An Evaluation of Divergent Perspectives on Customer Relationship Management : Towards a Common Understanding of an Emerging Phenomenon

Prompted – in part – by the highly publicized failure of customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives, academic research on CRM has begun to flourish. While numerous studies have yielded important insights, the extant CRM literature appears to be inconsistent and is highly fragmented due, primarily, to the lack of a common conceptualization. Thus, in order to help advance a cohesive body of knowledge on this topic of growing interest and importance, this paper attempts to provide a clear and accurate delineation of CRM’s domain. Following the review and analysis of process, strategy, philosophy, capability and technology-based CRM perspectives, the authors propose that the phenomenon is best conceptualized as an ongoing process that involves the development and leveraging of market intelligence for the purpose of building and maintaining a profit-maximizing portfolio of customer relationships. Based on the proposed conceptualization, a detailed description of the CRM process is provided along with a comprehensive framework intended to aid marketers in their quest to achieve CRM success