Revisiting the Use of Customer Information for CRM

For the past decade, customer relationship management (CRM) has been one of the priorities in marketing research and practice. However, many of the CRM systems did not perform as the companies expected. As such shortcoming could be due to inappropriate data input, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the empirical CRM literature. Along the phases of the CRM process, the authors show which kind of data has successfully proven to achieve the CRM objectives. The study provides researchers with a review of the empirical research on CRM and allows practitioners insights on the usability of customer data for CRM. --Customer Relationship Management (CRM),Customer Data

Design of Multichannel Retailing Pet Shop

Purpose of this paper is to decide the pet shop channel combination that gives the fastest payback period or need less capital. There are 3 channels from preliminary survey. These channels are the physical store (Pet Shop), mobile store (Mobile Pet Salon) and Internet store (E-Pet). A questionnaire was developed to understand customer needs and there are more than 100 dog owners in Surabaya as the respondent, who were selected from some existing pet shops visitor. A total of 100 usable questionnaires were returned. The results are important factors for each channel, which will be a base to prepare the business development from marketing, technical, management and financial factor. Limitations of the study are minimum number of sample and a lack of theory to develop questionnaire. This paper will provides guidance for entrepreneurs who have a plan to running pet shop with multichannel retailing strategies. From all the factors, it was known that all of the combinations were feasible, but if the purpose is using minimum capital, it was better to choose Mobile Pet Salon and E-Pet, eventhough it takes longer pay back period. If the purpose is getting a minimum return period, it is better to choose Pet Shop and Mobile Pet Salon combination, with higher capital needed and shorter discounted pay back

CONSUMER PANACEA OVER INTERNET USAGE IN PAKISTAN

The present age is the era of information technology and everywhere microwaves are scattered. Everybody wants to explore itself with this information technology and happenings taking place of Internet for the purpose of education, awareness, entertainment and especially interaction with strangers. In Pakistan, the awareness of internet usage is increasing and people are gaining knowledge about online buying and selling. Although the Internet may well empower consumers, there is a paucity of systematic conceptual, analytical, or empirical research indicating that the Internet will in fact lead to more and better information, which in turn will lead to better consumer decision making. The Internet is not, in and of itself, a monolithic entity subject to broad generalizations. It is a complex phenomenon, unlike anything else in history and not completely understood. This research finds that consumers who have more positive beliefs about Internet apparel shopping have more positive attitude toward Internet apparel shopping than do consumers who have less positive beliefs about Internet apparel shopping and consumers who have more social support for Internet apparel shopping perceive more social acceptance of Internet apparel shopping than do consumers who have less social support for Internet apparel shopping.e-Marketing, internet usage.

Understanding the key drivers of and technology related issues associated with going multi-channel

A multi-channel retail strategy is viewed by many academics and practitioners to be the success model for most retailers. Yet, while there are many drivers of, and advantages related to, using multiple channels to sell products and services to customers likewise there are numerous technology-related issues. Despite this, the multi-channel retailing literature provides little empirical insight into these technology-related constraints. Moreover, there is a lack of multi-channel retailing research which explores the impetuses behind retailers adding new channels to go multi-channel, especially in the context of the UK retail sector. To contribute to gaps in the literature this study utilises a case study research strategy to examine the key motivations behind, and technology-related issues associated with, multi-channel retail strategic implementation, in the setting of the UK retail sector. Three UK based retailers (Boots, Screwfix and Bettys) are used which have different approaches to, and are at different stages of, adopting a multi-channel retail strategy. In addition, they have different backgrounds such as size, product range, sector and type. Consequently, the use of these three different retailers enables exploration of the drivers behind, and technological problems associated with, implementing a multi-channel retail strategy in the context of store and Internet/catalogue retailers. Case analysis reveals novel themes which are not identified, or not clearly recognised, in the literature. These include that key drivers behind retailers going multi-channel are to increase sales, and, meet the needs of the multi-channel shopper. Indeed, customers want to shop via multiple channels and therefore, these retailers have no choice but to go multi-channel if they are to meet customer needs. However, while at a strategic level these motivations were similar across the case study retailers, they also differed. For example, Screwfix added a store channel to enable customers to purchase products and receive them instantly. In contrast, Boots added an Internet channel to drive footfall in-store and increase store sales. Boots were also adding an Internet channel since it provided them with a marketing channel, which, going forward, was likely to replace other communications channels. The findings from this study also reveal that retailers encounter major technology-related issues when adding new, and using multiple, channels. These problems stem from the need to re-design existing logistics and IT infrastructure to offer a seamless, integrated offer to the customer. For instance, to leverage the brand and marketing mix consistently across all channels, and, to implement ‘click and collect’ (i.e. where customers purchase a product in one channel and collect it in another). Also, due to the need to use innovative marketing techniques, in particular, social media. Importantly, this study highlights that these technology-related multi-channel retailing constraints often have a ‘softer’ side. Technology-related problems are frequently intertwined with cultural, engagement and financial/staff resource related issues. This suggests a need for retailers to find entwined solutions to both technology and non- technology related issues to effectively implement a multi-channel retail strategy

