Customer Relationship Management Management Research Articles

Enhancing Customer Relationship Management in ERP Systems with AI: Personalized Interactions, Predictive Modeling, And Service Automation

This research paper delves into the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems within Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) frameworks, with a focus on personalized interactions, predictive modeling, and service automation. The primary objective was to empirically investigate how AI enhancements in CRM functionalities can contribute to more efficient and effective customer relationship management within ERP systems. A quantitative research design was adopted, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed among CRM managers and IT professionals across various industries, with the data analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Key findings from the study reveal significant positive impacts of AI integration on CRM functionalities, notably in personalized customer interactions, predictive modeling accuracy, and service automation efficiency. These enhancements were found to contribute to improved customer satisfaction and operational efficiency, suggesting that AI - driven CRM strategies within ERP systems offer substantial benefits to organizations. The research fills a critical gap in existing literature by providing empirical evidence of the specific benefits of AI in CRM and underscores the strategic value of AI integration in enhancing CRM functionalities. The broader implications of this study highlight the transformative potential of AI in CRM, encouraging organizations to leverage AI technologies to gain a competitive edge in customer relationship management.

THE EFFECT OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT DIMENSIONS ON HOTEL REPUTATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

The reputation of a hotel is of paramount importance; however, its establishment can be a complex and demanding endeavor. Accordingly, this study was conducted to investigate the impact of various dimensions of customer relationship management (CRM) on the reputation within the hotel sector. Data were gathered from 136 participants through a 23-item questionnaire utilizing a convenience sampling approach. Multiple linear regression analyses were employed to evaluate the hypotheses. The results reveal that critical dimensions such as key customer focus, knowledge management, and technology-based CRM exert a positive and significant influence on hotel reputation. Conversely, CRM organization did not demonstrate a significant effect on hotel reputation, confirming that the effectiveness of CRM lies in its practical implementation and not just its organizational framework. This study serves to enhance hotel managers' understanding of the vital role that CRM strategies play in enhancing their establishments' reputations.

Nexus between customer relationship management dimensions, customer involvement and customer retention: a mediation analysis in Ghana’s hotel industry

PurposeThis research investigates the role of customer involvement (CINV) in customer relationship management (CRM) dimensions and customer retention (CR) in Ghana’s hotel industry.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative-based explanatory research obtained primary data via structured questionnaires from 277 hotel customers in Ghana, processed it with SmartPLS4.0 software, and analysed it with structural equation modelling.FindingsCRM dimensions (CRM-based technology, managing knowledge and personalisation of services) and CINV positively affect CR. Also, CINV partially mediates the interactions between the CRM dimensions and CR in Ghana’s hotel industry.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is geographically limited to hotels in Ghana and conceptually limited to three CRM dimensions, CINV and CR. Methodologically, the study was limited to the quantitative approach. However, our outcomes imply that hotels in Ghana that invest in relevant CRM dimensions would improve CR. CRM-CR association can also be improved through CINV.Practical implicationsThe study outcomes imply that when Ghanaian hotels implement the CRM dimensions and foster active CINV, their customers’ retention will improve significantly. Hence, CRM and CINV are prerequisites for enhancing CR in Ghana’s hotel industry.Originality/valueThe study offers valuable contributions to the current literature on CRM, consumer behaviour and hospitality management, especially in a developing economy context. Its novel contribution, the mediating role of CINV, would advance CRM studies in the hospitality sector.

Analysis of Customer Relationship Management at Animation Studio - PT Jiwa Muda Cipta Indonesia in Yogyakarta

The role and function of Public Relations (PR) in carrying out tasks in the marketing sector of a digital service company, namely Animation Studio. Nowadays, managing relationships with customers is more familiarly known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM). In CRM management, a series of flows have been arranged as mentioned by Buttle, namely analysis, resource development and implementation. The data obtained in this research is the result of observation, documentation and interviews with Marketing and CEO while carrying out research at the Animation Studio. It was found that analyzes covering portfolio and customer intimacy had been run on a strong basis and implemented quite well. Likewise, the development of resources that have been designed by the CEO to develop the network and add value propositions has been carried out systematically according to procedures. As for the implementation of CRM in Animation Studio, although it is quite good, it still needs to be developed further in terms of the process to further perfect CRM within the company.

