Analyzing the application of CRM by. Amazon to become a major internet. marketing player

Analyzing the application of CRM by Amazon to become a major internet marketing player

Submitted By XYZ ID: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of

Awarding body

Supervisor

1

Acknowledgements I am heartily thankful to my supervisor I have been amazingly fortunate to have a supervisor who gave me the freedom to explore on my own and at the same time the guidance to recover when my steps faltered. He taught me how to question thoughts and express ideas. His patience and support helped me overcome many crisis situations and finish this dissertation. Lastly, I offer my regards and blessings to all of those who supported me in any respect during the completion of the project.

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS S. No

1

2

Particulars

Page No.

ABSTRACT

6

Introduction

7

1.1 Background of CRM in industry

9

1.2 Personal Interest and Scope for Future Research

10

1.3 Purpose of Study

10

1.4 Research Objective and Queries

11

1.5 Research Questions

11

1.6 Significance and Scope

12

1.7 Assumptions and Limitations on My Dissertations

13

Literature Review

14

2.0 Understanding and Managing Customer Relationships

14

2.1 Amazon’s Relations with Customers

15

2.2 Amazon’s CRM Strategies

17

2.3 Customer Relations Management conceptual analyses

20

2.4 Customer Relations Management Components

23

3

3

2.4.1 The Technological Theory

24

2.4.2 The People and Customer Relations Management

25

2.4.3 Business process

26

2.5 Structural Advances and Customer Satisfaction

27

2.6 The CRM Framework

29

2.7 Building Brands with Customer Relations Management

31

2.8 Customer Value and Monitoring of the Client Loyalty Levels

33

2.9 Conclusion attributes

35

Methodology

36

3.0 Introduction

36

3.1 Research Positivism

36

3.2 Research Interpretivism

37

3.4 Types of Research 38 3.4.1 Explorative Research 3.4.2 Descriptive Research 3.5 Research Design

38 39

4

3.6 Research Patterns 3.7

39

Validity and reliability of instruments 40

Validity 3.7.1

4

Reliability

40

3.7.2

Data gathering procedures

40

3.8

3.9 Data Analysis

40

3.10 Ethical Consideration

41

Findings and Critical Analysis

42

4.0 Understanding and Managing Customer Relationships

42

Table 1: Showing Relative Assimilations of contributive factors

43

Graph 1: Factor analysis

44

4.2 Amazon’s CRM Strategies

45

Table 2: CRM campaign satisfaction analysis

46

Graph 2: Demonstrate the graphical comparison of factors

48

4.3 Customer Relations Management conceptual analyses

48

Table 3: CRM Conceptual analysis factor

49

4.4 Customer Relations Management Components

51

Table 4: Correlation of factors aiding customer relations management

51 5

5

6

7

Chart 3: Summary chart showing CRM factors

53

5.1 Reflective Report/Log Book

54

5.2 Significance of Writing the Dissertation

54

5.3 Process to write Dissertation

56

5.4 My Learning Outcomes

59

5.4.1 Plan to write on a regular basis and to stick with the plan made:

59

5.4.2 Making a time plan and sticking to it:

60

5.4.3 Finishing section as soon as it is ready:

60

5.5 Pleasant and Un-Pleasant Issues

61

5.6 What can I do Different Next Time?

62

5.7 Problems Encountered 5.8 Conclusion

62 62

Conclusion

63

6.0 Introduction of Literature Review

63

6.1 Introduction of Methodology

64

6.2 Introduction of findings and critical analysis

65

6.3 Vital Experience/research experience

65

7.0 Recommendations

67

7.1 Areas of further research

68

REFERENCES

72

6

ABSTRACT

Online shopping experience has evolved over the last decades to be what has been described as the peak of online technology. In references to key concepts aiding the adoption of online business, the characteristic interaction of a vast class of factors have enlisted the operational platform of Amazon.com making it to be one of the most dynamic online shopping centers in the 21st century. The protocols the firm applies in the acquisition, management and sustainability of its customers have provided it with a huge operational platform (Karen, 2008).

The installations of cutting edge technologies in its major operational departments have provided additional factor analyses which have distinctly supplemented its growing potential. Online shopping experience has been analyzed in chapter four and various findings aiding the research work has been conclusively depicted to relevantly create a universal comparison between the work done and that referred by other researchers obtained in literature review. However, the research design involved acquisition of secondary data, implying data minimal direct research was conducted in the field.

The reliance of data done by other researchers meant that an extensive reference from journals and books was necessary to obtain a standard research work with adequately research information. In conclusion therefore, it was found out that further research would establish other concrete ways through which CRM could work in the way of obtaining relevant customer satisfaction. 7

Chapter 1 :- Introduction 1.0

Introduction

Online shopping business is one such business which encompasses of categorizing products into relevant groups, making attractive look of the website, constantly added products to its array, logistics distribution, sales, marketing, and the provision of information technology services. Amazon is in the business of online shopping of books. Some competitors of Amazon are eBay, e-music, Nirvanix, etc (Charlesworth, 2009).

Amazon was formed in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. He started his business in his garage of his Washington home. His idea was appreciated by a businessman named Nick Hanauer and he got ready to invest an amount of $40, 000 in his venture. Amazon’s entry in online market was too simple and not flashy as it is today. Visitor founds the site very boring, unattractive and simple. Due to this, the business got a very shaky start. But there was another businessman by the name Tom Alburg who invested $100, 000. This amount gave a boost to the company; it helped to make the website much better looking and gave it a hosting capacity. Soon, people from all over the world were purchasing books from Amazon and not just Washington State. As the business was flourishing, it became evident that Bezos had to do something more than just a book selling site to retain the customers and keep them visiting the site again and again and become a regular customer.

8

A new feature was added to the site where customers could write the review. Soon, Amazon was viewed by customers as more of an online community than just a place to buy books. Amazon was able to generate revenue of $ 15.5 million by 1997. Amazon also decided to add CDs and movies to its website as it was going public. It expanded its horizons in 1998 by adding more items like software, video games, electronic goods, toys, home appliances, etc. Amazon started adding new features too soon, which raised doubts in the minds of people about whether the company would be able to survive its reputation or not (Charlesworth, 2009).

Amazon is leading the online book buying industry. Amazon has always been first in experimenting new ways of marketing and has never feared about failure and subsequent loss to the company. It is this initiative attitude of the company that has led to success and profitability to the business. Amazon has a very simple concept of selling, selling directly to its customers. The customer base of Amazon is spread across the world and mainly includes students, colleges, other institutes, corporates, libraries, etc. the mission of Amazon is to become number one online book shop by delivering the best customer experience (Peel, 2002).

During the nineties, when the.com bubble crashed, there were handful companies that could survive the crash. There were lot of speculation in the minds of the people about what will happen to their investment in such companies and will they ever get returns out of it. Before this period, all the.com companies, especially with names starting from e- ever priced heavily and their stocks were heavily overpriced. One such survivor of the crash of.com businesses was Amazon.com (Peel, 2002).

9

Amazon has its operations in number of countries. Amazon too suffered a huge loss due to this crash, but its policies and strategies survived the shut-down of the business. The main strong point of the company was providing a huge library of products and books at a very competitive price. Amazon was the company which rationally chose its marketing channels, most noticeable contribution being made by online advertisements along with its CRM strategy. Amazon has also started digital distribution with both, e-books and music (Flick, 2009).

1.1 Background of CRM in industry CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. It is a strategy, generally adopted by company throughout its locations and branches for two primary reasons of reducing costs and increasing productivity and profitability. The main focus of achieving these primary goals is through customer satisfaction, increasing their loyalty towards the company and advocacy. CRM’s main function is to provide data of each and every customer of the company to its IT team which would give them a holistic view about the purchase habit of all the customers. This information is then provided to the employees of the company who directly get in touch with customers, like sales team, customer service executives, marketing team, etc. this would help them develop strategies for cross selling and up-selling company’s products to relevant customers. These are some tactics which would help company to increase sales as well as improve customer satisfaction. The main aim of any company is to serve its customers to their satisfactions and delight them with their services. One of the best ways of ensuring this is by using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software (Dyché, 2002).

10

These days, there is plethora of availability of software programs to boost your business, but no one can match the usefulness of CRM to your business. You are required to use multiple software in co-ordination with each other for best results as well as carry out certain strategies to promote our business. It is vital to extract crucial customer data and what is more important is to use this customer data by each and every member of the company to increase the business of the company (Dyché, 2002).

Customer Relationship Management is meant for the entire organization, which involves all the departments of the company. Each department in a company has some sort of data about the customer, may be not in the format required, may be shabbily maintained, which needs to be accessed and analyzed and made available to all the departments. If we take an example of a call center, they have a screen pop, which is a software application connected to their phone system. This is a type of CRM, which gives instant data to the customer service executive on his screen about who the caller is. In a time frame of few seconds, till the executive answers the call, it produces data on screen about the caller, his latest purchases, his financial standings, his creditability, what he is looking for, what all kind of products of the company he might be interested in, etc. Now this screen pop application is made out of information gathered from various database like database of sales, accounts, IT, etc. Sales database will show what has he recently purchased, accounts database will show is credit worthiness and what deals and terms can be offered to him, etc. (Jackson, 2007).

11

1.2 Personal Interest and Scope for Future Research The research was carried out primary with a major objective of achieving important concepts related to customer relations management. In general terms, the coverage would largely cover Amazon.com and other online shopping companies.

As defined by the key customer management, the key areas for future research would include attaining sustainable customer relations and additionally creating advanced client management within a given organization.

Further research would include understanding how managerial systems within an organization can additionally be of value to customer acquisition and retention.

1.3 Purpose of Study The main purpose of this study is to obtain a concrete understanding of the term “Customer relationship management” and its impact on Amazon.com.

This study aims to determine the main factors behind the success of Amazon.com in the domain of internet sales. This would be applied to understand how Amazon has succeeded in maintaining its lead in the internet sales domain over the years and the innovations it has brought to internet sales. The study would investigate what is happening in the organizational setup of Amazon and how their managers react to customer expectations and demands in a rapidly evolving internet-scape.

12

Additionally, the study would make some recommendations and suggestions for further research to better tackle Customer relationship management in multinational organizations based on Amazon’s performance. All the areas in the dissertation would be investigated thoroughly and the findings from them would be presented. These findings would find applications elsewhere.

1.4 Research Objective and Queries 1. To ascertain the role of CRM in making Amazon a lead player in internet marketing. 2. What strategies have been used by Amazon and how it has resulted into making Amazon a major internet marketing player? 3. To find out if there are other sources than CRM that has contributed equally to making Amazon a major internet marketing player. 4. To discover role of other marketing channels in making Amazon a major internet marketing player.

1.4 Research Questions R. Q. 1. Is there a significant relationship between use of CRM by Amazon and it becoming a major internet marketing player? H. 1. There is a significant relationship between use of CRM by Amazon and it becoming a major internet marketing player R. Q. 2. Is there a significant relationship between becoming a major player of online shopping through internet marketing and becoming a major online shopping player by other sources of marketing? 13

H. 2. There is a significant relationship between becoming a major player of online shopping through internet marketing and becoming a major online shopping player by other sources of marketing. R. Q. 3. Is there a significant relationship between use of CRM for marketing and use of other software for marketing of Amazon? H. 3. There is a significant relationship between use of CRM for marketing and use of other software for marketing of Amazon.

