Mobilizing customer relationship management: A journey from strategy to system design

Abstract

Purpose – The bursting of the e‐bubble affected expectations with regard to mobile initiatives and willingness to invest in them very negatively. Business managers request detailed and thorough analyses prior to engaging in mobile initiatives. The paper aims to present a method, with which mobile business can be introduced to the customer relationship management (CRM) field. Design/methodology/approach – The paper follows the design science paradigm as outlined by March and Smith, and Hevner et al. Findings – The findings provide a framework for the definition of a mobile CRM strategy derived from the corporate strategy, suggest a method for the identification and exploitation of the mobilization potential in CRM processes in line with the strategy, and provide guidance for the design of mobile information systems to support these processes. Research limitations/implications – The proposed method extends the body of available methods with a method for the introduction of mobile ISs into marketing, sales and service organizations. As design research, it does not strive for statistical generalization. The level of detail given in the elements of the method is to be increased in further research. Practical implications – The method helps to reduce risk and uncertainty of mobile CRM initiatives, since it provides a structured and consistent procedure for the definition of goals, the identification of potentials for the fulfillment of these goals as well as recommendations for the systematic exploitation of these potentials. Originality/value – With the application of this structured method, an organization should be able to avoid the pitfalls of technology‐driven information technology initiatives which various companies have experienced, particularly with mobile technologies.