Customer Relationship Management Overview

1. Introduction

Customer relationship management is a specific approach of all the multinational corporate firms to manage a company’s interaction with current and potential customers in the market. Through providing efficient customer services, it is possible to manage the customer’s relationship through creating trust and loyalty among the customers. In the recent era of globalisation, all the firms are focusing on customer care service to satisfy the customers and manage them proficiently for meeting the customer’s expectations successfully in near future. Through customer’s care service, the organisations can build strong corporate relationship with all the customers and strengthen their customer base strategically. The research project focuses on the impacts of globalisation and digitalisation on customer care service, where the organisations try to utilise latest updated technology as well as improve innovation and creativity for cooperating with the customers and retain them towards the brand successfully.

Through this study, it is possible to understand the effects of digitalisation on customer service in the organisational context, where the analysis of customer service management in the company Tesco will be evaluated further for acknowledging the strategic planning of Tesco in utilising digitalisation of the business in the recent era of globalisation for managing their customers. The research provides clear aims, objectives and research question which are beneficial for the researcher to develop research plan and follow a systematic way to conduct in depth analysis about the above-mentioned research topic. In addition to these, the research includes proper literature review as well as proper methodology that the researcher will choose for conducting the research successfully within effective time. Proper analysis and expected outcomes will be provided further for developing understanding about the research topic.

2. Background of the research

Digitalisation of the business is important for the firms to develop their marketing strategic planning as well as managing the stakeholders of the business including the customers who are the main stakeholders of the business. For strengthening customer’s base and managing customer’s services, it is necessary to digitise the business and manage the customers efficiently (Müller et al., 2016). Tesco as a famous retail firm in the UK providing quality products including homewares, clothing, food products and other necessities of human being. It is necessary for Tesco to expand their business across the globe and retain more long run customers so that it is possible to secure future sustainable development. hereby, it is necessary to analyse the impacts of globalisation and digitalisation of the business of Tesco on their customer service management as in the recent years Tesco is facing highly competitive threats for other existing competitors and it is essential for Tesco to develop digital business strategy for managing their customers. Managing the customer service in Tesco will be effective for sustaining in the business as well as satisfy them in long run for securing future sustainable development.

3. Research aims and objectives

The aim of the research is to analyse the impacts of the globalisation and digitalisation on the customer service management. Through the study, it is possible to evaluate the strategic planning of Tesco in the globalised world to manage their customers through utilising the organisational resources and technological upgradation.

The research objectives are such as,

To evaluate the advantages of managing customer service

To demonstrate the process of customer service management

To identify the strategic planning of Tesco and latest innovation

To acknowledge the impacts of digitalisation of the business of Tesco on its customers

To recommend some suitable solutions for Tesco to develop innovation and utilisation of latest technology for enhancing the customer service management process

4. Questions of the research

What are the benefits of managing customer service?

What are the effective processes of customer service management?

What is the strategic planning of Tesco and latest innovation for managing customer service?

What are the impacts of digitalisation of the business of Tesco on its customer’s service?

What are the suitable suggestions for Tesco to develop innovation and utilisation of latest technology for enhancing the customer service management process?

5. Outline of the project

As per the project outline, the first chapter is introduction, where the researcher will develop effective research aims, objectives and questions so that it will be possible for the researcher to meet all the objectives and conduct the in-depth research in a systematic manner. Additionally, the background of the study ibn this chapter will be beneficial for the researcher to analyse the research topic successfully. The second chapter is literature review, in which the secondary information from different literature sources including books, journals and online articles will be included and explained so that the researcher can develop knowledge and understanding about the process of customer service management and its benefits in the recent globalised world. The next chapter will be methodology of the research, where the researcher will choose suitable methods of conducing the study efficiently by collection valid and relevant data and information strategically. The fourth chapter is data representations and findings where the researcher will represent the gathered data and information for further analysis. The fifth chapter is data analysis, which is effective for analysing the collected information to meet the above-mentioned research objectives. The sixth chapter is conclusion and recommendations, where the researcher will develop appropriate conclusion after conducting the in-depth study and explain the meeting objectives as well as will develop further recommendations for the organisation Tesco so that they company will develop effective planning to manage their customer’s service.

6. Literature review

Customer service management:

Customer service management integrates the sales, marketing, communication with the customers and customer relationship management where in the recent era of globalisation, all the businesses utilise latest updated technology for enhancing innovation and creativity for managing the customers efficiently (Trkman et al., 2015). The major elements of customer service management ae knowledge management, database consolidation and integration of the channels and sales management where through technological upgradation, it is possible to enhance communication, manage big data of the customers and documentation during sales. customer loyalty through developing interaction over the social media and company’s website can be possible where the customers can provide their feedback. Promotion of the organisational product through social media like Facebook, Instagram posts, YouTube and Twitter as well as e-mail marketing, developing company’s website and mobile application are innovative strategic planning to digitalise the business and create one to one interaction with the customers.

Data analysis and managing the orders through implementing GPS system and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) are also other creative planning for managing customers service. On the other hand, implementing Information and Telecommunication Technology (ICT) and cloud computing are effective for enhancing communication and managing the customer’s data. these innovations and creativity are effective for managing he customer’s service in the recent years. Additionally, e-commerce service can be developed through which the customers can manage their account by themselves and interact with organisational representatives 24*7, distributing information, feedback process ability to track the demand over the online activities and after sales service further enhance the quality of customer service management.

