Selection of CRM software for the event sector

Using the example of the German event management company XYZ

Masterarbeit , 2009 , 128 Seiten , Note: A- (1,5)

BWL - Offline-Marketing und Online-Marketing

This study was undertaken to recommend a suitable customer relationship management (CRM) software for the German event agency XYZ. For this reason three different CRM software products were evaluated.

Four research objectives were established to achieve the aim. They were the principles of customer relationship management; the benefits and problems connected with the implementation of CRM; the importance of measures to get loyal customers and a comparison of different software products with regard to different criteria. Using the case study strategy including secondary research methods the researcher was able to answer the research objectives and the aim. The main sources used in this investigation were secondary sources due to the large number of information available in these sources. Prior the development of an assessment schematic was necessary to evaluate the credibility of these sources. Personal experience with CRM, the current importance of this topic and the gap in the event based literature motivated the researcher to undertake this study.

The findings indicated that the competitive environment in which small and medium enterprises operate make it necessary to implement a good working CRM system to identify potential customers who might become loyal. Indeed, a universal definition of terms such as CRM, customer satisfaction and loyalty is missing or the terms are not clearly defined. Findings also revealed that there is still a gap in literature concerning CRM within the event industry, especially within event management companies. The number of data concerning aspects such as competition and customer orientation regarding to event management companies is also rare or missing.
Beside these limitations, research indicates that the market of CRM software products is growing. Especially web based CRM solutions such as on-demand software have become more popular in the last few years, due to the mostly unproblematic implementation and the lower price of these products compared to traditional software packages.

Recommendations for further research include a deeper analysis of CRM within the events industry and a clear definition of terms which are connected with CRM such as customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. More information on customer orientation, customer loyalty and competitiveness especially within event management companies would help to establish a more precise catalogue of software selection criteria.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Chapter 1 - Introduction
• 1.1 Rational
• 1.1.1 Why this topic?
• 1.1.2 Who will benefit?
• 1.2 Aims and Objectives
• 1.3 Brief Company Description
• Chapter 2-Literature Review
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 The theoretical foundations of Customer Relationship Management
• 2.3 Fundamentals of the event industry
• 2.4 The software selection process
• 2.5 Summary
• 2.6 Literature Matrix
• 2.6.1 CRM Part
• 2.6.2 Event Industry Part
• 2.6.3 Software Selection Part
• Chapter 3 - Methodology
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 The research philosophy
• 3.3 The research strategy
• 3.4 Choice of research design
• 3.5 Construction of the chosen method
• 3.6 Sample
• 3.7 Summary
• Chapter 4 – Theoretical Foundations of Customer Relationship Management
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 CRM as a management concept or marketing practice
• 4.2.1 Definition of Customer Relationship Management
• 4.2.2 The aim and objectives of CRM
• 4.3 CRM as a concept to gain customer loyalty
• 4.3.1 Definition of customer loyalty
• 4.3.2 Customer satisfaction
• 4.3.3 Interrelation between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty
• 4.4 The basics of CRM technology
• 4.5 The components of a CRM system
• 4.6 Benefits and problems associated with CRM
• 4.7 Summary
• Chapter 5 - Fundamentals of the Event Industry
• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 The event industry

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This study aims to recommend a suitable customer relationship management (CRM) software for the German event agency XYZ. This is achieved through the evaluation of three different CRM software products. The research objectives are to explore the principles of customer relationship management, analyze the benefits and challenges of CRM implementation, assess the importance of customer loyalty strategies, and compare different software products based on specific criteria. Key themes explored include:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) principles and practices
• Benefits and challenges of implementing CRM systems
• The importance of customer loyalty in the event industry
• Software selection process and criteria
• CRM software solutions for the event sector

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction - This chapter provides the rationale for the study, outlining the importance of CRM in the event industry and the specific benefits for XYZ. It also states the study's aims and objectives, and briefly describes the company.
• Chapter 2: Literature Review - This chapter examines the theoretical foundations of CRM, including its definition, aims, and objectives. It also discusses the fundamentals of the event industry, the software selection process, and provides a literature matrix summarizing key findings from relevant sources.
• Chapter 3: Methodology - This chapter details the research philosophy, strategy, design, and data collection methods employed in the study. It also explains the construction of the research method and the sample used.
• Chapter 4: Theoretical Foundations of Customer Relationship Management - This chapter delves deeper into CRM as a management concept and marketing practice, defining its core principles and objectives. It also explores CRM as a concept for gaining customer loyalty, including definitions of customer loyalty and satisfaction, and their interrelationship.
• Chapter 5: Fundamentals of the Event Industry - This chapter provides an overview of the event industry, highlighting its unique characteristics and challenges.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The study focuses on customer relationship management (CRM) in the event industry, particularly for event management companies. Key terms and concepts include CRM principles, CRM implementation, customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, software selection criteria, CRM software products, and the event sector. The research explores the benefits and challenges of implementing CRM systems, and evaluates different software solutions to recommend the most suitable option for XYZ.

• Hochschule: University of Birmingham (University College Birmingham)
• Note: A- (1,5)
• Autor: Thomas Punzel (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2009
• Seiten: 128
• Katalognummer: V169164
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640874200
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: CRM, Kundenbindung, Software, Event, Event Management, Veranstaltungsplanung, Tourismus, Customer loyalty, Customer relationship management, customer satisfaction, salesforce, oracle