1.6 Significance and Scope This study aims to study the relationship between CRM and the role Amazon.com plays in the internet book sales market. The study will examine how CRM has helped Amazon achieve the first place in internet sales and the practices that have made it successful. This work will examine how best practices in the industry have extended to Amazon’s reach in the global internet marketplace and have resulted in its current brand image. This work has highlighted the areas of operation CRM has enhanced in the sales domain of Amazon.

In the literature review, this work would investigate how CRM results in the coordination and streamlining of sales and how it builds and maintains customer confidence. To enhance the customer experience, the company has to build upon best practices in the industry and form and maintain a strong relationship with the customer. The current information technologies have made this process far easier than the past and that has resulted in higher sales volumes and 14

greater customer satisfaction and brand loyalty (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree, and Bitner, 2000). This study would be significant as it would establish concretely the role of CRM in business enhancement for Amazon.com.

1.7 Assumptions and Limitations on My Dissertations Being a student brings about limitations in this work. These findings are based on secondary data that has been collected by other professors. The work was performed based on statistics and data that were available about sales volumes and best practices of Amazon.com in the public domain. The student did not have the time to conduct extensive research by meeting the managers of Amazon.com on a personal level, so the amount of primary data is limited. Thus, most of the work here is based on previous observations and is more of a meta-analysis. The limiting factors were time and resources. The research in this study was conducted at a small scale. More dependence on secondary resources resulted due to these factors. The work was based more on literature review and case studies.

15

Chapter 2 :- Literature Review 2.0 Understanding and Managing Customer The general understanding of Customer Relations Management according to Richard, (2000) is an implementable strategy which features important interactive platforms between a company and its respective clientele. Empirically, this is derived from key issues amongst which involve technological applications used in enhancing the organization and application of various business processes. From the analysis of Jim, (2000) CRM further involve major sales and marketing activities that require proper handling and in view of goal seeking objectives, the overall aim lies within ideal customer satisfaction. Johnson, (2000) states that customers are uniquely established through highly integrated systems that envision procedures such as establishing proper CRM processes. This would in turn create sustainable customer base that would clearly support customer establishment and loyalty creation. Accordingly therefore, customer relations management is categorized into three major levels namely; 1. Customer acquisition 2. Customer-enhancement and (3) customer relation The correct implementation of CRM at all these levels helps the company succeed in a global context. The evolution of the company-customer relationship is important in the long run and this dissertation takes this important facet into account when looking at the implementation of CRM in Amazon.com. (Gale, 2002)

16

The main aim of any company is to serve its customers to their satisfactions and delight them with their services. One of the best ways of ensuring this is by using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software (Dyché, 2002).

In the current business trends, there is large scale availability of software programs to boost any business, but no one can match the usefulness of CRM to any of the fast growing businesses. You are required to use multiple software in co-ordination with each other for best results as well as carry out certain strategies to promote the major areas related to any growing business. It is relatively of vital importance to create a sensible means of carrying out businesses within a large business spectrum. Hoyer and Brown, (1990) explains that the customer plays a very important role within a business environment and this reflects a study by Dyché, (2000) who believed that business grows with customer acquisition. This universal principle defines the significance of a customer in an investment scenario.

Customer Relationship Management is generally carried out within the organization and the process involves a universal creation of the required entities. Aaker, (1991) explained that an organization is hugely composed of interrelated departmental units. meant for the entire organization, which involves all the departments of the company. Each department in a company has some sort of data about the customer, may be not in the format required, may be shabbily maintained, which needs to be accessed and analyzed and made available to all the departments. If we take an example of a call center, they have a screen pop, which is a software application connected to their phone system. (Gale, 2002)

17

CRM in this sense plays a universal task in ensuring that customers gain a completely new acceptance in the business. Anton, (1997) explains that a customer behaves in a way that reflects how specific customer relations have been carried out. In a nutshell, the understanding of customer needs is one special factor that majorly expresses a need to provide customers with the most basic care. This, as explained by APQC, (2001) gives customers better support mechanism through which well framed customer relations processes are adequately taken into consideration. In view of the specific factors in marketing such as advertising and price management, customers are hence given adequate attention which is inline with the minimum customer relations management policies. (Donald and Russell, 2001)

2.0.1 E-CRM Thompson, Teo and Shan, (2005) projected that successful customer relations is effectively measured through typical knowledge establishment and perfect relay of relevant market strategies. E-CRM or electronic customer relations management involves major forms of creating sustainable relationship within which information technology platforms are applied. Matthias, (2005) explains that the relationship developed between marketing models including both external and internal strategies provide better access to customers and their needs. The level of communication is hence systematically managed via well defined measurements that incorporate a huge response cycle where customers are accessed virtually faster and responses relating to their needs are well managed. James, Peter and Huff, (2007) explains the financial implications and resultant performance of the firm with regard to typical e-CRM customer support mechanisms. E-CRM acts as a relatively new measuring technique whereby the accuracy of information being shared has the highest level of customer related strategies. (Huge and Malcolm, 2002) 18

2.0.2 E-CRM Critical Success factors Salomann and Brenner, (2005) analysis on important values related to developed business opportunities clearly indicated that customer relations is based on the emergence of virtually all related customer expressions, notably by understanding the key models in such a renewed move to ensure that the success rate is approximately 99%. According to Adrian and Pennie, (2004) express procedures that are objectively availed include; 

Internet management – Internet, according to Adrian and Pennie, (2004) is one most important factor supporting new waves of business enterprises. Customer satisfaction level is attained at maximum heights when adequate efforts are availed in order to create opportunities necessary for the provision of high quality services. As per the important implications of internet, customers have huge potentials to learn new features and even adequately manage their personal data online.



E-CRM paradigm – Darrel and Rigby, (2002) in their extensive customer analysis models, explains that electronic CRM features highly integrated software that are well tested and implemented to serve extremely complex environments. Customer requirements are accordingly demonstrated to be protectively defined by resultant software management process. In this concept, Amazon.com has a robust software management tool responsible for providing virtually all major customer needs.

2.0.3 E-CRM Benefits versus Limitations Electronic CRM as explained by Adrian and Pennie, (2006) critically explains the major implications of E-CRM within an organization. The simultaneous strategy provides well framed diagnostic components which exhibit either importance or disadvantages of e-CRM. 19

e-CRM benefits 

Provide well defined customer support mechanism and through its varied platforms including voice messaging, online access codes and automated customer care provisions, eCRM has become very flexible and affordable to use



Projected workflow among the major ideal customer relations establishments. Where errors are established, eCRM is capable of providing adequate feedback and solutions are modifiable and indeed, Huge and Malcolm, (2002) expresses the unified work process management and technological development, relative to eCRM processes.

eCRM limitations 

Paul and Byun, (2000) explains that certain system failure problems could critically affect the general operations of a business. In principle, the overreliance of Information technology and added software interfaces could be a dangerous engagement.



Huge and Malcolm (2002) in software compatibility issues explains that managing complex software using an array of hardware components could be a challenge. Equally, the situational models according to International Journal on CRM, (2000) suggest that a move towards technological usability may not necessarily solve the most pressing company’s problems.

2.1 Amazon’s Relations with Customers Customer relations as explained by Gale, (2002) are importantly based on major marketing gains that are created to provide the clientele with a healthy environment through which they can 20

successfully gain confidence in the company. Research business journals have demonstrated that adequate uninterrupted service provision is ideal for a business and these have been echoed by Richard, (1997) who vitally suggested that to satisfy a customer, all their needs must be fulfilled. Among the key elements in customer satisfaction is the inclusion of new software series that work to ease the purchasing activities of customers. Jackson, (2007) explains that web-based designs are importantly developed to bring about key processes that support valuable dissipation of information through a customer based interface. At Amazon.com, Darrel and Schefter, (2002) show that enhanced marketing through vital techniques such as advanced data security and the use of simple web designs have helped to maintain customers and even attract more clients into the company. Customer relationship management is a relative system which has dynamically supported more mechanisms of supporting customers according to Gale, (2002). Attempts to help create a more sustainable support for customers within Amazon.com in Bradshaw and Bash, (2006) is a critical engagement that involves complicated analysis of customer requirements before embarking on a series of customer management processes. Amazon’s move towards creating more robust yet flexible business successes would be largely identified through genuinely structured move towards modern technologies. Vital technological changes have become new paths for identifying the projected needs of Amazon.com and as expressed by Hugh and Malcolm, (2002). The scope of CRM in creating major responsibilities within its level of operation is widely viewed to be increasing more opportunities for its customers. While stressing this argument, Mattias, (2005) demonstrates the multidisciplinary 21

approaches which are key tools aimed at creating, managing and sustaining customers within a business environment. This, according to him could be related to issues such as vision development, product improvement and customer relations assessment within an online shopping company. Hugh and Malcolm, (2002) explains such eccentric changes that are seen to prioritize customer related interactions and in cases where prioritization is clearly understood, the implementable techniques provide the adequacies required through each of the marketing levels. Mendoza et al, (2007) indicate in his business journal that, integrating CRM technique with additional customer related services would be enriched by customer quality assurance measures.

2.1.1 Segmentation and Marketing Peter and Langerak, (2002) explains that segmentation provides certain subset focus and is loosely termed as market selection. Analysis reveals that Amazon.com initiatives create a diversified market patterns that procedurally support an additional value experience amongst its major outlet definitions. In addition, Rainer, (2004) conceded that certain assurances are made through projected sales and this forms comprehensively unit of developing the product sales base. This purposive assumption provides a highly differentiated analysis of Rainer, (2004) which clearly indicated that segmentation undergoes two strategic pillars;  Strategy – Business offerings being made are indicated by missions and major operational details of the business. In reference to capital investment scenario, a

22

customer makes purchases basing on what has been offered and this evaluation places sustainable customer management at the forefront. (Rainer, 2004)  Operations – Ricardo, (2006) on methodology of customer management expresses operations as a measure that provides the system through which a business is carried out. This evidences such issues as employee insurance and proper communication techniques with various classes of clientele.  Functional – Russell, (2002) analysis of framework that enhances functional techniques clearly differentiated the functional impacts of specific business patterns. In this enterprise management, segmentation virtually plays a major role in ensuring that customer management has been established and then adequately maintained. A business functions appropriately by exhibiting major CRM operational standards. Amazon.com efforts to satisfactorily meet its expectations have not been easily reached due to several major processes involved. Russell, (2002) explained that direct and indirect relationship created between an online shopping company and its diverse customers is base on the levels of marketing adopted as well as the methodology established to meet their requirements. This establishment concurs with Chen and Popovich, (2003) whose theory of customer virtual needs earmarked priority establishment as a process of creating better products for clients. Other forms of databases used by substantially high level customer management processes seek to establish the type of software to be availed to customers. Siebel Systems, (2004) satisfactorily explains the phases that CRM require through its implementation and achieving optimum results 23

as per the set measures were virtually seen to be key measures ideal for general achievements of customer related support. The work of Thomas and Stephen, (2007) explains critically how optimum results could be actively availed to promote product campaigns. This featured conclusively effective mechanisms that support the information being availed for customer use. In a nutshell, Richard, (2000) clearly showed that leading online support system known as electronic CRM is ideally responsible for creating highly satisfactory customer surveillance and though critical challenges are notwithstanding, business growth pattern is highly achievable only if the information is made to be available within the business. (Vavra, 1997)