Advantages of customer relationship management in such era of globalisation:

The digitalisation of business is effective for the organisations in increasing innovation and creativity through which it is posisbel for the organisational representatives to manage the customers successfully. The Big data analysis is effective to manage the customer’s data and information and maintain them properly. Hereby, the automation process is effective to manage the sales report of the customers as well as provide after sales service to the customers for fulfilling their actual needs and preferences (Kandampully, Zhang, and Jaakkola, 2018). The digitalisation of the business is effective for developing effective marketing mix strategic planning through which it is possible to promote the organisational products and services at the market. It in turn provides an opportunity to the customers to access the products at the market and make effective purchase decision, digital marketing strategy is also another advantages of digitalisation of the business where the companies can manage the customers online through company’s website, Mobile application and social media where these are playing a crucial role as two way communication platform for enhancing interaction with the customers successfully.

Improving handling the leads and prospects of the customers, managing product line of the company are also other advantages of managing digital innovation int eh company which in turn helps to maintain the customer’s service (Klink, Zhang, and Athaide, 2018). Through digitalisation of the business, it is hereby possible for all the conglomerates to develop loyalty and trust mong he customers and manage them efficiently for meeting their expectations. Positive communication and showing respect to the customers as well as helping them to choose effective products and providing after sales service can also be posisbel through digital business strategy where strengthening customer’s base and retain more long run customers can be possible for the firms (Badwan et al., 2017).

7. Intended methodology

Research methodology is effective for the researcher to follow a systematic step of inducting the study with proper data collection and data analysis (Bernard, 2017). Research onion in this regard is effective for the researcher to follow proper steps where the philosophy of the research, research approach, as well as data collection and analysis technique are effective to conduct in depth study successfully.

The researcher will choose positivism research philosophy, over interpretivism as positivism is effective for validity ad objectivity of the research. Through positivism philosophy, it is posisbel for the researcher to support the research with the collected data and information. In addition to this, the deductive research approach will be chosen, as it helps to develop theory driven analysis with proper data collection and analysis. Through the deductive research approach, it is easy for the researcher to develop and imporve knowledge and skill by reviewing the existing theory and concept related to the above-mentioned research topic as well as analyse the collected data and information on the basis of the theory and concepts for drawing conclusion. Additionally, proper data collection and data analysis technique need to be developed for conducting the research and completing the study with meeting the above-mentioned objectives proficiently. In this regard, the researcher selects mixed method of collecting both the primary and secondary data which will be effective for the researcher to improve knowledge about the research topic which will be effective further fir effective analysis. In this regard, the researcher will collect in depth secondary information through searching books, journals, business letters, online articles and newspapers, which is helpful for the researcher to improve understanding and acknowledge the concepts of the research topic. On the other hand, the researcher also selects primary data collection technique for gathering first-hand information. In this regard, the researcher will choose survey questionnaire and interview process for collecting effective and valid information that will be efficient for this research to analyse the research topic. In this regard, the survey questionnaire will be distributed among the customer of Tesco to collect their experience and feedback ad here the researcher will consider 50 participants aby random sampling technique. On the other hand, the interview process is effective for collecting internal information from the managers of Tesco. The researcher will arrange telephonic interview for collecting the feedback of the managers, where they can share their strategic planning to manage their customer’s service in such era of globalisation and digitalisation. The researcher will select qualitative data analysis, over the quantitative data analysis to evaluate the findings on the basis of gathered secondary information, theories and concept of managing customer service in such an era of digitalisation and globalised world.

8. Ethical consideration

In order to conduct the project, it is necessary for the researcher to follow the ethical norms of conducting the research efficiently so that in future there will be no such ethical problems associated with this particular research. In order to collect the primary data directly form the customers and the managers of the organisation, the researcher show respect, integrity and positivity to the participants to encourage them and convince them to take active part in this research. The researcher also ensures the gathered data will be kept with safety and security and the collected information will only be used for this research purpose, no such business purpose. In addition to this, the managing Data Protection Act 1998 is effective for the researcher to follow the ethical consideration of conducting the research and it further helps to improve trust and loyalty among the participating which in turn provides a scope to create suitable environment, where the participants can feel free to answer the questionnaire ad share their opinion.

9. Possible findings and implications for the organisation

In the recent era of global competitive industry, the implementation of latest technology and digitalisation of the business are necessary for all the multinational corporate firms for enhancing innovation and creativity, where they can manage the big database of the customers over the e-commerce service and other online activities for maintain their customer’s base. Through digitalisation of the business, the organisations can develop effective marketing strategy for promoting their products and services and attract more customers successfully which in turn helps the brands to strengths their customer base for long run. open global market 24*7 and self-management facility as well as data analysis of the customer’s information and analysing market trend are also possible through digitalisation of the business (Hammer, 2015). The e-commerce facility through digitalisation is also effective, where the businesses try to retain the customers through online activities, where the customers can choose the right products, identify its cost and track the distribution status of the products successfully which is effective for managing the customers and building strong relationship with them by ensuring trust and loyalty. It is hereby necessary to digitalise the business and improve online activities for managing the customers for long run and satisfying them by fulfilling their expectations and preferences.

Reference List

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Bernard, H.R., 2017. Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. London: Rowman & Littlefield.

Hammer, M., 2015. What is business process management?. In Handbook on business process management 1 (pp. 3-16). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

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Kandampully, J., Zhang, T. and Jaakkola, E., 2018. Customer experience management in hospitality: A literature synthesis, new understanding and research agenda. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(1), pp.21-56.

Klink, R.R., Zhang, J.Q. and Athaide, G.A., 2018. Designing a Customer Experience Management Course. Journal of Marketing Education, p.0273475318818873.

Müller, O., Junglas, I., Debortoli, S. and vom Brocke, J., 2016. Using text analytics to derive customer service management benefits from unstructured data. MIS Quarterly Executive, 15(4), pp.243-258.

Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Trkman, P., Mertens, W., Viaene, S. and Gemmel, P., 2015. From business process management to customer process management. Business process management journal, 21(2), pp.250-266.

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