Implementation of a Customer Relationship Management System: A Case Study

Abstract

This thesis is written to help understand the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) concept and use it as foundation to case company Ventoniemi Oy’s introduction of a CRM system. The thesis consists of four parts: the foundation of CRM, introduction and background of the case company, a quantitative study, and based on the results a guide book is made for the case company. The main goal of the study was to plan, implement and create a guide book for the case company, but to be successful first CRM’s origins and evolution are explored and the survey is conducted. The theoretical framework deals with customer relationship management and deals with competing methods.

The survey was carried out using a paper questionnaire as part of a quantitative study. The target group of the survey was Ventoniemi Oy’s employees whose work is related with customer relationship management. The subject of the research is the employees’ knowledge regarding customer relationship management, how it has been implemented, how it should be implemented, the positives and the negatives, how employees would benefit from introducing CRM system, and how the company would benefit from it. Based on the results a CRM system guide book and implementation plan is carried out for the case company.

The results indicate that customer management and introducing a new system is expected to improve the sales and the communications in the company and there are room for development in the old processes. With modern CRM system the employees feel that the work efficiency will establish growth and better utilization of existing customers.