Trigger factors in brick and click shopping

Purpose: The goal of this research is to describe the customer’s purchase path in different shopping channels and to identify which are the trigger factors that motivate the choice of every shopping channel. The description of the factors that motivate this seamless experience across all channels will provide brands with knowledge about how to improve their strategic approach to engagement, belonging and retention of customers. Design/methodology: This paper builds propositions about the trigger factors for shopping channel choice based on thirty reports from the main consultancy companies made during the last five years and coded regarding the main topics highlighted in the literature. Findings: The findings of this study indicate that there are common trigger factors for every shopping channel and for every stage of the purchase path. Research limitations/implications: The data are from different countries, segments and products although they show common patterns. Originality/value: To date, little research in a complete vision of the shopping paths has been done. The definition of the different paths and the trigger factors associated to each one is unique and will help further research in this area.Peer Reviewe

Exploring Cross Channel Dissynergies in Multichannel Systems

In this paper, the authors propose that in a multichannel environment, evaluative conflicts (dissynergies) between service channels exist. Building on status quo bias theory, they develop a model which relates offline channel satisfaction to perceptions about a new self-service channel. Data were collected from 639 customers of a German bank currently using offline investment banking. Results of structural equation modeling show that offline channel satisfaction reduces the perceived usefulness and enhances the perceived risk of the online channel. These inhibiting effects represent a status quo bias. The two perceptions fully mediate between offline channel satisfaction and intention to use the new self-service channel. Trust in the bank shows both adoption-enhancing effects and an adoption-inhibiting effect. Finally, the negative relationship between offline channel satisfaction and perceived usefulness is significantly stronger for men, for older people, and for less experienced Internet users. This study has both theoretical and managerial relevance as it helps to understand consumer behavior in multichannel environments and provides implications for the design of multichannel service strategies

Omnichannel Transition: A Panacea for Retail?

Digitalization has affected the status quo of every industry and retail is no exception. Omnichannel is the new norm in today’s retailing. The days of managing and highlighting ecommerce and digi-tal channels are over, now the time is for omnichannel. The shoppers are already omnichannel and this puts pressure on retailers to be omnichannel as soon as possible. In the last few years, acade-micians as well as practitioners have proposed omnichannel management as the future of retailing. However, the reality looks different; the knowledge about omnichannel management and the omni-channel transition is fragmented in the current literature. This research sheds light on the extant knowledge on omnichannel retail drivers and transition journey. The purpose of this study is to illuminate how the omnichannel concept is used and propose a model for outlining the transition from single channel to omnichannel. Moreover, contemporary research on omnichannel drivers and challenges are provided, as well as areas needed for further research

