Rejuvenating Customer Management:: How to Make Knowledge For, From and About Customers Work

Abstract

In recent years, many companies have strived to enhance their customer-relating capability with knowledge management instruments. A survey conducted by the authors, however, indicates that successful implementations of such initiatives are still comparatively rare. In this paper we present a cross-case analysis of three companies that we identified as “good practices” in rejuvenating customer management through managing knowledge for, from or about customers effectively. From the case studies’ findings we identify key success factors for implementing knowledge-based CRM initiatives by means of an orchestrated approach that considers strategy, processes, systems and change management aspects.