The effects of customer relationship management (CRM) on e-commerce evolution: A systematic review

The developments triggered by marketing technologies in the information system of companies that took place in the mid-1990s through the tools of knowledge management, data mining, data quality, and social CRM, became effective in the construction of new business environments. The system called Customer Relationship Management (CRM), which has been widely disseminated in the business environment, has been one of the factors that makes relationship marketing in company management manage all relationships with customers. CRM is more than marketing, as it allows its management, sales and new business, and consequently impacts the evolution of e-commerce. Thus, the objective of this research is to identify and explore the effects of customer relationship management on the evolution of e-commerce and what its potential would be. We used a methodology with a qualitative approach, descriptive and exploratory, by systematic mapping method and deductive hypothetical, whose data collection technique was the systematic literature review research, seeking international articles in the databases indexed in the Capes platform (scopus), in the period 2015/2018, related to the theme. Inclusion and exclusion criteria through selection of articles performed by software: VosViewer and Excel. Electronic commerce is becoming more and more prevalent because it is characterized by easy access to information, being an ubiquitous trade with low transaction costs, which in an abstract place contributes to the realization of an economic market.

Artificial intelligence in customer relationship management: literature review and future research directions

PurposeDue to the recent development of Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) technology solutions in customer relationship management (CRM), this paper provides a systematic overview of the field, thus unveiling gaps and providing promising paths for future research.Design/methodology/approachA total of 212 peer-reviewed articles published between 1989 and 2020 were extracted from the Scopus database, and 2 bibliometric techniques were used: bibliographic coupling and keywords’ co-occurrence.FindingsOutcomes of the bibliometric analysis enabled the authors to identify three main subfields of the AI literature within the CRM domain (Big Data and CRM as a database, AI and machine learning techniques applied to CRM activities and strategic management of AI–CRM integrations) and capture promising paths for future development for each of these subfields. This study also develops a three-step conceptual model for AI implementation in CRM, which can support, on one hand, scholars in further deepening the knowledge in this field and, on the other hand, managers in planning an appropriate and coherent strategy.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to systematise and discuss the literature regarding the relationship between AI and CRM based on bibliometric analysis. Thus, both academics and practitioners can benefit from the study, as it unveils recent important directions in CRM management research and practices.

Optimization of the Institutional Tutoring System using the CRM management model

Design, validation and reliability of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool was performed to measure the degree of association between the internal and external factors that influence the dropout level Technician University Academic Division of Economic and Administrative of the University, in order to timely respond to these factors and determine the decision of students to reduce the dropout rate. To meet the target, a review of the literature related to the subject was conducted by selecting the Cronbach's alpha psychometric instrument, because it is the one that mostly adapts to the characteristics of the study population. This was answered by fifty-three students chosen randomly when generating their school low. It is worth mentioning that important data thrown refer to the external factor due to labor problems and internal to reprobation. The data obtained shows that the implementation of CRM in this type of study is feasible.

The effect of customer relationship management (CRM) dimensions on hotel customer’s satisfaction in Kashmir

PurposeThe study aims to investigate the effect of four customer relationship management (CRM) dimensions, namely, customer orientation, customer relationship management organization, managing knowledge and CRM based technology, on customer satisfaction in the hospitality sector of Kashmir.Design/methodology/approachA survey instrument with a slight modification is adapted from literature and is exercised on the customers of three- and four-star hotels operating in Kashmir. A total of 176 responses received using systematic random sampling were subjected to exploratory factor and regression analyses to uncover the underlying relationships among dependent and independent variables.FindingsThe results revealed a significant and positive relationship between CRM dimensions, namely, customer orientation, managing knowledge and CRM organization on customer satisfaction. Though the results also indicate a significant positive effect of CRM-based technology on customer satisfaction, the magnitude of this effect is very weak. This suggests that hotel organizations use technology as a mere tool to store customer information only. Thus, CRM-based technology should be used by the hotels to analyze customer information and, subsequently, design customized products. This will unravel the full potential of the technology and lead to better customer satisfaction.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide significant insights to the practitioners to understand the role of successfully implementing a CRM strategy. It reflects that establishing an effective CRM strategy helps managers in improving customer satisfaction and in maintaining a long-term relationship with customers to achieve the organizational goals. Thus, establishing an efficient and effective CRM strategy should be (one of) the key objectives for all hotel managers. Moreover, the hotels that successfully implement CRM strategy and manage customer knowledge properly will reap the rewards in terms of better customer loyalty and long-term sustainable profitability.Originality/valueThis study approaches the implementation of CRM strategy from a customer perspective with a specific focus on investigating the effect of four CRM dimensions on customer satisfaction in the hospitality sector. This will provide a novel impetus to the hotel managers to devise and manage a CRM strategy that leads to (better) customer satisfaction.

