The Study on the Effectiveness of Sustainable Customer Relationship Management: Evidence from the Online Shopping Industry

Sustainable development integrates business, environmental, and social objectives into a unified effort to achieve a common goal. Sustainable customer relationship management (CRM) combines company strategy, customer-focused business processes, and computer technologies. From the consumer's perspective, it lowers psychological, energy, time, and other costs;from the company's perspective, it offers a means of engaging with customers to build lasting and reliable relationships. The sustainable CRM program provides advantages to businesses in various industries, particularly online commerce. It alludes to a comprehensive strategy that promotes solid interactions between buyers and sellers of goods and services. Since current customer retention is less costly than new customer attraction in competitive markets, especially online shopping, identifying the factors affecting relationship management with stable customers is essential. This investigation intends to evaluate the effect of the use of management information systems (MIS), as well as insights on employee behavior and knowledge, and customer behavior (satisfaction and loyalty), on the effectiveness of sustainable CRM in online shopping. The model is validated using the PLS–SEM technique, and study sample of 293 employees and managers from private organizations. According to the results, the MIS, employee behavior and knowledge, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty influence the effectiveness of sustainable CRM in online shopping. Furthermore, employee behavior and knowledge positively moderate the relationship between customer loyalty and the effectiveness of sustainable CRM. However, the moderating role of employee behavior and knowledge on customer satisfaction and the effectiveness of sustainable CRM is not confirmed. Overall, taking these characteristics into account might help organizations to take significant steps toward increasing the efficacy of sustainable CRM.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LOGIC OF CUSTOMER LOYALTY: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (SATISFACTION, TRUST AND COMMITMENT)

The globalization of the economy - and with it, new emerging markets - has increased competitive pressure exponentially, rendering customer retention, a highly relevant factor in attracting new consumers. As a result of differentiation and technological globalization, competitive strategies must increasingly leverage the digital channel to not only foster client relationships but also create and offer value. Consequently, companies are using the digital medium to develop not only new services but also unforgettable experiences. Despite the importance of these changes, few scholarly works have studied the influence of this virtual experience on customer retention, channel loyalty, and recommendations to third parties (i.e., word-of-mouth). Against that backdrop, this chapter provides an in-depth analysis of how virtual media shape the relations between companies and their clients. Traditional concepts such as customer experience, satisfaction, trust, loyalty, and recommendation become especially relevant in the digital context, where the adoption of technology has undeniably reshaped people's relationships with companies and each other. This study has immediate implications for the business field, where sustainable growth largely depends on fostering loyalty and recommendations. The conclusions are also highly relevant to a world scenario reconfigured by the Delta Variant, COVID-19 pandemic, which has created a volatile environment and exposed the inefficiencies in how companies relate to their customers. Clients' needs and expectations are constantly evolving, as customer-centricity is the vital key to any corporate success in the changing world of the 21st century. © 2021 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Supply Chain Disruptions and Customer Relationship Management in Family Small and Medium Entreprises: A Moroccan Case Study

The covid 19 crisis and the preventive measures taken to mitigate the spread of the pandemic have shaken up all logistics chains. Consequently, family Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs) are faced with an unprecedented situation characterized by disruptions in supply and production chains, payment deficits, as well as suspended contracts inducing dissatisfaction and loss of customers. In these circumstances, Family SMEs must constantly innovate, proactively anticipate disruptions and malfunctions and rigorously communicate with their main customers in order to explore other supply possibilities and find ways to avoid losses of revenues and customers. The objective of this article is to address the following research question: 'How have family SMEs managed their relationships with customers in times of crisis marked by the disruption of supply chains in order to generate value for the company and the customer? In order to answer this question, a single case study was conducted to explore the effects of the Covid-19 crisis and to draw initial conclusions about family SMEs crisis management. The ultimate goal is to compile a list of the best practices of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) during crisis which can create value for the company and customers, while building on the strengths of the family business. © 2022 IEEE.

STAR-VITAL, a Four Year Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion Program: Study Design.

Background: Premature death, chronic disease, and productivity loss can be reduced with the help of programs that promote a healthy lifestyle. Workplace health promotion programs have been shown to be an efficient way of improving employee health. These can also benefit employers by improving retention, reducing worker turnover, and lowering healthcare costs. In Slovenia, a workplace health promotion program called "STAR-VITAL-Joint Measures for the Vitality of Older Workers" targeting small- and medium-sized enterprises has been ongoing since September 2017. We hypothesize that this workplace health promotion program will yield long-term health changes for the included employees and employers. Methods/Design: The manuscript presents a workplace health promotion program design that introduces some novel approaches and solutions to workplace health promotion program implementation. It also introduces a measurement of their effects that address the problem of low participation rates and the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programs, as follows: (1) the multifaceted and individualised approach to implementation, (2) customer relationship management (CRM) -based interaction management with program participants, and (3) impact evaluation based on employee health and labour market data observing both intermediate outcomes and the final outcomes based on national micro administrative data. Discussion: Although the novel approaches introduced with the STAR-VITAL program proved to be effective during the COVID-19 pandemic, they deserve the attention of scholars and practitioners. Further research is called for to further explore the potential of CRM in health promotion contexts, the effectiveness of multifaceted and individualised workplace health promotion program interventions, and micro administrative data-based impact evaluations. Conclusions: The STAR-VITAL program introduces several new approaches addressing the problem of low participation rates and the effectiveness of WHPPs. Further research is called for to discover and explore the potential of those novel approaches.

Customer engagement in online service brand communities

Purpose>Online service brand communities (OBCs) are an essential services marketing channel and relationship marketing tool, in which social capital (SC) is a critical success factor. Underpinned in social identity and social exchange theories, this paper aims to explore the effects of SC on customer brand engagement (CBE), considering the roles of collective psychological ownership (CPO), customer citizenship behaviour (CCB) and perceived community support (PCS).Design/methodology/approach>The research model was tested using survey data from 256 participants;137 from the Xiaomi Community and 119 from the Huawei Fan Club. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling analysis was used.Findings>SC drives CBE. CPO and CCB are important mediators, whilst PCS is an important moderator.Practical implications>Brand marketers need to foster SC in OBCs to achieve the maximum level of customer engagement. The authors provide recommendations as to how to build structural, relational and cognitive SC, as well as CPO, CCB and PCS. In short, brand marketers need to foster an interactive, empowering and supportive environment.Originality/value>The authors further service research around the humanisation of technology. Specifically, OBCs are social spaces for brands and customers, and a key enabler of relationship marketing principles, such as CBE. The authors test the roles of structural, cognitive and relational SC in engagement in OBCs, through CPO and CCB. This holistic picture of engagement in OBCs is an important foundation for future service research.