2.2 Amazon’s CRM development The CRM system used by Amazon gives clear highlights of the positive and negative areas of business by offering in-depth analysis facility. Sales of which books was maximum, in which region, by which segment, are some sort of bifurcated information provided by this software which helps in measuring the trend and success. The major issues of development that benefit the most out of such information are sales and marketing. From the developmental point of view, Richard, (1997) explains that to develop new business enterprises, better steps are required at all levels. This, according to Scutt, (2006) requires largely new business positioning techniques such as creative processes and redesign strategies which are in line with new technological platforms. Amazon has most likely performed all these parameters and refined its business processes to become a global leader in the realm of e-commerce. The most challenging aspect of e-CRM is the consolidation of all customer related information into a single view. Some organizations have 24

to streamline their business applications through e-CRM retrospectively. However, e-CRM implementation has been easier for Amazon because it is already an e-business with an online component. So its primary mode of streamlining is e-CRM indeed. (Richards, 1997)

According to Darrel and Schefter, (2002), in the e-CRM process, the information integration application consolidates customer data and information from transactional systems, call centers, website and ERP systems. This allows Amazon to identify and respond in a timely manner to their customers. The customer analysis application measures, predicts and interprets customer behaviours, to understand e-CRM efforts across both inbound and outbound channels. Inbound channels include customer data, customer buying habits and behaviours. (Aaker, 1991)

According to Hugh and Malcolm, (2002), ooutbound channels include better service provision and improvements in customer satisfaction. The campaign management application uses the data warehouse to plan and execute multiple, organized campaigns over time, using triggers that respond to timed events and customer behaviour. The real time decision application coordinates and synchronizes communication across disparate customer touch-point systems to communicate the most appropriate message. The personalized messaging application delivers either text messages or HTML pages using an automated response system to answer questions and drive customers to web pages through traceable URLs. (Jim and Nail, 2000)

25

2.3 Customer Relations Management conceptual analyses CRM is a strategy, generally adopted by company throughout its locations and branches for two primary reasons of reducing costs and increasing productivity and profitability. Gale, (2002) explains that the main focus of achieving these primary goals is through customer satisfaction, increasing their loyalty towards the company and advocacy. CRM’s main function is to provide data of each and every customer of the company to its IT team which would give them a holistic view about the purchase habit of all the customers. Donald, (2001) This information is then provided to the employees of the company who directly get in touch with customers, like sales team, customer service executives, marketing team, etc. this would help them develop strategies for cross selling and up-selling company’s products to relevant customers. These are some tactics which would help company to increase sales as well as improve customer satisfaction (Dyché, 2002). Customer retention concept is by far defined in a relative conceptual acceptance of a technological perception and probable rising customer related aspects in the provisional development of customer relations management. By basic definition, CRM encompasses several aspects of customer review in line with the acquisition of relative customer management platform in which the preference level is achieved when proper customer management issues are adequately covered. (Mattias, 2005) The initial building blocks that rapidly enhance the competitive edge of the online marketing companies are framed from the availability of basic developmental structure initiated varyingly in order to enhance the customized service provision in a well developed customer interactive 26

network. The information acquisition in an associated product, the company’s internal system has a comprehensive mechanism that correlatively ties the overall rating of a product through proper testing channels (Russell and Winer, 2002). In theory, the technological perceptions and varied market trends are supposedly the mainstream inferences that support the implementation of online marketing. Sustainable shaping of the platform through which the enhancement of product dissipation is made is an independent process which has a complex monitoring system in the website database (Rainer, 2004). This view is supported by a comprehensive study on customer based review process that determines how customer relative understanding of success rates of the growth system of CRM within a more developmental platform. The increased levels of online marketing in the last decade has been critically supported by a significant growth in internet usability and the portfolio changes in the successful profiteering characteristics enhanced a further knowledge sharing between the clientele perceptions on one hand and the providers on the other hand (Meyer, 2005). The increasing knowledge on the usability of the acquired systems in a modern technological interactions show the CRM computability with emerging technologies and the security implications that are appreciated at varying lengths in the marketing cycles. The correlative marketing features, according to Luis, 2007 on the issues of successes obtained by enhancing proper marketing strategies, are partially linked with the acceptance level of the destined clients. This view is supported by James and Huff, 2007 in the Journal of Marketing strategy. The significance of a business modeling technique requires a perfect scaling platform that affirms the 27

company’s growth concept. This feature is enlisted in the nature of the business growth and the ability of the business to sustain recurring challenges over time. This factor is enhanced by the numerical test attempts at a failing level of + (-) 2% (Luis, 2007). The initial strategy model is composed of a planned business oriented development organ. The initial statistical inclusion of phased information dissipation through online marketing icons was attempted at various lengths at propelling the interests of potential clients. The feedbacks of the user interfaces with an increased knowledge about the ultimate use of factor utilization strategy in the designs were delicately placed on a more competitive edge to acquaint customers with the usability statistics of numerous platforms of major internet players. The initial undertaking of Amazon’s ability to distinctly position itself as a major technological provider of these services has a more diverse support systems ranging from online planning, customer feedbacks and a cluster of product lists which are automatically updated at simultaneous intervals. (Hugh and McDonald, 2002) The principle CRM implementation outside the scope of the failure rates show a response modes in which customer preferences are being continuously measured and requirements projected persistently over a series of events that form the CRM functionality. Extensive coverage according to Salomann and Brenner, (2005) showed that the survey carried out over time with distinct objectives of depicting information regarding web based purchasing was a moderate reality of the major players’ expectations. How businesses strive to achieve a wide coverage was loosely the major compositions of this analysis.

28

The subjective information release through proper channels and varied weighing scales which are then portioned appropriately into levels of implementable cycles. The response structure of CRM, according to Elizabeth and Malcolm, (2005) display the customers’ preference units in the integration of the projected analysis. The complex data design as envisioned repeatedly by test units are aimed at attaining a satisfactory level of combinations and relative stabilization of an online marketing strategy is achieved with an exploration of this magnitude. According to Wixom and Watson, (2002) to realize profits by incorporating CRM strategies, then the organizational skills of an ideal business enterprise should comprise of key frameworks within the set field. This factor showed that the profit margin and customer management methods are basically available practically and the increment rate in the associated computational level could be dramatically uplifted. Further, the compositions of the terminal outcomes are alternatively shaped according to the focus of the customers. The preferences, according to Coltman, (2006) illustrate specifically how CRM meets its expectations in theory and further envisions how technical designs could be of a consequence in the implementation of certain business entries. Procedurally therefore, Richard, (2007) explains that the robustness of an online enterprise is highly dependent on technological perspective of the designs as well as the marketing strategies devised to promote the products available. The measuring skills are identifiable to the supplements of the consequential frameworks. With a knowledge base designs, the basic structures are indefinitely dimensioned to meet the basic CRM requirements. Alternative development cycles are evaluated and sustained if they are satisfactorily recurring. (Winer, 2001)

29

2.4 Customer Relations Management Components The CRM strategies are user-based methods that merge the major players in the customer-seller relationships. This process encompasses comprehensive projections of the technological perspectives and a relative goal seeking modes. Principally, the interactions of the platforms are decomposed repeatedly in varying lengths to meet the minimal client expectations. The inclusion of a marketer style costing technique is unfolded variably in order to reach the market expectations (Griman, 2007) In a more manageable mode, the structural costs versus business strategies do determine the eventual business interfaces. In the ordering process, the usefulness of friendly software depicts the overall business trend and the constituent goal seeking efforts. The system miniaturization policy is placed on the sales activity generated periodically in the departmental stores (Rachel and Kevin, 2003).

2.4.1 The Technological Theory CRM has classical technological designs involving over 99% application of computer technology. The customer information, acquisition, capture, use and reuse take the most pressing operational cycles. Real time data capture and continuous updates of information form the major structural functionalities of web-based marketing systems (Meyer, 2005). The integration of technological factors into the systems operations factor out the systemic variance within the cycles of the outputs and alternatively, these classifications are deeply 30

organized into behavioral models which work collectively with the predictable market models. In his analysis, Thompson, 2006 illustrated that IT concepts were technically built from information obtained from customers. The valuable strength management of a system is proportionally matched with the most ideal technological interpretations of the data warehouses and the information portal (Rainer, 2004). An increasingly secure data is protectively commissioned through the required security features and the entries of such information as credit card details and personal data need ultra modern security features. Ideally, the databases which contain these items are repeatedly factored and allocated specially designed keywords called Keys. (Trochim, 2000) The technology itself works by classifying inputs, such as cost of the products, cumulative costs for different products, credit worth and the latest changes in prices. According to Russell and Winner, 2002 the technological aspect also provide the clients with adequate information regarding customer behaviors, responses and the basic build up models of future customer trends (Russell and Winner, 2000). The data mining systems are effective communication strategies which build a bulk emailing component in the system. The inclusion of discounts and general reduction of prices, these updates are automatically relayed to clients’ inboxes (Mendoza, 2007)

2.4.2 The People and Customer Relations Management The key beneficial trends of CRM are determined by the customer participation. These basically involve the relational implementation of the strategic customer management phases. The

31

specification of customer based information management is gained periodically by engaging the business trends with the people. The core objective as per Rachel, (2003) is to enhance the views of customers in order to define their major needs. Besides the requirements of Amazon’s customers at the interactive levels, the basis of a research mode is to accomplish the overall customer loyalty. Observable characteristics state that the organizational commitment in a customer based satisfaction is arbitrarily diagnosed by engaging them in socially developed network. The technological variance would list their major preferences and would further demonstrate how the effect certain improvements in the CRM scale. The essentiality of the customers in this projection is adequately measured by relaying effective information to the customers. These updates feature major products and the general product ranges in the market. Key websites which offer comparative marketing have appropriate software that deal specifically with customer related queries (Russell and Winner, 2002). The customer is one most important factor in online marketing strategy and the focus of Amazon is to derive the most appropriate marketing tools and then avail them for immediate use. The commitments of the players to customer services have been enlisted continuously in the attempts to generate customer satisfaction without compromising quality of the products being offered. Further, product listing and proper item documentation have been identified to be the major goals of the marketing models. The customers are driven into the product level through the interface links and partially allowed to make appropriate bargains basing on the structural models of software platform in use. The people’s interactive levels also provide automatic feedbacks through prompts and short text 32

messages (Stephen, 2007). These additional features friendliness have limited satisfaction levels which provisionally support data storage in the system and the needs of an implementation cycle would periodically enhance positive feedbacks.

2.4.3 Business process According to Chen, (2003) the dependency of a business strategy is based on major market trends that are relational in nature. The statistical chains of major business models are build on a business process which aims at fulfilling the major requires of a business enterprise. This has additionally been figured with an increased processing cycle.

The business process is a complex winding strategy that evolves through a series of business procedures that together with a list of factors promote the key customer requirements (Mendoza, 2007). These hence display the major requirements available in the player’s perspective. The cumulative product in a business to business analysis depicts a major reward schemes that adequately processes the interaction characteristics of the customer.