Enhancing customer-linking marketing capabilities using marketing analytics

PurposeEvidence in the literature has indicated that customer-linking marketing capabilities such as customer relationship management (CRM) and brand management are important drivers of marketing performance and that marketing analytics use (MAU) enables firms to gain valuable knowledge and insights for improving firm performance. However, there has been little focus on how firms improve their CRM and brand management via MAU. This study aims to draw on the absorptive capacity theory, research on marketing capabilities and marketing analytics to examine the capability-developing mechanisms that enable a firm to use marketing analytics to enhance its CRM and brand management capabilities, thereby improving its marketing performance.Design/methodology/approachA research model is developed and tested based on an analysis of 289 responses collected using an online survey from middle and senior managers of Chinese firms with sufficient knowledge and experience in using marketing analytics for survey participation.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that MAU is positively related to both CRM and brand management capabilities, which in turn are positively associated with marketing performance; and that both CRM and brand management capabilities mediate the relationship between MAU and marketing performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s outcomes were based on data collected from a survey, which was distributed using mass e-mails. Thus, the study is unable to provide a meaningful response rate. The research results are based on and limited to Chinese firms.Practical implicationsMAU is essential for enhancing customer-linking marketing capabilities such as CRM and brand management, but it alone is not sufficient to improve marketing performance. Firms wishing to improve marketing performance should leverage the knowledge and insights gained from MAU to enhance their critical customer-linking marketing capabilities.Originality/valueThis study explicates the capability-developing mechanisms through which a firm can use its market-sensing capability as manifested by MAU to enhance customer-linking marketing capabilities and to improve its marketing performance. In so doing, this study extends our understanding of the critical role of absorptive capacity in helping firms identify, assimilate, transform and apply valuable external knowledge.

An Integrative Model of Market Orientation on Innovation Performance

Objective –This paper seeks to provide new insights into the relationship between market orientation and innovation performance by empirically testing the direct effect of market orientation (MO) on innovation performance and exploring the effects of moderation in marketing constructs, namely customer relationship management (CRM) and knowledge management, in these relationships. Methodology/Technique – This study adopts a cross-sectional research design. Data is collected from export-oriented manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia. The data is analysed using PLS structural equation modeling. Findings – Our findings reveal that MO is a significant driver of innovation performance. The results further confirm that CRM plays a moderating role in the interrelation between market orientation and innovation performance. In addition, market orientation and knowledge management have a positive effect on innovation performance. Novelty – These results prove that the interaction of CRM and knowledge management with market orientation, each have a significant impact on innovation performance. Market orientation behavior more effectively achieves innovation performance in manufacturing SMEs if the MO is interactive with CRM and knowledge management. This research adds new insights to the existing literature and has implications for future research and marketing practices in Indonesia, giving implications for marketing managers and export researchers about managing market orientation, CRM development, and knowledge management. Type of Paper: Empirical Keywords: Market Orientation; Customer Relationship Management; Knowledge Management, Innovation Performance. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Wahyuni, N. M; Astawa; I.P. 2020. An Integrative Model of Market Orientation on Innovation Performance. J. Mgt. Mkt. Review, 5(1) 51 – 63 https://doi.org/10.35609/jmmr.2020.5.1(5) JEL Classification: M30, M31, M39.