The optimal omnichannel strategy for SMEs apparel retailers

The omnichannel transition took mainly place in big companies within the apparel retailing while in SMEs it was usually performed far less. Multichannel presents a structure of independent different channels, whereas a full channel integration is reached within an omnichannel strategy, which can deliver a seamless customer experience in all touchpoints. Nowadays, customers are more independent than ever, thus the drivers of purchase have changed. Considering this tendency, current academic research about this topic, with the concern of its implementation in smaller apparel retailers, is limited. The thesis aims to analyze the current condition of channel strategies in the apparel retailing, mostly in Italy and Portugal, to build an implementation process for an omnichannel shift for multichannel apparel of SME’s retailers, as well as its main characteristics. Therefore, qualitative research was conducted through the analysis of 14 semi-structured interviews with four different categories in the apparel industry. The findings show that small apparel retailers have not developed this strategy yet because of the fear of uncertainty, lack of consumer knowledge, inefficient warehouse and inventory management, and basic knowledge concerning the topic. Hence, it was concluded that omnichannel is a customer-oriented strategy in which elements of the marketing mix need to be aligned to guarantee a unified offer regarding communication and availability. This is reachable only through a cloud-based operation system and logistic partnerships. Lastly, SMEs can pursue this transformation by following a seven-step approach that requires long term vision and investments in digitalization.A transacção para estratégias omnicanalizadas deu-se maioritariamente em grandes empresas de retalho de moda, enquanto que a sua performance em PMEs é baixa. As estratégias multicanalizadas estruturam-se em diferentes canais independentes, enquanto a integração total está contida na estratégia omnicanalizada, podendo oferecer uma experiência de cliente perfeita em todos os pontos de contacto. O consumidor de hoje está o mais independente, tendo assim o comportamento de compra mudado. Considerando esta tendência, a investigação no tópico referente à sua implementação em retalhistas de moda mais pequenos é limitada. A presente dissertação tem como objectivo a análise das condições atuais em estratégias no retalho de moda maioritariamente em Itália e Portugal, por forma a construir um processo de implementação de estratégias omnicanal para PMEs multicanalizadas e das respectivas principais características. Como tal, a investigação qualitativa consistiu na análise de 14 entrevistas semi-estruturadas com quatro categorias nesta indústria. Os resultados mostram que os pequenos retalhistas de moda ainda não desenvolveram tal estratégia dada a aversão à incerteza, falta de conhecimento sobre o consumidor, gestão de armazém e inventário ineficientes e conhecimento básico sobre tópico. Consequentemente, concluiu-se que a omnicanalidade é uma estratégia orientada para o cliente, na qual os elementos do marketing mix precisam estar alinhados para garantir uma comunicação e disponibilidade unificadas da oferta. Isto é alcançável por meio de sistemas operacionais cloud-based e de parcerias logísticas. Por fim, as PMEs podem procurar alcançar esta transformação seguindo uma abordagem de sete passos, que requer visão a longo prazo e investimentos em digitalização

Essays on multichannel marketing

Multichannel marketing is the practice of simultaneously offering information, goods, services, and support to customers through two or more synchronized channels. In this dissertation, I develop an integrated framework of multichannel marketing and develop models to assist managers in their marketing resource allocation decisions. In the first essay of the dissertation, I investigate the factors that drive customers multichannel shopping behavior and identify its consequences for retailers. In the second essay, I build on this work and develop a model that enables firms to optimize their allocation of marketing resources across different customer-channel segments. In the first essay, I develop a framework comprising the factors that drive consumers’ channel choice, the consequences of channel choice, and their implications for managing channel equity. The results show that customer-channel choice is driven in a nonlinear fashion by a customer demographic variable such as age and is also influenced by consumer shopping traits such as number of categories bought and the duration of relationship with a retailer. I show that by controlling for the moderating effects of channel-category associations, the influence of customers’ demographics and shopping traits on their channel choices can vary significantly across product categories. Importantly, the results show that multichannel shoppers buy more often, buy more items, and spend considerably more than single channel shoppers. The channel equity of multichannel customers is nearly twice that of the closest single channel customers (online or offline). In the second essay, I propose a model for optimal allocation of marketing efforts across multiple customer-channel segments. I first develop a set of models for consumer response to marketing efforts for each channel-customer segment. This set comprises four models, the first for purchase frequency, the second for purchase quantity, the third for product return behavior, and the fourth for contribution margin of purchase. The results show that customers’ responses to firm marketing efforts vary significantly across the customer-channel segments. They also suggest that marketing efforts influence purchase frequency, purchase quantity and monetary value in different ways. The resource allocation results show that profits can be substantially improved by reallocating marketing efforts across the different customer-channel segments

Toward a three-dimensional framework for omni-channel

The omni-channel, as an emerging trend in retail, aims to coordinate processes and technologies across supply and sales channels. The evolution of this concept is still nascent. This paper develops a conceptual framework for omni-channel systems, configured by three dimensions of channel stage, channel type and channel agent. Integration and visibility are also explored and discussed as the main enablers, which support the implementation of omni-channel framework. This research is built upon the empirical and secondary data. Multiple case studies and expert interview methods are employed for data collection to validate the recommended framework and to explore its applicability. The framework proposed, along with the key integration and visibility enablers identified for the omni-channel, can be applied to a wide range of retail supply chains. It helps managers to develop, run and monitor omni-channel systems; it may also serve as a stepping-stone for development of the literature on omni-channel systems