Basing on the conceptual requirements, the beneficiary level of the business model is encapsulated in the product relay cycle. As discussed by Thompson, (2006), the adequacy of the information is marked by a relatively high customer response, moderated by the level of customer care provided in the exchange of services. The mechanisms availed at these levels are marked continuously by the price control mechanism.

33

An unclassified online journal on customer retention suggested that the major goal of creating an interactive people’s social network is to create a feedback on the kind of services offered. While this theory is supported intensively by several researches on the benefits of major research methods, the overall practical trends have become excitingly difficult to correlate (Zhedan, 2007).

Business and people are interlinked continuously during the business process. The CRM further supports the impact which other broker websites do in promoting such kind of marketing. A continuous level of customer satisfaction as well as having improved services within the streamlines of business are basically commissioned factors aiding both direct and indirect business deals.

2.5 Structural Advances and Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction has an established nature of implementing the responsive impacts of the software cycles. In general terms, the original composition of data which specifically supplement the rate of purchase and improved marketing are all aimed sustaining the customer bases (Siebel Systems, 2004). Therefore, the rate of nurturing a customer through a combination of events is a real visionary compound that generates a profit margin and tasks the product base management. This is further responded by the transformation characteristics of the relationships between the customer and the marketing agencies. The overall terms of operation are to reduce costs associated with a product purchase.

34

The profitability factor is compulsively increased when an established purchasing power known as the optimum is reached. Hence, the market behavior is in itself a direct factor contributing to CRM operational base. An increment in the functional product (the set product) inclines the World Wide Marketing service of major market trends (Stephen, 2007). The nature of internet marketing has been advanced greatly through proper acquisition and use of appropriate software devices whose impact on the purchasing power is great.

A skillful measurement technique is applied in the effective communication responses and this ideally enhances the major customer behavior marketing processes. As envisioned, according to Russell and Winner, (2002), customer relationship conceptual framework is a relative term that CRM itself would profitably obtain a huge margin in profits if well established. The direct encounter of the business perceptions at repeated levels would ultimately improve profitability and structurally complement customer market behavior. According to Salomann and Brenner, 2005 the greater the intervals of acquiring new customers are attained, the greater the ability to make better and more rewarding profits.

The transformation of ideal internet marketing of Amazon is to fill the overall objective with a profit margin that edges the competitors’ abilities to control the internet marketing environment. The focus of the customer revolution is a conceptual marketer’s techniques that appreciate at various angles and is time-dependent module that changes accordingly. The long term internet marketing monetary value has been rated to be growing rapidly and the money market itself has electronically been carried out in broad terms.

35

The marketing systems according to Oliver, (1997) the demonstration of how a customer behaves when simultaneous introduction of varied systems are technically laid down indirectly diminish the immediate implications of the research theories stated in the Customer Management journals. The competitive advantage of several online companies is a complex factor that productively demonstrate how finely tuned customer satisfaction can lead to increased customer attraction and hence increased sales (Simons, 2000).

This perception rates itself automatically as per the set ideal components of every independent company. This is a measure that demonstrates the way that a product has been deployed. Interestingly, the equivalent adaptive nature of the network is interleaved in between the deployment projections.

36

2.6 The CRM Framework Measurement of internal factors Delivery Assessment Production

capabilities

Measurement of external factors Client

Assessment

behavior

capabilities

mindset Client insight capabilities

Source: CRM Measurement Framework, (2009).

Figure analysis The composition of the products according to the analysis of the framework demonstrates the origin of the product/service and the general process of its flow into the client’s base. Interpretational viewpoint of the process cycle involves the systemic recycling of the product delivery system. The mindset diversity about the relative information on the product necessitates a routing factor and the figure show simultaneous actions that wind up to the level of client mind set. the frequency of evaluating the client production abilities together with an insightful transformation of the competitive advantage are valuably incorporated together at measurable lengths.

37

The complex nature of the figure is based on the service values and the occurrences of products that are measured to a scale (Production capabilities) and increasingly high standard client mindset derivatives. The measurement of the major business CRM surveys as per the figure demonstrates the increasing client profile that goes beyond the internet marketing expectation (Adrian and Pennie, 2004). The supplier characteristics feature a procedural level of enhancing those frequencies.

The delivery scheme according to Adrian, (2004) is a measurable tool that extends a business capability and procedurally enriched by the viability of the interacting software within the system. The valuable production strategy is directly related to the product establishment portfolio. In the context of initiating a new product, according to Darrel K. Rigby, Frederick, 2002, the client behavior is subjected to change basing on the market capabilities. This simultaneously enriches the efforts of Wixom, (2002) who accurately established that the knowledge base of the software content should meet the latest trends in the market. The absoluteness of the product in the market is methodically specified and accurately stored in updated databases.

The figure demonstrates the role of interconnected networks in propelling the eventual sale of products to the right clients. The operational characteristic of internet marketing is at this stage complemented completely by the merging of three key factors: clients, products and the online seller. All these play their roles side by side. The ratio of a supply chain in a context of developing a robust system enlists key CRM activities. Minimum error codes are ideally

38

authenticated severally in order to avoid possible loss of vital client information (Goodhue and Wixom and Watson, 2002).

The specific client values are dimensionally evaluated in the process of including the online shopping processes with specifically designed mechanisms that add value to the services rendered. The attributes disseminated at length within the Amazon’s operations are statistically aimed at enriching the market base and ultimately enhancing its market capabilities.

The existence of constant competition among the major online shopping providers has meant that there is a possible customer division in the shopping process (Rubin, 2001). Rubin’s efforts have been supplemented by Hugh and Malcolm whose view on online shopping success show that limitations are possible in area where no known strategies have been implemented. Procedurally therefore, the retail factors consist of basic marketing factors which online service providers continuously apply. (Stacey, 2000)

The application of proper revenue and inclusion of definite skills meant that the valuable chains of production could be highly improved. The customer insights associated with online companies are technically listed in the coordination of possible costs and normal price control is ideally acceptable (Richard, 2007). This pictures the values of CRM in enhancing market trends. The manufacturers’ interests according to Luis and Griman, (2007) are to promote products through middle level systems that are basically user friendly.

39

Data capture and processing through online software increases the chances of enabling a product to be purchased. However, Peter, (2002) says that there are several misconceptions that online businesses make in selling products online.

2.7 Building Brands with Customer Relations Management The implementation of Amazon.com marketing strategies is factored from the ways in which its brands are built. The key objective in enhancing the marketing perspective is to build an enhanced brand that has complex models which can be converted satisfactorily into a certain level of completeness. This is aided by the product break cycles and the potential quality management features (Aaker, 1991). The constituent of this factor is an indefinable asset that has a complete statistical point of review.

The client’s product perception is marked by a repeat purchase and new clients acquiring similar product over and over again. Amazon’s perspective on online shopping demonstrates huge branding investments that classify products according to geographical scope, make, and type and price listings. A rise in the chain classification, according to Rainner, (2004) simplistically link the product phases with the loyalty levels of the clients

CRM operates with a relative quality acceptance review in reference to the potentiality of customers to meet their desired needs. The significant process which is quality-dependent therefore models the acquisition lifecycles of the products. The brand portion that features the orientation of CRM process shows three key contents:

40



Product distinguished quality – CRM incorporates a well defined quality identification process which enables a client to understand the entire product information: Amazon databases, according to Stephen and Burgees, (2007), have a complete branding history of products and subsequent improvements are demonstrated equally throughout the system evolution cycle.



Brand family – The CRM process encapsulates a repeat cycle of product chains that have certain history levels. Amazon.com has uniquely designed software platform which links specific products to certain systems of occurrences which depict an overall pattern of strength. According to Hoyer’s and Brown, (1990), branding is a very important factor in marketing. The values and goals of the shopping processes procedurally intensify the composition of the product.



Customer retention – The research perspective on customer retention is universally measured by the amount of CRM available. The research work of Lane and Maxfield, (1997) explains the foresights associated with online complex systems. This, they explain, are prerequisites to successful web based buying and selling of products. The research project a complete satisfaction level of complex systems and their nature in the evolving market branding. This has been ideally adopted by Amazon and the end product improvement has been associated with the legacy of new systems.

2.8 Customer Value and Monitoring of the Client Loyalty Levels The relevance of a customer based value in CRM show that the quality of service shows a comparable price deviation in the product evolution. The comparable price value of an online 41

product is analyzed through price linkages and such adaptive platforms which has possible quality measurement scales. According to Rust and Lemon, (2001), the forecast is derived from continued profiles of the competitors that wage the highest level of a customer based value analysis. Past researches have been completed with the potential patterns of customer surveillance as well as effective perceptions in the market.

The links of product improvement and the production edge samples the frequency of quality link. According to Galllagher, (2000), the overall increment is more/less than 90% of the achievable cycle. The total price control therefore quantifies the product category as per the analysis of CRM. Equally, the major factors affecting the quality are uniformly decomposed and organized in order to map the perceived marketing trends. Amazon, according to a financial online journal, has succeeded in convincing its customers to take adequate steps in product quality determination.

The purchasing choice has however been magnified interchangeably to adapt to continuously changing shopping prices. In theoretical principle, these performances are totally selected and appraised appropriately. The rate of satisfaction is a factor according to Smith, 2000. It is equally determined by the nature of provisional purchasing power of the respective clients. According to Simons, (2000) the control systems that feature continuous rebranding of products build over several phases, are defined averagely in business terms.

42

Amazon.com has factually managed several market trends and conclusively relay the customer preferences in a variety of competitive levels. This, according to Simons, (2000) positions the products within a high intensity projection cycle. The quality survey has a huge impact on the viability of online contents. This enhancement cuts across the CRM operational statistics. The type of content dissipated for customer acquisition is identified through specific codes and the databases are updated with considerations of the following factors:  According to Stacy, (2000), the acquisition of knowledge by organizations has summarily meant that the priorities of the customers are adequately accomplished. This shows the imminence of product recycling portal.  Thomas, (2000) demonstrate that surveys involving a complex data analysis process can be managed if proper marketing ways are understood. In the context of evaluating the theoretical customer risks and customer based behaviors, the trends are ideally varied.  Schultz, (2001) illustrate how to manage a brand and still maintain the quality of service in accordance with CRM systems. Amazon.com has well arranged quality feedback software platform. This has increased the company’s bulk surveillance levels. An additional analysis by Thomas and Erikson, (2001) demonstrates how human factors contribute to ideal online shopping experience.  The final statistic in the evolution of Amazon shopping experience is the existence of well organized monitoring objectives.

43

2.9 Conclusion of Literature Review The literature review explains the relevance of studies carried out by various researchers especially on the aspects of customer relations management. Hence the analysis of these works is featured due to different aspects featured in the field.

2.9.1 Important lessons The literature has demonstrated the importance of key studies projected by people who defined important aspects related to customer care. In general terms, this was an important step defining the derivatives of these works. As such, Amazon.com has immensely benefited from this factor and in fact its customer base has grown by the day. We learn in this aspect that it is only better processes of customer relations management that we accumulate popularity and we even manage to make more sales as sampled heavily in the research.