Man vs machine

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the use of technology in customer relationship management (CRM) support capabilities by using an environmental contingency perspective. By examining the moderating effects of micro- and macro-environmental characteristics in which CRM support capabilities are used, the authors seek to extend the literature on CRM technology effectiveness in both customer commitment and overall firm performance. The authors also seek to advance managerial knowledge about CRM support capability technology utilization strategies in various market offering and dynamic market settings.Design/methodology/approachThe authors utilized a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 276 small business CRM managers across a wide range of industries. Measures were adapted from the existing literature, and these were largely multiple-item measures of latent variables. The hypotheses were tested using a combination of Ridge regression and a bootstrapping test of mediation. In addition, residual centering was used to reduce multi-collinearity in the interaction analysis.FindingsThe contingency/fit analysis performed in this research highlights the complex nature of the use of technology in CRM support capabilities. The benefits of a man vs a machine CRM support capability depend on the support function (whether marketing, sales, service, data access or data analysis), as well as upon the characteristics of the operating environment. Machine-based marketing support is positively related with customer commitment in turbulent markets, and machine-based service support is preferred in technologically turbulent markets. Sales support, on the other hand, is positively related to customer commitment in technologically turbulent markets when performed by man rather than machine.Practical implicationsCRM support capabilities differ across firms and markets, thus a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate. This research shows under what conditions a machine-based approach to CRM can be effective for small businesses.Originality/valueThis research is the first to consider market offering and turbulence variables as moderators of the relationship between technology use in CRM support capabilities and customer commitment. Taking this contingency approach, the authors find that resource-based competitive advantage is obtainable based on the fit of the resources (e.g. CRM capabilities) to the environmental characteristics of the firm. Through this perspective that is unique to CRM research, the authors are able to provide both general and specific recommendations to managers and researchers.

The Impact of CRM dimensions on Customer Retention in the Hospitality Industry: Evidence from the Moroccan Hotel sector

Customer relationship management (CRM) has currently become one of the most controversial issues and is considered by many marketers as a focal-center in the business field. Previous literature suggest that it is essential for hotels to adopt CRM technologies to help hotel managers improve their organizations performance. Nevertheless, the relationship between CRM technology and hotel performance is still ambiguous. In an attempt to review the different perspectives of CRM, this research paper focus on the view that suggests that CRM implementations typically involve the four dimensions: (1) customer orientation (2) knowledge management (3) CRM organization, and (4) CRM technology. Our study evaluates the relationship between CRM dimensions and hotel performance (customer retention) in Morocco. A sample of 80 Moroccan hotels was examined, and regression and other tests were used for analyses and testing. Our findings demonstrates a significant effect of customer orientation, knowledge management, and CRM organization on customer retention. While the use of CRM technology has been demonstrated to not significantly affect customer retention in surveyed hotels.

Customer Acquisition, Retention, and Service Access Quality: Optimal Advertising, Capacity Level, and Capacity Allocation

Problem definition We provide guidelines on three fundamental decisions of customer relationship management (CRM) and capacity management for profit-maximizing service firms that serve heterogeneous repeat customers, whose acquisition, retention, and behavior depend on their service access quality to bottleneck capacity: how much to spend on customer acquisition, how much capacity to deploy, and how to allocate capacity and tailor service access quality levels to different customer types. Academic/ practical relevance These decisions require a clear understanding of the connections between customers’ behavior and value, their service access quality, and the capacity allocation. However, existing models ignore these connections. Methodology We develop and analyze a novel fluid model that accounts for these connections. Simulation results suggest that the fluid-optimal policy also yields nearly optimal performance for large stochastic queueing systems with abandonment. Results First, we derive new customer value metrics that extend the standard ones by accounting for the effects of the capacity allocation, the resulting service access qualities, and customer behavior: a customer’s lifetime value; her Vμ index, where V is her one-time service value and μ her service rate; and her policy-dependent value, which reflects the Vμ indices of other served types. Second, we link these metrics to the profit-maximizing policy and to new capacity management prescriptions, notably, optimality conditions for rationing capacity and for identifying which customers to deny service. Further, unlike standard index policies, the optimal policy prioritizes customers based not on their Vμ indices, but on policy- and type-dependent functions of these indices. Managerial implications First, our study highlights the importance of basing decisions on more complete metrics that link customer value to the service access quality; marketing-focused policies that ignore these links may reduce profits significantly. Second, the proposed metrics provide guidelines for valuing customers in practice. Third, our decision guidelines help managers design more profitable policies that effectively integrate CRM and capacity management considerations. The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2017.0635 .

