KM factors were investigated to examine the application toward CRM process.Findings– The data, collected from 96 knowledge workers, suggest that KM process, organisational infrastructure and technology are three important predictors for effective CRM process.Practical implications– The practical implication of this paper could be useful for business managers who want to enhance organisational CRM through implementing KM practices to support their organisation’s KM efforts.Originality/value– This is one of the few papers to study the application of KM factors on CRM process in Malaysia.

The impact of technological and organizational implementation of CRM on customer acquisition, maintenance, and retention

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one of key strategic tools for companies to enhance their relationship with customers. There is a significant impact of CRM implementation on customer services through improvement of customer service efficiency and effectiveness. Nevertheless, impact of CRM implementation on service operations management has not been addressed in literature. In this paper, the comprehensive review of marketing, sales, information technology and service operations management literature is conducted focusing on CRM implementation and service encounter. The conceptual model of adapted technology-facilitated service encounter is proposed from literature review and in depth study of two models which are service encounter triad and technology in service encounter model. The proposed model indicates that service culture, empowerment, control system, contact personnel selection, training and ethical climate are the service components impacted by CRM implementation. In additional, an analysis of CRM critical success factors is conducted together with the impacted components. The result indicates that service culture and contact personnel training are the two components which should be focused by service operations manager in order to ensure the success of CRM implementation and the fast return on CRM investment. Further discussion is noted to suggest additional components which should be considered as well as the future research study.

Article history: Received March 25, 2015 Received in revised format August 16 2015 Accepted September 12 2015 Available online September 14 2015 Measuring customer satisfaction in banking industry plays essential role for increasing market share and profitability. In this paper, we present an empirical investigation to measure the effect of customer relationship management (CRM) on customer loyalty in Iranian banking industry. The study aims to understand whether implementation of a good CRM could increase the quality of services. The study designs a questionnaire in Likert scale and distributes it among 65 selected customers who do their banking activities with Bank Melli Iran in city of Semnan, Iran. Cronbach alpha has been calculated as 0.939, which is well above desirable level. Using t-student test, the study has determined that implementation of CRM could increase customer loyalty and quality of services. Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 5 © 201

Goal and objectives of the dissertationGoalOrganisational culture is identified by most of researchers as one of the most important factors that enables or disables the achievement of desirable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) outcomes (Curry and Kkolou, 2004; Iriana and Buttle, 2006; Kale, 2004; Siriprasoetsin et al., 2011). Though the impact of organisational culture on CRM implementation has been the centre of attention for different researchers no study has been investigated this impact in the context of hotel industry from an empirical point of view. Hence the position taken in this research was based on the need of enhancing the knowledge of CRM implementation in the hotel industry from an organisational culture perspective. The research is designed based on the three main aims. The first aim is empirically investigating the impact of organisational culture on CRM implementation. Considering the importance of organisational culture in CRM implementations, the research's second aim moved toward investigating the approach and strategies that could help hotel businesses to improve their organisational culture and consequently their CRM outcomes. As the third and final aim, the research investigated the potential overlap between guests' satisfaction criteria and intended satisfaction criteria by implementing CRM.Objectives1. To review the literature and identify the organisational culture factors with potential impact on CRM outcomes.2. To review the literature and identify an organisational culture model with the ability to measure these factors.3. To empirically investigate the impact of identified factors on CRM implementation.4. To rank the organisational cultural factors based on their importance for CRM outcomes.5. To find the best approach and strategies to improve the affective organisational culture factor.6. Based on the finding, to suggest managerial implications for overcoming cultural barriers in order to leverage the full potential of CRM projects.7. To find the potential overlaps between intended CRM outcomes and customer satisfaction criteria.8. Based on the finding, to suggest managerial implications about specific guest satisfaction criteria in budget hotels to excel in them towards outperforming competitors and retaining the interest of existing and potential customers.MethodologyThe research is conducted base on case study approach and a chain hotel from the UK was selected as the case of the research. The study is designed based on mixed methods via sequential triangulation technique (Creswell et al., 2003; Johnson, 2007). Accordingly, the research is designed base on three sequential phases; starting with phase one (first aim) with quantitative approach to empirically investigate the impact of organisational culture on the CRM implementation. Research's instrument for this phase is a questionnaire adapted from two standard questionnaires of Denison Organisational Culture Survey (DOCS) (Denison and Neale, 1996) and Mendoza CRM Model (Mendoza et al., 2006). The total population considered as managers of all branches and initially 346 questionnaires were distributed and 214 (58%) completed questionnaires were used for the statistical analysis. Collected data were subjected to correlation and multiple regression tests by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.This is then followed by the second phase (second aim) through qualitative approach to find how important organisational culture factors from phase one can be improved. In this phase 12 interviews were conducted with mangers of four branches. Mangers were asked about approaches and strategies that could improve organisational culture. Deductive theory via template analyses (King et al., 2004) was used for analysing the interviews' transcripts.Phase three (third aim), with qualitative approach is investigated on the potential overlap between intended CRM outcomes of the case study and real guests' satisfaction criteria. …

ABSTRACTA number of generic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation frameworks have been developed, yet no systematic framework has been developed to help HEIs orientate CRM strategy to align with university business strategies and stakeholder needs. This research iteratively develops the CRM Strategy Orientation Support (CRM-SOS) framework, which aims to support HEIs in orientating their strategic CRM system at the pre-implementation stage and align CRM strategy with the business strategy; thus, reducing the chance that HEIs will experience CRM implementation failure. To reach our proposed CRM-SOS framework, we employed Design Science Research (DSR) methodology steps by analysing UK HEIs specific CRM implementation case studies, conducting semi-structured HEIs-based interviews, followed by evaluation of the resulted framework by HEI Information Systems (IS) experts. We concluded with a new CRM-SOS framework for HEIs consisting of five stages. The framework can be used to personalise the stages until they fit the strategic outputs and match the top management KPIs. Although existing research agrees that intensive attention should be given to CRM planning, there is no consensus or developed framework, for use within HEIs, demonstrating how CRM strategy can be orientated to align with university strategies and customer needs.

Purpose – Owing to the sharp refocus among Taiwanese companies away from a product‐centric approach towards a customer‐centric approach, many companies have invested heavily in customer relationship management (CRM) systems. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether such an investment generates the anticipated benefits.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses survey methods among public companies in Taiwan to examine the degree to which CRM implementation impacts upon customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.Findings – Firms which pay more attention to a customer‐centric approach can benefit significantly from the implementation of CRM systems. There were no differences in the degree or focus of implementation attributable to industry differences.Research limitations/implications – The results are subject to the normal limitations associated with survey research, and may not be generalisable outside Taiwan.Practical implications – The paper has significant implications for management decis...