2.9.2 CRM evaluation CRM evaluation is an important aspect that is evaluated through customer interaction as well as getting adequate feedback from the customers. Evaluation as discussed by Akker, (1991) effectively provides the company with adequate knowhow about how their implementation strategies have been adopted. The analysis of the literature in this context has determined that having better customer development network can be virtually a new chapter in establishing adequate customer relations. This has definitely demonstrated wholly how the major CRM issues would be improved in one way or another by increasing the ways in which their concerns and views are satisfactorily attended to. (Gale, 2002)

44

2.9.3 Literature review framework in eCRM The more elaborate process of marketing is linked with an identification of the most important factors of client behavior. The operations of Amazon.com and the respective customer retention policies are averagely correlated in all the analysis and the specific relationships created between the consumers and suppliers are all factored together. The achievement of a common goal that is interpreted to mean 100% customer satisfaction is all featured in the stability versus adaptability attributes, Maisel (2001). Conclusively, the fluidity of the market encompasses total sharing of ideas and concerns which idealist are basing on how recent software updates have been worked out. The role of Amazon in promoting its products is measured by the way in which customers respond to a certain product that is on sale.

2.9.4 e-CRM versus CRM E-CRM has today proved more advanced and more affordable compared to the traditional CRM. Russell and Winner, (2002) agrees that the technological needs and preferences has advisably created room for comparative analysis and this has given electronic CRM better accessibility as compared to the traditional CRM. In emerging internet usability, the ideal step today has featured conclusive measures that additional support data privacy, delivery of relevant information via a high speed network and indeed allowing data to be shared between individuals. Finally, the depiction of similarities established by Nelson, (2001) on the reverse arguments of failings of CRM process equally enriches the planning processes of the organization.

45

Chapter 3 :- Research Methodology

3.0 Introduction Chapter three described the methodology and research design that was used to carry out the study involving the relevance of Customer Relations Management in view of Amazon.com performance portal. The study equally looked at the areas and population of study. It views of its structural outlook; it equally described how qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Chapter three was divided into the following sections; research design, research population, sample and sampling procedures, instruments, validity and reliability, data gathering procedure, data analysis, ethical considerations and limitations of the study.

3.1 Research Positivism Customer Relations Management involved a huge principled perspective of scientific history that was approached to create both the conceptually occurring and practically emerging trends in the enhancement of the positivism theory of research. From a theoretical perspective, research positivism intended to achieve the following key principles;  Key logical preferences in basic analysis of scientific inferences as per Amazon.doc socialistic perceptions 46

 The impacts of market projections within the Amazon.com marketing system and the effects such positive models that have better and more pronounced probability ratios. This research therefore created an arbitrary outward model that was in conformity with the rules of aforethought.  Amazon.com knowledge base underwent an empirical objectivity which practically determined the market fronts and evidenced by a continuous research phase, this would eventually create a logical concept that was accepted in general terms.  Positivism theory involved practical experimentation and therefore the research basis for the CRM featured these scientific assumptions  Finally, the geared value generally accepted in the research was the analysis of the originality of the information which inherently depicted numerous hypothetical perceptions notably through heightened values of research and logic ((Fournier, 1998)

3.2 Research Interpretivism On the analysis of CRM’s Amazon.com theory, the human’s perceptions was foretold and factual synthesis of basic phenomenon within the area of the study. Further, the study incorporated specific reasoning models which averagely a sustainable impact on the final research results; Its key attributes were; 

Issues were key supportive patterns of this research philosophy 47



Constructs involves human factors and the bases of research are conceptually developed from these mainstreams (Croteau and Li, 2001)



Due to possible variances of estimations, this application at certain instances needed modifications and data was flexibly converted where appropriate.

3.4 Types of Research 3.4.1 Explorative Research The CRM strategy looked at the problem statement and explores key determinants that explained the original context of events being studied. Based on the sampled projections especially in considerations of market trends, data was defined and expressed in key modes: why, when, How as significant instruction sets in the study. 3.4.2 Descriptive Research The statistical emphasis of CRM operational theory involved data characteristics that have low validity conditions and thereby employed heavily the use of frequency and modal tables as direct creation of descriptive data projections. In this study, the instruction set of descriptive research required total assumptions of mathematical data and restrictions was based on: Investigative and experimental outputs 3.5 Research Design In this study, the research involved qualitative and quantitative research that employed frequency tables, graphs and charts among the selected professionals who directly work with Amazon.doc 48

customer relations departments. Further, the research also used structured schedules for selected CRM officials and Amazon clients. The study design was aimed at collecting data at a particular point and using it to describe the nature of the existing conditions. The study design focused on the effects of Customer Relations Management on the performance of Amazon.com performance in the online shopping experience. Through descriptive survey, views, opinions, attitudes and suggestions of educational practice were collected. This research employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The researcher chose this design because it was appropriate for the particular study and enabled her to carry out research on the effects of Customer Relations Management on the performance of Amazon.com performance in the online shopping experience. Throughout the study the vision of this work was to find out the effects of Customer Relations Management on the performance of Amazon.com 3.6 Research Patterns The area of study encompassed major online shopping experiences, Amazon.com departments and other relevant institutions that are affiliated to Amazon.doc. Research experts also gave their opinions through structured processes and evidenced information available in journals, based set of data and comparative tables were used. 3.9

Validity and reliability of instruments 3.9.1 Validity

From the customer relations management subject analysis, validity is the success of a scale in measuring what it was set out to measure so that differences in individual scores can be taken as 49

representing true differences in characteristics under study. Validity therefore fostered comparisons as it involved the assessment of extreme ends of the study and average conclusions were drawn from the available sources. 3.9.2 Reliability Reliability is a measure of the degree to which a research instrument yields consistent results after repeated trials. According to Christensen (1988), reliability refers to consistency and stability in measurements. The perfection of secondary data sources were evidenced by the highest level of accuracy obtained in the CRM case study.

3.10 Data gathering procedures Secondary sources of data collection were applied in the study and this collectively provided the base for the analysis of existing information.

3.10.1 Data Analysis During data analysis, quantitative and qualitative methods of research were used to analyze the data. The data was mainly analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency tables, percentages, bar charts and histograms. This enabled the researcher to meaningfully describe distribution of scores or measures on the effects of Customer Relations Management on Amazon’s online shopping experience. Data was presented in word as well as frequency tables. Quantitative analysis was done using Spearman’s correlation coefficient for comparing relationships between the variables of the study. The information obtained was further 50

triangulated with information from secondary sources for meaningful interpretation and discussion (Neville, Heavin, and Walsh, 2005).

3.10 Ethical Consideration As the research was based on secondary sources which are available publicly, there were no ethical issues. The researcher has justified his dissertation to carry out research within an area of specialization.

51

Chapter 4:- Data Analysis 4.0 Understanding and Managing Customer Relationships In this chapter, there is a wide analysis of work done through literature review and this reflects important processes whereby data is classified and presented adequately for study. All these works would show how these processes are in themselves analyzed and presented in the study. The research analysis on customer relations management explains a critical changeover of important links between various agents of customer development. The statistical understanding as fostered by 3-phase research pattern demonstrate that a correct form of implementation of these relationships demonstrate the wide scope arrangement that practically delink practitioners evolution through various establishment. As noted by Hoyer (2004), the findings reflect a true analysis of an emerging global context, leveled through customer facing, and in principle, the profitability scenario do exemplify the accountability of a CRM factor at Amazon.com and the impact of the same on rising longitudinal trends demonstrated through a link and a more relative inclusion of various methods that are naturally supplemented through increased customer satisfaction and better organization. In between process, the research established that customer loyalty remained a huge unifying factor and the context related to sustainable customer base satisfactorily establish a growing trend in the position of Dyché, 2002 which hugely supported the organizational structure of Amazon.com and most importantly, the established customer data management was highly

52

viewed as a major contributor to a successful online shopping system offered by the organization. The research established that software platforms that were usefuly strategized contributed to a better management component within the online shopping ssystem as this exhibited a multiple occurences of customer based activities which were procedurally expoused to key components, and as nurtured by the evolution in technology, the study established that these basic requiremennts constituted to the overall increase in sales. Table 1: Showing Relative Assimilations of contributive factors Component

Population

Social

models(described

through

factored averages) Raw numbers database of sales

Percentage

Raw numbers

Percentage

311

49.76

256

53.78

89

14.24

30

6.30

66

10.56

39

8.19

77

12.32

48

10.08

46

7.36

66

13.87

and product Software management Organizational entities Organizational creditability Departmental efficiencies

53

CRM

database

36

5.76

37

7.77

625

100

476

100.00

generations Total

Source: Amason.com customer care center, (2009) The distribution of factors through the Amazon.com remains fairly constant at varying intervals. The resultant establishment of CRM departments that summarily illustrate the multiplicity of data and occurrences which support the models that explain the general improvement of Amazon.com service delivery schemes.

Overall, database of sales explain why Amazon.com has been able to control the market. The existence of complex database of information through which customers are able to analyze and compare quality, quantity, unit costs and their general availability explains why support factors such as modeling of products, rebranding and branding of subsequent products remained a major area of attention within the institution.

Organizational entities such as improved interconnectivity links, online efficiencies and customer support platforms enhance the growth of Amazon.com and analytically edge other market players. 10% mean score denote a growing potential of key market players who work to see that key promotional strategies are in place and the ratio factor derived from the overall database generation, organizational efficiency and certain creditability factors do enhance the growth expectations of these major extracts.

54

The social models averagely link a shrinking analysis of factors through a list of classified documentation. The graphical dissipation of a slowing trend experienced in both analyses impacts greatly on the general overview of key product links. Shrinking hence classify factors that operationally change within a given spectrum and give products adequate market share as importantly classified by research undertakings.

Generational platforms provide important authentication processes that domestically give a more projected link within the company platform. Graph 1: Factor analysis

Source: CRM (Scale factor), Amazon.com, 2007

Summarily, this type of graph explains an analysis of correlative factors which all in all exhibit change of factors and establishes a conceptual information gathering. 55

The six-model classification has provided a more scalable support for Amazon.com and has listed growth as important comparative process aiding the creation of more fundamental development components.

4.2 Amazon’s CRM Strategies The analytical business factors that explain the experimentations of sales have explained the intensity of provisions that demarcate successes in the enrichment of segmented benefits as explained by the components that satisfactorily explains the possible growth in sales. Interestingly, this positioning reflected from the study a dramatic success story highlighted by the intensity of data being presented and further by the benefits obtained by Amazon.com in the process of its establishment. The legal framework through which the organization obtains its operational phase is expressed by the research as a major contributing factor aiding software segmentation and the overall facilitation of data as further established shows that 79% of documented information highlight how measurements of worst case scenarios position themselves to a much more advanced development of financial systems. In the modest aspect of enlisting the successful trends, the scales of marketeering and subsequent fostering of information through the systems developed help to enhance the organizational growth of strategies and according to the findings, the sales plan superseded the expected growth capacity by a sizeable margin. The segments, according to research explains the successes in the company’s marketing strategies as well as an in-depth correlation of factors which offer 56

systematic increase in a unified view, depicting an advantage in the integration of data and the distribution of concepts and data through several departmental channels. In spite of the gained customer bases, the Amazon.com websites provide these elements as discussed by documentary analysis and combined CRM factors that people in the marketplace require as per the dissipation of relevant data through characteristic enforcement of specific laws. The certainties explored by the research explain how the gathering of data is experienced throughout the research and procedurally how authenticated information is justified through reporting, mining and declassification. The table below illustrates the manner in which personalized CRM campaigns is satisfactorily achieved, in the referential of proper customer services. Table 2: CRM campaign satisfaction analysis Component

Population

Social models

Raw numbers CRM

Percentage

Raw numbers

Percentage

240

38.4

220

46.22

95

15.2

50

10.50

100

16

48

10.08

formulations Online information gathering Personalized Organization

57

Internet

89

14.24

55

11.55

60

9.6

72

15.13

41

6.56

31

6.51

625

100

476

100.00

Management Branding

and

Marketing Prompt notifications Total

Source: Secondary data: Courtesy of Amazon.com, 2006 These combinations according to table 2 explain the overall reporting support and the resultant implications of data identified at subsequent intervals. The findings depict the factors that illustrate; 

CRM processes modeled through a procedural involvement of several key factors such as market evaluation and customer establishment, management and maintenance.