Integration of Six Sigma to traditional quality management theory: an empirical study on organisational performance

This paper integrates Six Sigma (SS) practices into traditional quality management (QM) theory by investigating its relation to traditional QM practices as well as its direct effect on organisational performance. This research used Path Analysis, a special case of SEM, through which the research hypotheses were evaluated. The paper uses survey data collected from US textile and apparel industry members. As an important contribution to previous literature, the results suggest that overall performance appears to be favourably and directly influenced by successful implementation of both SS and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Therefore, SS practices are concluded to directly impact organisational performance rather than being complementary to traditional QM practices. Considering the social and technical (soft and hard) dimensions of QM, our study has found a significant path to SS from process management (PM), but not from other soft aspects. This showed that textile and apparel companies’ SS applications are dominated by hard quality practices, but they have not been yet widely linked with social dimensions such as CRM or Employee Relationship Management (ERM). Results also indicate that ERM has a direct impact on PM and CRM, and Top Management has direct positive links to CRM and ERM.

Customer Satisfaction and Profit Enhancement through Social CRM

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a concept for increasing companies' profitability by enabling them to identify and concentrate on their profitable customers. CRM and knowledge management, have great influence in the success of an organization. A number of CRM approaches focuses on technology applications, but the critical role of knowledge management has now become an active research area. The customer's value has become apparent for the leading companies in today's competitive environment. Therefore they are constantly trying to improve their relationship with customers via their customer relationship management systems. Knowledge Management (KM) can also help to improve the quality of the information obtained by CRM. However, in order to be more effective, KM should be provided with a steady and ongoing process of gathering information from outer sources in cooperation with the CRM system. In this study, a Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) model has been integrated with CRM and KM in four stages. Then, in order to improve the performance of CKM, a Social CRM (SCRM) is proposed. SCRM would help in reaching the customer in a more efficient manner through online. SCRM can improve the overall profitability of the organization as direct feedback from customers are made available online which can motivate other customers to buy the products. This research study mainly focuses on the integrated SCRM model with CKM to compete with the online customers and to add values to the product based on the feedbacks of the customers.

Integrating Knowledge Management and Relationship Management in an Enterprise Environment

INTRODUCTION Value creation strategies in the 21st century have shifted from product differentiation and operational efficiency to knowledge creation and relationship building across the value network. Knowledge management (KM) and relationship management (RM) are two sides of the same coin in gaining competitive advantages in the knowledge-based economy. The focus of relationship management has been on customer relationship management (CRM), which has helped companies to acquire and retain customers and increase market share and profitability. For businesses that have a high percentage of sales through indirect channels, such as the hightech industry (Tanoury & O'Leary, 2000), partner relationship management (PRM) has become an important business strategy in the sell-side relationship management. As procurement cost and suppliers' commitment to meet production requirements can drastically impact a firm's performance (Aberdeen, 2001; Lang, Paravicini, Pigneur, & Revaz, 2002; Carey, 2005), the upstream supplier relationship management (SRM) is equally important as the downstream CRM and PRM. Enterprise relationship management (ERM) is a business strategy that optimizes the relationships between a firm and its customers, channel partners, suppliers and alliance partners in order to maximize opportunities. Knowledge management is a value creation strategy that exploits the knowledge assets of an enterprise to achieve business goals. It is concerned with the creation, sharing and utilization of knowledge in an organization. The internal focus of knowledge management to improve product innovation and operational efficiency has shifted to an external focus of enhancing business processes across the extended enterprise. In particular, the application of KM to CRM business processes and the management of customer knowledge have received increasing attention both in academia and in business. The merging of KM and ERM yields two perspectives: the ERM-oriented KM (EKM) and the KM-oriented ERM (KERM). The focus of prior research in this area has been on the integration of KM and CRM. While different models have been proposed for customer knowledge management (CKM) and knowledge-enabled CRM (KCRM), there are no standardized definitions of these terms. A commonly accepted concept is that CKM deals with the processes of managing customer knowledge, whereas KCRM deals with the utilization of knowledge to improve CRM processes. Gibbert, Leibold and Probst (2002) described CKM as the management of knowledge from customers and emphasized CKM as the strategic process by which customers are empowered as knowledge partners. It proposed five styles of CKM that can be used by companies depending on the nature of their customers. Paquette (2006) described CKM as the processes that a firm employs to manage the identification, acquisition and internal utilization of customer knowledge. Su, Chen and She (2006) proposed a conceptual framework for an E-CKM model by incorporating IT into the CKM model. Eppler, Siefried and Popnack (1999) classified business processes by knowledge intensity and process complexity. High CRM process complexity implies a high degree of knowledge to pursue the process goals. KCRM is the enablement of CRM processes by knowledge across the operations of marketing, sales and service. Gebert, Geib, Rolbe, and Piernpp (2002) and Gebert, Geil, Kobe, and Brenner (2003) described a CKM model based on a research approach in business engineering developed at the University of St. Gallen. The term CKM used by the St. Gallen authors refers to both the CKM and the KCRM aspects in the context of this paper. The St. Gallen approach derives from the reflections about CRM (Derliyski & Frohlich, 2004; Zanjani, Rouzbehani, & Dabbagh, 2008), in which customer knowledge is applied to support CRM processes (Gebert et al., 2002; Bueren, Schierholtz, Kolbe, & Brenner, 2004). The St. Gallen concept of the CKM model describes the basic elements for successful knowledge management in customer-oriented processes (Gebert et al. …

