Internal Customer Relationship Research Articles

How Internal Customer Relationship Management and Word of Mouth, Affect Customer Loyalty

Originality: The competition in the banking industry has necessitated a concerted effort to ensure a sustainable internal and external customer relationship. Studies that focus on the internal customer relationship and internal customers’ word of mouth on external customer loyalty is rareObjective: This study investigates how Employees' Positive Word of mouth (PWoM) mediates the relationship between internal customer relationship management (IntCRM) and external Customer Loyalty (CL) using social exchange and image theoryMethodology: A cross-sectional research design was used, and a sample of 384 customers was drawn from an unknown pool of customers to respond to the CL questionnaire, while 315 bank employees responded to the IntCRM and PWoM Questionnaires. A partial least approach to structural equation modelling technique, via SMART-PLS version 4. was deployed to analyze the hypothesized relationships.Results: Findings on the direct relationship between IntCRM and CL were not supported due to insufficient evidence. While indirect relationships were established through the mechanism role of PWoM, supporting our argument that social exchange between employer and employee stimulates a positive attitude that attracts external customersImplications: The findings suggest the importance of relating discretely with the internal customer, since their perceptions and behaviours can influence the external customers’ attitudes towards the organization. The study also integrates the boundary of Human Resource Management (HRM) practice with Marketing strategy in ensuring customer loyalty in the banking industry. JEL Classification: M5, M31How to Cite:Vem, L. J., Mshembula, J. P., Ochigbo, A. D., Agwom-Panle, R., (2024). How Internal Customer Relationship Management and Word of Mouth Affect Customer Loyalty. Etikonomi, 23(1), 81 – 92. https://doi.org/10.15408/etk.v23i1.26921.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A REVIEW

Customer relationship management (CRM) has drawn great attention across research areas. However, little effort has been made to reveal and evaluate new changes relating to customer relationship management (CRM) in the 21st century. Therefore, to address this gap, the paper adopts the literature analysis method to review 37 studies, published from 2010-2021. The results show that the interest of the scholars during this time focuses on the combination of information technology (IT) and customer relationship management (CRM) in terms of electronic CRM (e-CRM) or social CRM (s-CRM) to improve firms’ performance in terms of marketing, finance, supply chain and so forth. The sectors of services and commerce (i.e., insurance, service, retail, and bank) also draw attention to the research of customer relationship management (CRM). However, there are few studies that focus on the theoretical perspective, relative to CRM in the 21st century as well as the attention of internal customer relationship management or the adoption of 4.0 technology in CRM. The paper is expected to provide an overview of the current stage of research on Customer relationship management (CRM). Meanwhile, it also offers recommendations for future research.

UX at the Right Level

Abstract Usability and user experience maturity models are used to evaluate the capabilities of an organization in order to provide an assessment of their ability to develop usable products. But, as the main focus of such models is on an all-encompassing organizational level, they are difficult to implement in more complex organizations with a wide range of diverse and interlinked projects. This paper presents a project related UX maturity model, which was developed at DB Systel to address this issue: the PUXMM. It takes into account the nested internal customer relationships between departments and subcontractors and applies a human-centered design approach. There are two practical application scenarios for the PUXMM. It can be used to determine the UX maturity level of an ongoing project and as checklist to align a project to a desired maturity level from the outset.

의류전문 점포에서 내부마케팅과 내부고객관계관리가 종업원들의 변화에 대한 태도에 미치는 영향

Due to the recent trend of relationship marketing and characteristics of the apparel retail industry that relys heavily on employees' performance, internal marketing toward the employees gives a critical influence on firms' overall performance. This study is aiming at the factors of internal marketing and relationship management that enhance positive attitude toward change. A survey questionnaire was developed and about two hundreds department store sales staffs working for apparel brands participated in the empirical study. Factor analysis ensured the existence of five aspects of internal marketing: educational training, internal communication, power endorsement, management capability and incentive system. Results indicated that age, marital status, years of employment, position rank, and salary types of salespersons had significant influence on internal marketing factors. Incentive system had significant influence on internal customer relationship management. Internal customer relationship management had significant impact on employees' attitude toward change. Educational training had significant influence on employees' perceived importance of change. Educational training, power endorsement and incentive system affected employees' perceived outcome of change.

Transforming CRE value through relationship management

PurposeTo provide a roadmap for corporate real estate (CRE) directors to effect change in the way they deliver services through enhanced relationships with their “customers,” the users of CRE.Design/methodology/approachPrevious studies and discussions of customer relationship management are combined with the authors' extensive experience to make a case for formalized change management processes and analyze specific methods for enhancing the effectiveness of these processes.FindingsRelationship management integrates real estate processes into larger corporate processes, converting real estate opportunities into competitive advantages. The transition from a reactive to a proactive mode of service is aided by adoption of new mind sets and new skills sets, including tools and processes for communicating within the organization, enhanced financial/analytical acumen, and metrics for determining successful outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsEvery CRE department faces unique challenges and opportunities which cannot be fully addressed in a paper designed for broad applicability.Practical implicationsCRE directors will recognize the challenges and opportunities they face and will learn about specific actions and initiatives they can implement to enhance their effectiveness though internal customer relationship management.Originality/valueApplicability of change and customer relationship management processes to the CRE environment is a new area of focus and is mostly uncharted territory. This roadmap delves deeper than previous papers into specific methods for aligning real estate processes with the “voice of the customer” to further corporate objectives.

A Typology for Evaluating Branch-Level Perceptions of Internal Customer Management Processes within the UK Clearing Banks

Since the late 1980, the UK Clearing Banks have faced growing criticism over the quality of their finanical services. Advantages may exist in using internal marketing to ensure closer integration of multiple functions across all departments. Although adoption of an internal marketing philosophy may improve the quality of services delivered to both internal and external customers, it appears that there are few paradigms available which can be used by bankers seeking to introduce the concept into their organisation. By applying a quasi-ethnographic approach, a qualitative internal customer management model was developed based on the Peters and Waterman 7s framework to describe the factors influencing internal customer relationship which exist between branches and other departments within a bank. To determine if the model could be used to evaluate branch-level perceptions of internal customer management practices, a survey was undertaken using a modifed version of the Parasuraman SERVQUAL model. The response...

Part I: Satisfying internal customers: The link to external customer satisfaction

In the Eighties, U.S. business learned important new skills for identifying and satisfying external customers. Inevitably, this experience led to a recognition that the needs of internal work processes and internal customers were critical to external service delivery. The Conference Board and the Hay Group's conferences “Satisfying Internal Customers” held in New York and recently in San Diego, explored how enhancements in internal systems, processes, and activities can support improved external customer service. The presentations offered different perspectives on how companies manage the relationship between internal and external customer service. For example, some innovative companies focus on one internal customer relationship or core process, while others recognize numerous internal customer relationships and core processes to which each department or function must respond.

Information technology and white-collar productivity

Executive Overview Despite the hype and fanfare that has accompanied the introduction of the latest information technology, white-collar productivity has not shown appreciable improvement. This article addresses some of the main reasons for this and offers suggestions on how information technology may be used to improve organizational performance. Particular attention is paid to the differences between white-collar and blue-collar work and the problems inherent in the current definition of white-collar productivity. Improved effectiveness in serving internal and external customers is a better basis for judging most white-collar work and that too much emphasis on lowering costs and increasing output may prove counterproductive. A method called process management is described which can enhance internal customer relationships and improve the administrative systems on which an organization depends.