E‐CRM Web service attributes as determinants of customer satisfaction with retail Web sites

Abstract

Business is moving online, not as a matter of choice, but as a matter of necessity. The use of the Internet as a channel for commerce and information presents an opportunity for business to use the Internet as a tool for customer relationship management (CRM)/(e‐CRM). Despite widespread agreement that CRM/e‐CRM has direct and/or indirect impact on customer satisfaction, sales, profit, and loyalty, the significance of e‐CRM and the various e‐CRM features in influencing customer satisfaction has not been well researched. This study attempted to uncover relationships between e‐CRM and customer satisfaction by determining the presence of e‐CRM features on retail Web sites for which we have customer satisfaction data, and determining if the amount of e‐CRM is related to customer satisfaction or which, if any, of the various features of e‐CRM are related to customer satisfaction. It was found that retailers differ in the presence of the 42 different e‐CRM features; that there is a positive relationship between the amount of e‐CRM on a Web site and customer satisfaction with the Web site; and that not all e‐CRM attributes are equal – some are related to satisfaction and some are not. There was no relationship between the level of e‐CRM on a retail Web site and sales and profit.