Creating a management support by incorporating a culture (Established from virtual analysis) that provides a parameter and established customer base which is universally established along the patterns of emerging matrix. Branding and Marketing, factored 9.6% explains the unique role that relates the partnership established varyingly and retrospectively in place of well informed internet management systems-14%. In subsequent views, the beneficial factor that provided the prompt notification mode which acted subsequently as a factor that streamlines the business and depict certain similarities in marketing show a relationship in factor establishment of this initiative. 58



Customer behavior in the corresponding steps –personalized organization explains predictions as subsequently agreed upon by research statistics and most valuably by summative factors such as improved response times, multiple executions and coordinated timings in graphical evaluations.



Finally, communication theory through customer bases provided the essences of a communication drive through deliverables of successful marketing and considerable amount of visualized communications. Time spans that conceptualized growing patterns demonstrated an improved satisfaction level where Amazon.com has established a more comprehensive customer aided support services through varied applications.

Graph 2: Demonstrate the graphical comparison of factors

Source: Amazon.com data relations 59

Analytically, the data captured explains two variations of formative factors and divergences are procedurally depicted from the study patterns above.

4.3 Customer Relations Management conceptual analyses Amazon.com branch analysis and aspects of customer satisfaction demonstrated from the findings show that the primary goal of establishing a holistic purchasing power is reflected on the availability of relevant information. Research has indicated that virtually all advocacy metrics are incorporated from an egocentric angle that supplements these satisfaction levels and places growth patterns in both productivity and profitability. Therefore, the advent of achievable profitability margins according to the findings highly depend on the goals of the organization and this is further placed on the relevance of customers who participate actively in all purchasing activities. According to surveys, the marketing teams play a significant role in ensuring that customers are maintained, satisfied and retained. Therefore, customer retention as per the strategic findings shows an establishment of potential management concept as defined repeatedly by the availability of data for dissemination. IT teams according to data findings are the main driving force in establishing a strong bond between clients and the management. Over 95% of the conceptual findings define IT teams as the base makers in locating, developing and managing customers. This work is supported by the findings on employee preferences, functions and satisfactions which illustrate the incremental

60

nature of profitability ratio as per the standard items established as per the organizational goals and preferences. Amazon.com, the findings show, provide a more appealing strategic building blocks that define the competitive advantage over more passive online shopping firms. These findings are supported by growing user friendliness of several miniaturized illustrations on rapidly growing service provisions, enhanced by customer relations management and added developmental initiatives that collectively demonstrate how basic acquisition of knowledge could be rapidly converted into averagely defined as per the required standards of integration.

61

Table 3: CRM Conceptual analysis factor Component

Population

Social models

Raw numbers Organizational

Percentage

Raw numbers

Percentage

233

37.28

190

39.92

99

15.84

76

15.97

106

16.96

59

12.39

85

13.6

49

10.29

55

8.8

70

14.71

47

7.52

32

6.72

625

100

476

100.00

goals Competitive advantage Knowledge acquisition Customer retention Strategic building blocks Structural development Total

Source: Online Shopping Experience Survey, 2009 The survey depicted on customer experience and total satisfaction levels defined the impacts of structural development, factor 7.5% and how Amazon.com building blocks (8.8%) contribute to analysis of market variance and acceptability of clients to relate to the product offers and also to support the initiation of vast class of items generally accepted as core in depicting the culture of 62

developing customer needs. Sustainable variances as demonstrated by some limitations on the competitive edge factors show from the findings that Amazon.com has grown excitingly to a highly critical point that propelled the competitive edge factor as fundamentally reviewed by the online shopping journal on the relativity of customer issues. Amazon.com rating on product has demonstrated the characteristic inclusion of technology to enrich the marketing level of online shopping and further emergence of successive input ratio that were analyzed based on the increased output over successive times. Profiteering, as a significant factor was shown from the findings to be influenced by the growth patterns of the markets.

4.4 Customer Relations Management Components The techniques of minimum integration as per the findings demonstrated the most sought out modes of carrying out online businesses. The characteristic growth as per costing, variable market flows and security implications demonstrated the marketer style mode of costing. The online journal on marketing supported the findings of unfolding management theories and expressed the true nature of market values across the political divide. According to the findings, the usefulness expressed by these modes show how costing itself can be controlled, improved and managed throughout the existing marketing styles. The findings further established that business interfaces outweigh the placement of software in more flexible provision and the discussions on techniques that feature the improvement of periodic policy management within the framework established by earlier respondents. The vital ingredient that 63

the system need in the universal acquisition of better customer provision according to the findings is the conceptual factors, heightened in theory by: Table 4: Correlation of factors aiding customer relations management Component

Population

Social models

Raw numbers The

Percentage

Raw numbers

Percentage

255

40.8

190

39.92

101

16.16

85

17.86

Business process

125

20

60

12.61

Structural

80

12.8

75

15.76

64

10.24

66

13.87

625

100

476

100.00

Technological Theory The People and CRM

Advances

and

Customer Satisfaction The

CRM

Framework Total

Source: Online Magazine on Web shopping and E-commerce, (2009)

64

The technological theory from the findings show a huge capitalization aspect that feature complex computing techniques and use of easy-to-use operating systems that functionally support the online shopping activity. This demonstrated a high response ratio, Approx. 40% which behaviorally show that the dependency on computer technology is virtually 100% of the overall target. People, according to the findings are the cornerstone of CRM portal and this was evidenced by their rising perception of the role played by mainstream branding and their growing needs in the accomplishment of the requirements as standardized by Amazon.com and other relevant regulators in the marketplace. Customer product prompts explains the impartiality of appropriate contents posted on to support clients as they navigate Amazon.com website. The business process, 20% illustrate a major breakthrough in the projections of customer aided framework and the nature itself show the chain of key models, supported by the findings of relevant documentaries that illustrate the impact of the same on feedback and service provisions. Chart 3: Summary chart showing CRM factors

65

Source: Online Magazine on Web shopping and E-commerce, (2009) In conclusion, the product mindset as demonstrated by the above analysis explains the interchangeable patterns of occurrences and expresses the exceedingly high inflow cycles of information through relevant channels. Amazon.com has, according to findings, completely managed to gain an insightful development base for itself, outcompeting its rivals. The rivalry that occurs makes Amazon.com to clearly distinguish itself as a major market player with known marketing values. The vulnerability of other online shopping companies reveals that the major concept within the mainstreams of growth has in the past been averagely underscored. In general terms, better customer relations management issues are adequately necessary to effect continuous growth in any business wishing to perform better.

66

Chapter 5:- Discussion 5.1 Reflective Report/Log Book The dissertation content is an integral part of my work and this provides a comprehensive coverage of all the ideas, views and recommendations that universally enabled me to complete my work satisfactorily without undergoing further research difficulties and as per the dissemination of the workload discussed conclusively throughout the study, the experiences gained as well as the professionalism of the inputs remained the major key factors that supported me throughout the research. In particular, the simultaneousness of the research tasks, active role played by the service provision network and the achievement of goals as per the set objectives explains the trend that I encountered repeatedly during the study. The diagnostic process was in itself full of review mechanism as well and this boosted the CRM study and acquisition of relevant data required for the enactment of certain sustainable analysis displayed repeatedly during the research. Log book is a vital tool and is based on the experiences obtained from the field. Handling CRM and subsequent levels of computing complex graphs and tables provided me with an insightful knowledge, urgently needed to supplement the works of enhancing the growth of Amazon.com. 5.2 Significance of Writing This Dissertation The writing of this work provided me with a huge opportunity to illustrate the greater practical impact of the work learnt in class in relative environment of specialization. While noting the relevance of a dissertation to; firstly the outside world and further to the immediate organization, 67

the huge factors that aided the inclusion and control of key writing strategies according to my own undertaking were fluidly illustrated, documented and presented to give an overall image of the work carried out at respective times. The importance of writing this dissertation is classified accordingly as follows; 

Environmental attachment – The dissertation was aimed at illustrating the practical impact of a survey on an environment. The key objectives from the study included establishing the role CRM played in enhancing customer satisfaction. In view of this point, it was evident that the environment being analyzed (Amazon.com) highlighted the virtual factors aiding the growth of its customer base and how this was achieved. This notification further suggest that the views expressed in the research would form a huge reference point for further improvements within the appropriate sectors, departments and areas that have not been adequately covered.



The people correlativeness – People are the major factors supporting the continuality of my dissertation. The key concerns about people and their influence on the growth of various businesses explains how exactly customer care should be carried out; how should efforts aimed at enhancing the satisfaction levels be carried out. In books, I realized that the scope is dynamically outside the key practical findings and this has projected the level at which the research work ought to be carried out.



Finally, the dissertation formed a very important part of my studies as it enabled me to carry out a live research work that converted by earlier learnt knowledge into practical perspective. This was based on combined knowledge learnt as well as the marginal conceptual understanding of the other additional works done by past researchers. As 68

expressed by this level of satisfaction, the key strengths lie within a set of records and visionary explorations explains how exactly further reviews should be done and how further should they be done. While accepting the outputs and results, the dissertation also gave me an opportunity to appreciate the research work done by other researchers. 5.3 Process to Write Dissertation Dissertation writing is a huge complex process that is sandwiched between outputs and inputs and all of them are categorically placed on the very converging points. As I created a log factor which would aid me in the development, improvement and presentation of the dissertation, I realized that proper routing was very important in order to standardize the presentation of the work within the required limits while at the same time meeting the minimum set standards for the overall presentation of the project and further integrate all factors that form the general aspect of the dissertation in order to ease the documentation of the required information. The factor analyze explains how features and outcomes are complemented and procedurally advanced throughout in order to gain a complete control of the dissertation while noting the preset steps. In a nutshell, the theory of presentation expresses the authenticity of the work being done and the extent through which this work could be further improved to meet the basic requirements of the end users. 1. An outline: Dissertation outline is a key framework that explains the way contains would be aligned, complemented and theoretically improved. Instantaneous steps enabled me to make presets in the way topics, sub topics and other subsequent outlines would be composed in 69

order to give me the most essential way of delivering the variables and constants which are against the backdrop of new organizational theory.

The concepts which I included in the general outlines were measured using proper search listings and adequate information is obtained basing on the sustainability of the main goals, objectives and aims. In principle, the online provided me with the opportunity to make relevant categories of sub headings which are correlated. In that context, the outline is ideal in providing a natural flow of information from one level to another hence making it easier to make an absolute follow-up of the required patterns which relate to expectations of the researcher. The general terms that explain these flows are ideally implemented through the attributes making the major listings focused in the main highlights.

