The effects of customer relationship management in the service sector marketing strategies: A field study on selected service companies

Companies, today, are facing tough competition forces in order to keep their existence in the marketplace. Customers started to be the focus of the business because customers have much more choice alternatives among the companies and they are much more informed both about the products and the companies. Therefore acquiring customer knowledge, identifying the customer needs and responding to these needs as quickly as possible, and consequently creating a value for the customer have started to be one of the companies? main objectives. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a company-wide solution for companies to explore customer purchase behavior for composing appropriate offerings to the customers and construct a customer-centric management philosophy throughout the company which in return results as a cost advantage for the companies. Forming long-term relationship with the customers through customer retention, which is the originating point of CRM, provides a competitive advantage for the companies. CRM is a widely used strategy in the service companies but manufacturing companies also started to use CRM applications when conducting their business which is a result of the recognition of the increasing importance of the customer. The aim of this study is to explore the CRM applications on selected four service companies and one manufacturing company and identify its effects on these companies? marketing strategies. In-depth interviews were conducted with relevant managers and vice managers in these companies. As a result of the analysis, it is seen that companies extensively use CRM applications when shaping their marketing strategies but there are issues where they can develop themselves in terms of CRM.