Does customer relationship management influence call centre quality performance? An empirical industry analysis

This study is designed to evaluate the role of customer relationship management (CRM) applications in perceived service quality (PSQ) within the contact centre industry. To examine the influence of CRM on call centre quality performance, 400 questionnaires were distributed to contact-centre managers in Malaysia via mail and web survey. This empirical study found that of the four dimensions of CRM, knowledge management (KM) and technology-based CRM (TCRM) are the most important factors that predict CRM impacts on call centres’ quality performance. Both KM and TCRM significantly influence PSQ in call centres. The findings of this research have provided the required empirical evidence in support of CRM literature where KM and TCRM have been conceptualised as major factors that contribute to the success of CRM applications in service industry and call centres in particular. For those call centres that are currently considering implementing sophisticated CRM technology, it would be efficient and prudent if they can first determine their customer characteristics and human resource capability. This study empirically concludes that its outcome has validated the claim that CRM implementations have significant influence on the quality performance of call centres.

An investigation on relationship between CRM and organizational learning through knowledge management: A case study of Tehran travel agency

Article history: Received October 16, 2012 Received in revised format 27 December 2012 Accepted 12 January 2013 Available online January 14 2013 Customer relationship management (CRM) plays essential role on the success of many business units. CRM integrates necessary data from internal and external sources to assist managers and employees for business development. This paper attempts to analyze relationship between CRM, organizational learning, and knowledge management. Research population includes travel agencies in Tehran, Iran and their manager are considered for the purpose of this study. This research has four variables 1Successful implementation of KM, 2Organizational learning, 3customer orientation, and 4information share with customers. The preliminary results of this survey indicate that any development of CRM will significantly contribute relative efficiency of this travel agency. The results also indicate that there is a meaningful relationship among components of CRM including organizational learning, and knowledge management in this travel agency. © 2013 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective Factors on CRM Development

The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) literature is the value of potential and current customers. In this research we investigate effective factors on CRM development which have direct or indirect relation with it. CRM is defined as an important key in business among companies to maintain and increase their customers. In this study we look for key factors like Organizing, Technology, Information technologies, Communication channels of interaction, Formation of CRM system and CRM strategies and some other general factors which indirectly affected the processes. The study analyses variants of CRM management system creation by reviewing different models of CRM creation, the analysis of which allowed envisaging typical elements of CRM model formation or stages of implementation process. Organizational excellence model of framework identify factors affecting productivity and the role of CRM systems. Successful CRM implementation is a complex, expensive and rarely technical projects. At the end of the study we introduce a model to the light of relationship between CRM and effective factors on it.

Customer management and CRM: addressing the dark side

PurposeThe paper aims to consider the neglected area of customer relationship management (CRM) and customer management's “dark side”; and identify the key types of dark side behaviours of service providers as well as integrated approaches to CRM that will assist in overcoming dark side behaviour.Design/methodology/approachBased on an extensive literature review, supplemented by insights drawn from an on‐going longitudinal study of CRM, the authors develop a classification of dark side behaviour types.FindingsThe paper identifies ten forms of dark side behaviour that may be grouped into three broad categories based on means used and target. It illustrates how different types of dark side behaviours may be linked to the key strategic CRM processes.Practical implicationsThe paper examines how these dark side practices may be addressed by adoption of a more enlightened approach to CRM.Originality/valueThe dysfunctional forms of CRM and customer management have been neglected as an area of research in marketing. The paper identifies and classifies service provider dark side practices and outlines how adoption of a more strategic approach to CRM can address dark side behaviours and move towards more enlightened marketing practices.