2. Organization The dissertation was integrated through proper procedural techniques which enabled me to make base setups for all major topics and sub topics. These were organized accordingly as per the preset rules governing the overall flow of data. Chapters were categorically subdivided into manageable units that depict the generation of ideas, issues and arguments. In general terms, these issues are associated with proper handling of facts that are the membrane units of all occurring factors, aided by the sequences through which they are created. The chronological order of these items explains the relevance of subdivision of data, provisionally by storage, use and reuses at all the levels of data integration. The mode of developing the dissertation as per the framed chapters enabled 70

me to make a solid analysis of data and then draw up evidenced conclusively inline with the rate of sustaining the arguments. The terminologies aiding these specific supplements were termed relevant due to the general impact all of them provided on the analysis of the dissertation. Finally, adequate security concerns were looked into while laying down the drafts as per the set tabled framework.

3. Time-Table Time scheduling was one important factor aiding the startup, running and accomplishment of the entire project. The project was based on time frame and the set completion period of each subdivision was made to allow me to make vital decisions in managing time and at the same level making adequate research on each individual topic. Due to the intensity of the entire research, it was evidently possible to only concentrate on specific chapters at each universal time in which it would mean that time management is importantly applied throughout the text.

As per specific time schedules, the duration in terms of research, work accomplishment and further development of the key sub-heading necessitated a comprehensive analysis of data and rescheduling the timings as per the required recommendations. Adequate time is also called for further research and establishment of potential communications through field study and research through direct interaction with respective persons including the clientele.

71

4. Iterative Solution At the initial stage of my writings, it was important to make the very logical design of the project through drafting information and forward ideal data to the relevant steps. In principle, I took a lot of time making rough drafts and assembling these data together. By making important physical divisions, I acquired enough notes which I principally thought would improve my analysis on the topic I was analyzing. Firstly, the key control factors were the correlation of one objective after another and these procedurally complement each other. By virtue of unsustainable control, the factual supplements of facts were crossly checked to confirm their authenticity and relevance to the main topic. Since several scenarios were collectively analyzed, it was very important to keep on improving the textual pattern so that quality is not compromised at any single level of the research. This enabled me to successfully make the drafted copies of my work and the supervisor helped me through the process of making adequate revisions and corrections.

5.4 My Learning Outcomes In the process of carrying out the research, it was important to develop very vital learning tips which were highly critical of the phase evolution of the entire project. In general terms, the outcomes are the key derivates of the work that had already been done. Summarily, the statistics obtained from the research explains the experimentation of key data factors.

72

5.4.1 Plan to write on a regular basis and to stick with the plan made: Ideas that are generated throughout the study are measured by the synthesis of data being carried out. As ideally created in the log, the regular system of developing data is a measure of a huge adequacy level of data as in the organizational behavior of my research work. Regular writing as with the acquisition of the general work input enhanced the dissipation of relevant data through a huge developmental phase. The factor analysis generates a huge list of ideas which correlate with an upkeep of specific terminologies aiding the mainstreaming of relevant data. I took a lot of my personal time writing short small notes which finally aided me in the final completion of my project. Further, it was evidenced in the research that a comprehensive data capture method is ideally very important and must be adequately included in the final analysis of the research work.

5.4.2 Making a time plan and sticking to it: The time required to manage the entire dissertation was very important and in place of the entire work done, a made a well organized process of managing data and further improving the general outcome on each part of the research work.. While adhering to the specific requirements of each work, it was important to further understand the major implications that come with uncoordinated time plan and this was solved by working on a tight schedule, making use of every available set to accomplish the given tasks at appropriate times.

73

5.4.3 Finishing section as soon as it is ready: The finishing the ideal sectional data at the required time was one of the key factors that formed by extended research and this was evidenced by the principle coverage of work schedules, data capture and integration of specific solutions. 

Deciding place and time: It was important for me to make adequate choices to the ideal environment which could enable me to complete the project successfully without any external interference. My choice of the home library was ideal and appropriate considering the nature of the environment as well as the serenity of the surrounding compound. Due to the sensitivity of the research work being carried out, this place was suitable and it indeed provided me with the necessary requirements that I initially required to carry out my research writing.



Keeping Notepad: Notepad was an ideal tool that enabled me to satisfactorily accomplish all my set targets, considering new information that kept on emerging and the need to have it put down was very important. This supported by continued effort to create a perfect generation of ideas and have them noted down in a continuous pattern.

5.5 Pleasant and Un-Pleasant Issues The acquisition of relevant data for study was one very difficult task to accomplish. The essence of my work meant that almost new and old information was required for the study. In place of 74

that, the validity of data obtained through books, research journals and other reference materials proved completely difficult to depict and compare various data types. Further, secondary form of data was extremely difficult to obtain, at least by searching through several references, the ideal concept was hard to go by and generally, the enrichment of text through the right path was also a difficult mission.

5.6 What Can I do different Next Time? In future research, the dissertation that was accomplished could be subsequently developed to create a universal development of data and increasing the trends of attaining the highest level of research without compromising the quality. This goal is achievable if appropriate steps are accomplished.

5.7 Problems Encountered The challenges ranged from lack of adequate funds to carry out adequate research to complex research environments which were at times very unfriendly. The nature of my research involved obtaining factual data from relevant sources and this needed my personal presence over there. In general terms, it was extremely difficult to meet some of these specifications and hence this hindered by efforts to accomplish my tasks as quickly as possible. Other problems included lack of co ordinations within the area of study and subsequently within the environment which I carried out my entire research. 75

5.8 Conclusion The entire research work was made through a comprehensive study which entails reaching out into the field to obtain relevant data and then ensuring that such data is made to be available within the study environment. The efforts aimed at obtaining valid information, working it and presenting it was achieved to a level approximately 95%, implying that the ideal target was made. Although there were very many challenges in the field, it was again easier to deal with them and make adequate solutions to sort out all the problems before hand.

76

Chapter 6:-Conclusion 6.0 Conclusion derived from Literature Review The major focus of the dissertation was to obtain relevant information regarding the functions of Customer Relations Management with relevant attention to Amazon.com. The principle analysis of this research work was to demonstrate the inclusion of relevant data which project customer establishment as one most important factor in the management of clientele bases. Specifically, this work aimed at establishing long term goals that are ideally achievable within the environment creating the said customer based services. The quality of services being delivered according to the research explains the general phenomenal interface created almost throughout the entire project and even at the very initial position, the rate through which transformational characteristics are made, reveals the general implications of the research work being done. The review of related literature explains the relationship between optimum point of view and the increased purchasing power among the clients. This explains the potentials of research work done in earlier times by various other researchers whose aims included arbitrarily establishing the link between two important factors: People and Organization. This concept, according to these combinations project the need for a well developed marketing system that meets the needs of the latest technologies. In reference to the growth internet usability, special security implications were seen to be extremely necessary in order to keep customer information safely within the set clientele power and hence avoiding release or attack on this data. The review also demonstrated the relationship 77

between CRM operations and the market values and on this factor, the systemic cost reduction strategies, branding and rebranding as part of key marketing strategies were adequately covered during the study. In spit of the general outflow of information, the review expressed the CRM market trends and the improvement of product quality, internet viability, usability and instructiveness as key factors which aim at accomplishing the major targets set via the reorganization of the conceptual growth behavior of the people and the organization. Conclusively, the review explained the factors of time dependency on improved marketing and illustrated the changing patterns of the products as well as of the customers themselves. Due to changing needs, likes and dislikes, the review stated that this factor evidently supported the overall competitiveness of the major Amazon.com rivals.

6.1 Conclusion of Research Methodology The research design explained the relevance of information obtained from the respective fields and procedurally, the data optimized secondary sources only. CRM performance levels were carried out to establish the authenticity of data and further, the selection involved creating qualitative and quantitative data that would provide an arbitrarily true reflection of the research work being carried out. This data enhanced the divisional integration of information through enhanced research, improved gathering of data and sustaining the obtained data in order to create a true picture of the entire project. The methodology also incorporated a huge base of scientific references such as use of SPSS data and simulated growth patterns of charts. Research positivism provided an historical notification 78

of data and key interactive trends enabled the researcher to create logical preferences through Amazon.com analytical perspective and the social nature of the research work expresses the need to have adequate control of market trends and increased outward models. The methodological assumptions through explorative research and evidenced determinants provided the originality of the contexts and projects that were necessary for the sampling of the much needed data. 6.2 Conclusion of Data Analysis Critical analysis is a reflection of the work carried out in the research and their relevance to the early work of literature review. The findings obtained exemplified critical theoretical and conceptual frameworks of CRM impact on performance of Amazon.com. The general view of the data obtained, tabulated and discussed explains key patterns and added similarities between this work and earlier researches carried out by several research specialists on the same topic. The expressions of views, analysis and comparisons demonstrated the nature of work carried out and their significance to the outside community. There was a huge correlation between values, graphs and computations with regards to past work done and this summarily explains that there is a near 1(+ or – 0.5%) difference in the entire results obtained and this reveals from this research that minute changes have occurred at every one time in the research that was completed. 6.3 Vital Experience/research experience This research work explained several undertakings relating to the work carried out. In nature, there is assimilation between customer satisfaction and customer management. In general terms, all customers tend to undergo the same kind of recipe and the time taken to obtain a single head 79

is more than ten times the time it takes to loose the same head. Therefore the research statistics has shown us that this time is a measure of an entity that reflects the growth of similar orientations of new and old customers. Conclusively, attempts to reach a universal compromise are measured on the availability of adequate data and information regarding this aim. (Souza, 1997)

80

Chapter 7 Recommendations and Scope for Future Research 7.0 Recommendations The Amazon.com implementation strategy involves a huge relative acquisition of relevant data that would be managed in order to enhance the dissipation of relevant information through the company’s operational platform. The realization of CRM strategy is exemplarily integrated with adequate process of realizing the resultant output and added realignment of projected strategic outlook that creates the major developmental trends urgently required by the management of the organization. Key recommendations include; 

Creating a complex supervisory role within the firm’s framework- This will involve setting certain levels of commitments through the assessment of key functional factors would be highly developed through these platforms. Additionally, the supervision will further involve the creation of a managerial phase and added support program which the company would adopt in order to improve its service delivery efforts.



Customer services – The services customers ought to achieve should be improved and branded adequately in order to create a more advanced service delivery account that highly project a huge establishment of factors such as potentialities, quality dissipation, infrastructure management and extended customer support services. The key solutions to problems of customer losses would be to make additional offers such as enhanced service 81

inclusion, improved delivery of products and quick response to emergencies. Customer complaints can be sustained and managed if proper measures are taken to react to their concerns. Additionally, the establishment of web based automated customer query sessions would highly improve the service provisions to them and in several ways; this will adequately create an impact in the general satisfactions.



Privacy issues – Clientele data privacy is a very important factor which should be looked into in subsequent redesign of the Amazon.com products. Data security is relatively achieved if such measures as data encryption, coding and password management are improved significantly. Besides that, key techniques such as building customer basic requirements and enhancing the growth of markets by issuing proper information regarding customers would additionally help generate confidence among customers and equally enable them to improve their own person organization.



