Small firm perspective in customer relationship management implementation
Teh, Soo Yee (2017)
2017
Master's Degree Programme in Business Competence
Johtamiskorkeakoulu - Faculty of Management
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2017-11-30
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201712072878
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201712072878
Tiivistelmä
CRM has been a popular topic since the 90s and several of studies have been conducted by academic scholars from diverse multidisciplinary fields of study. CRM implementation have always been focused in large organizations and not that much attention given has been to smaller size organization. However, with the emerging small size firms in the market CRM software providers shifted the attention from larger firms to smaller size firms. The ready to use software, lower cost and features functions attract small size firms to implement CRM for their business. Furthermore, the demand to implement CRM in firms is to achieve competitive advantage and survival in the global market.
The objective of this study is to gain an understanding from a small firm perspective in implementing CRM. To achieve this, both benefits and challenges related to CRM framework processes were identified and discussed. The study also aims to identify the challenges as well as the benefits encounter during the implementation process. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) term have been around since 1990s. Many CRM implementation studies have been conducted in a large organization however there is limited study conducted from a small firm perspective.
The studies begin with exploring CRM definitions. However, there is no one define definition found in literature. CRM concepts: process, data, customer knowledge and technology are being introduced. Next, concept of small firm being introduced. The connection between small firm and CRM are being explored in three perspectives: drivers to implement CRM, potential benefits and challenges of CRM. Those perspectives are based on previous studies found in existing literature reviews.
The empirical study is based on qualitative methodology and conducted as a single case study. The single case is built on a small firm operating in Finland. The research data was gathered as a combination of semi-structured interviews and author’s observations. The findings verified the importance of having a similar CRM definition among the employees in order to achieve a successful CRM implementation. Based on the result of the study, challenges and benefits of CRM have been identified, reflected and discussed related to previous academic studies. The result showed that CRM is commonly viewed as a technological tool or project rather than cross-functional long-term business process. The finding of this thesis may assist future small firms in having more effective strategy and less frustration during the implementation process.
The objective of this study is to gain an understanding from a small firm perspective in implementing CRM. To achieve this, both benefits and challenges related to CRM framework processes were identified and discussed. The study also aims to identify the challenges as well as the benefits encounter during the implementation process. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) term have been around since 1990s. Many CRM implementation studies have been conducted in a large organization however there is limited study conducted from a small firm perspective.
The studies begin with exploring CRM definitions. However, there is no one define definition found in literature. CRM concepts: process, data, customer knowledge and technology are being introduced. Next, concept of small firm being introduced. The connection between small firm and CRM are being explored in three perspectives: drivers to implement CRM, potential benefits and challenges of CRM. Those perspectives are based on previous studies found in existing literature reviews.
The empirical study is based on qualitative methodology and conducted as a single case study. The single case is built on a small firm operating in Finland. The research data was gathered as a combination of semi-structured interviews and author’s observations. The findings verified the importance of having a similar CRM definition among the employees in order to achieve a successful CRM implementation. Based on the result of the study, challenges and benefits of CRM have been identified, reflected and discussed related to previous academic studies. The result showed that CRM is commonly viewed as a technological tool or project rather than cross-functional long-term business process. The finding of this thesis may assist future small firms in having more effective strategy and less frustration during the implementation process.