An Exploratory Analysis of CRM Implementation Models

Abstract

SUMMARY Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as a concept is a well-researched area of marketing theory. Since the 1990s the use of relational marketing approaches in consumer markets has found many managerial applications. However, the implementation considerations of CRM remained under-researched from a conceptual perspective, especially as implementation of many CRM projects are perceived as providing limited success. By using an exploratory, qualitative, research design, principally based on a Delphi methodology, this study highlights some crucial aspects of CRM implementation. Two clear CRM implementation foci can be distinguished: a dominant “hard” implementation of CRM (focussing on analytics, centralisation, and campaign management) and a “soft” implementation of CRM (focussing on decentralised customer experience management at the touch point level). Further analysis of the “hard” implementation model shows that companies using this path often have only a vague strategic understanding of the CRM project in place before they define the process and technical requirements. An implication of this finding is that standard IT processes are often used to derive strategic CRM guidelines, a reversal of a prescriptive “best-practice” implementation process. The implications and limitations of the findings as well as the need for further research is discussed.