CRM future metrics – The harmonization of CRM through additional factors which are supposedly relevant in enhancing customer management would enhance customer management. CRM would universally be enriched with better policy management as well improved service delivery throughout the entire exchange of goods and services. Customers would buy products if convinced to do so but long term retention would be possible if relevant procedures are applied. This in practice would mean that Amazon.com should clearly create a streamline that would define their customers and how they can be improved.

82

7.1 Areas of further research Further research should be carried out to establish how management synthesis within online shopping firms operate and further steps on CRM strategic maneuvers within the field of marketing and finance would improve the services being rendered to customers. Finally, data management is a factor that align the organization and through a vast class of information been received almost instantly throughout the interconnected network and this should be further improved to give customers more advanced services. This would imply that the organizational ability to transform its customers to the highest level would not only be a notch performance but would also be a creation of a change in the entire online marketing strategy.

83

References

1 Adrian, P., and Pennie, F. (2006).Customer Relationship Management: from Strategy to Implementation. Journal of Marketing Management, 22: 135-168 2 Berg H. (2001). The Stresses of CRM Installations. Computer World, 15 January 2001. 3 Birch, D. (1979). The Job Generation Process.MIT Program on Neighborhood and Regional Change. Cambridge MA 4 Bolton, E. (1971). Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms, Cmnd 4811, London HMSO 5 Boulding, W., Staelin R., Ehret M. and Johnston J., (2005).A Customer Relationship Management. 6 Buehrer,.E., Senecal S. and Pullins B. (2005). Sales force technology usage - reasons, barriers, and support: An exploratory investigation. Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), pp. 389-398 7 Bull, C., (2003).Strategic issues in customer relationship management CRM) implementation. Business Process Management Journal 9(5), pp. 592-602 8 Burez J. and Van den Poel D. (2007). CRM at a pay-TV company: Using analytical models to reduce customer attrition by targeted marketing for subscription services. Expert Systems with Applications, 32(2), pp. 277-288 9 Business Wire,(1999).META Group Urges Ecosystem Approach to Customer Relationship Management. June 28, 1999.

84

10 Buttle, F., (2004).Customer Relationship Management. Concepts and Tools. Butterworth Heineman, 11 Carson, D., (1990).Some exploratory models for assessing small firms’ marketing performance. European Journal of Marketing, 24(11), pp. 8-51 12 Chalmeta, R. (2006).Methodology for customer relationship management. The Journal of Systems and Software 79, pp. 1015–1024 13 Charlesworth, A. (2009). Internet marketing: a practical approach. Florida: FA: Butterworth-Heinemann. 14 Dyché, J. (2002). The CRM handbook : a business guide to customer relationship management. Boston: Addison Wesley. 15 Etzion, O., Fisher, A., and Wasserkrug, S. (2005). E-CLV: A modeling approach for customer lifetime evaluation in e-commerce domains, with an application and case study for online auction. Information Systems Frontiers, 7, 421–434. 16 Fienberg, R., and Kadam, R. (2002). E-CRM Web service attributes as determinants of customer satisfaction with retail Web sites. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 13(5), 432-451. 17 Fletcher, D., and Goss, E. (1993). Forecasting with neural networks: An application using bankruptcy data. Information and Management, Issue 3. 18 Flick, U. (2009). An introduction to qualitative research (4th ed.). Los Angeles ;: Sage Publications.

85

19 Frosyniotis, D., Stafylopatis, A., and Likas, A(2003). A divide-and conquer method for multi-net classifiers. Journal of Pattern Analysis and Applications, 6(1), 32–40 20 Hughes, A. M. (1994).Strategic database marketing. Chicago. 21 Jackson, S. L. (2007). Research methods: a modular approach. New York: Cengage Learning. 22 Jiang, T., and Tuzhilin, A. (2006).Segmenting customers from population to individuals: Does 1-to-1 keep your customers forever. IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, 18, 1297– 1311 23 Kim, Y. S. (2006). Toward a successful CRM: Variable selection, sampling, and ensemble. Decision Support Systems, 41, 542–553. 24 Kubat, M., Hafez, A., Raghavan, V. V., Lekkala, J. R., and Chen, W. K. (2003).Item set trees for targeted association querying. IEEE Transaction on Knowledge and Data Engineering, 15, 1522–1534 25 Langley, P., and Simon, H. A. (1995).Applications of machine learning and rule induction. Communication of the ACM, 38, 55–64 26 Meuter, M. L., Ostrom, A. L., Roundtree, R. I., and Bitner, M. J. (2000). Self-Service Technologies: Understanding Customer Satisfaction with Technology-Based Service Encounters. The Journal of Marketing, 64(3), 50-64. 27 Pan, S. L., and Lee, J.-N. (2003). Using e-CRM for a unified view of the customer. Communications of the ACM - Digital rights management, 46(4), 95-99. 86

28 Peel, J. (2002). CRM: redefining customer relationship management. Florida: FA: Digital Press. 29 Reinartz, W., Krafft, M., and Hoyer, W. D. (2004). The Customer Relationship Management Process: Its Measurement and Impact on Performance. Journal of Marketing Research, 41(3), 293-305. 30 Schutt, R. K. (2006). Investigating the social world : the process and practice of research (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications, Inc. 31 Chen, I. and Popovich, K., (2003). Understanding customer relationship management CRM): People, process and technology. Business Process Management Journal 9(5), pp. 672-688 32 Chen, K. (2003).Understanding customer relationship management (CRM) People, process and technology. Business Process Management Journal, 9(5): 672-688 33 Cheng, B., Chang, C.L, and Liu S. (2005). Enhancing care services quality of nursing homes using data mining. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence 16(5), pp.575-596 34 Cleary, C. (2003).Strategic issues in customer relationship management CRM) implementation. Business Process Management Journal 9(5), pp. 592 – 602. 35 Du, W. (2004).The QoS of Web service for different service based on customer segments in CRM. Proceeding, The 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design. 26-28 May 2004, pp. 401 – 405

87

36 Fan, W., Luck R., Manier K., Pierce J., Pool L. and Patek, S. (2004).Customer relationship management for a small professional technical services corporation. Proceeding Systems and Information Engineering Design Symposium, pp. 243-248 37 Fink, D. and Disterer, G., (2006). International case studies – To what extent is ICT infused into the operations of MEs? Journal of Enterprise Information Management 19(6), pp. 608-624 38 Giga, K. (2001).Seven out of Ten CRM Projects Fail, Computing, 16 August 2001, pp. 27 39 Gudmundson, D., Tower, B., and Hartman, E., (2003). Innovation in small businesses: culture and ownership structure do matter. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 8(1): 1-17 40 Ha, S., Bae, S., and Park, S., (2002). Customer's time-variant purchase behavior and corresponding marketing strategies: an online retailer's case. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 43(4), pp.801-820 41 Hugh W., and Elizabeth D. (2002).Factors for Success in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems. Journal of Marketing Management, 18: 193-219 42 Industrial Marketing Management 36(5), pp. 565-574 43 Jain, D., and Singh, S. (2002). Customer lifetime value research in marketing: a review and future directions. Journal of Interactive Marketing 16(2), pp. 34-46 44 Jain, S., (2005). CRM shifts the paradigm. Journal of Strategic Marketing 13(December), pp. 275–291 45 Karimi, J., Somers, T., and Gupta, P. (2001).Impact of Information Technology Management Practices on Customer Service. Journal of Management Information systems 17(4), pp. 125-158 88

46 Koole, G., (2004). Performance analysis and optimization in customer contact centres. Proceedings of QEST 2004 Quantitative Evaluation of Systems, pp. 2-5 47 Kruse, G., and Bramham, J., (2003). You choose [product configuration]. Manufacturing Engineer 82(August), pp. 34-37 48 Lenskold, J., (2004).Customer-Centric Marketing ROI. Marketing Management 13(1), pp. 26-31 49 Light, B. (2003). CRM packaged software: a study of organizational experiences. Business Process Management Journal 9(5), pp. 603-617 50 Liu, S., and Comer, L. (2006). Salespeople as information gatherers: Associated success factors. 51 Luis E., Alejandro M., (2007).Critical success factors for a customer strategy. Information Software Technology, 49: 913-945 52 Management Review, (2009). Issue, 34: 89-105 53 Manuel, P., Demirel, O., and Gorener, R., (2003).Application of ecommerce for SMEs by using NLP principles. Engineering Management Conference,. IEMC '03. Managing Technologically Driven Organizations: The Human Side of Innovation and Change, pp. 470-473 54 McLarty, R. (1998). Case study: evidence of a strategic marketing paradigm in a growing SME. Journal of Marketing Practice: Applied Marketing Science 4(4): 105-17 55 Min, H. (2006).Developing the profiles of supermarket customers through data mining. Service Industries Journal 26(7), pp. 747-763 56 Neville, K., Heavin, C. and Walsh, E. (2005).A case in customizing e-learning. Journal of Information Technology 20(2), pp. 117-129 89

57 Pigneur Y., Rangone A. and Renga F. (2005). Mobile customer relationship management: an explorative investigation of the Italian consumer market. In International Conference on Mobile business, 2005, pp. 42-48 58 Rainer A., Thomas P. (2004).Successful Practices in Customer Relationship Management. Proceedings of the 37th Hawaii International Conference on System Science -2004 59 Roadmap: What is known, Potential Pitfalls, and Where to Go. Journal of Marketing (69), pp.155-166 60 Russell S. Winer. 2002.A Framework for Customer Relationship Management”. California 61 Thompson S.H., Paul D., Shan L. (2006).Towards a holistic perspective of customer relationship management (CRM) implementation: A case study of the Housing and Development Board, Singapore Information Management and Computer Society, 15: 102-115 62 Gale, B. T.(2002).Trends in Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty and Value. Retrieved from http:www.cval.com/into.html on February 12, 2011 63 Hugh, W., and Malcolm, M.( 2002).Factors for Success in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems. Journal of Marketing Management, 18: 193-219 64 Darrel, K., Schefter P.(2002).Avoid the Four Perils of CRM. Harvard Business Review, February, 2002 65 Maisel, L. (2001). Performance Measurement Practices: A Long Way from Strategy Management. Balanced Scorecard Report 66 Nelson, S.(2001). Seven reasons Why CRM Fails. Gartner Research Note 90

67 Rubin, R.(2001).Collaborating for CPG Success. The Forrester Report 68 Simons, R.(2000).Performance Measurement and Control Systems for Implementing Strategy. Prentice-Hall 69 Smith, M. (2001).Fixing the Balanced Scorecard’s Missing Link. GartnerG2 Report 70 Souza, R.(2001).How to Measure What Matters. The Forrester Report 71 Stacey, R.(2000).The Emergence of Knowledge in Organizations. Emergence, 2(4) 2339. 72 Thomas, J.C (2001). The Knowledge Management Puzzle: Human Factors and Knowledge Management. IBM System Journal, Vol. 40 No. 4 73 Trochim, W. M. K.(2001).The Research Methods Knowledge Base. Atomic Dog Publishing 74 Vavra, T. G.(1997).Improving Your Measurement of Customer Satisfaction. ASQ Quality Press 75 Richard. L. (1997).Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer and Services Marketing. Boston, MA: Irwin McGraw-Hill,

91