Measuring e‐CRM service quality in the library context: a preliminary study

Abstract

PurposeCustomer relationship management (CRM) indicates a comprehensive strategy and an interactive process intended to achieve an optimum balance between corporate investment and the satisfaction of customer needs to generate the maximum profit. E‐CRM refers to CRM using internet technology plus a database, OLAP, data warehouse, data mining, etc. In order to gain an understanding of the efficiency of implementing an e‐CRM system within the library context, to develop theoretically and empirically an evaluation process for the e‐CRM system and survey its impact on service quality, a pilot scheme was initiated in 2004. The pilot scheme was to design and implement an e‐CRM prototype system for a particular academic library in Taiwan and to survey the system's performances. This paper aims to discuss this matter.Design/methodology/approachThe case study methodology was chosen for this preliminary study. A prototype e‐CRM system was designed and built for an academic library in Taiwan. To measure its service quality, a questionnaire survey was conducted.FindingsIt was found that the respondents have the relatively highest perception scores related to the library's trying to improve its service quality, and the relatively lowest perception scores for the system's capability of keeping a promise. In general, the respondents' perception toward e‐CRM service quality was either neutral or positive.Research limitations/implicationsA workable methodology for measuring the e‐CRM service quality in a particular academic library is presented, and information about the service being evaluated is gathered.Originality/valueTwo strengths of the preliminary study are that a prototype e‐CRM system is designed and implemented in an academic library and a measurement instrument is devised. These will both be useful to other libraries.