Exploratory Analysis and Results

The ten supplier and customer interviews from the exploratory phase were analysed using the guidelines provided by Miles and Huberman (1994) and Yin (2003). Detailed summaries of the qualitative data analysis can be found in Appendix A2. Where

available representative quotes from the interview data are presented to exemplify the results of the qualitative data analysis. The key insights gained include:

1. Overall support for the proposed CRM technology acceptance – customer relationship model. Both supplier and customer firm respondents agreed that CRM technology can play an important role in B2B relationships (see Appendix A2.1: Q14, Q22, Q25).

[I]t enables people who aren't good at relationships to at least have a reasonable level of performance…. it provides reminders of things they should be doing anyway, and consistency. HR Manager (Customer).

The most important word in CRM is relationships and CRM is to help that. Investor Services Manager (Supplier – CRM user).

2. Validation of the proposed variables and the impact of CRM technology adoption on business relationships. Supplier respondents indicated that the MO of the firm influenced CRM technology adoption (Appendix A2.5). Responses to the ITMO questions provided mixed responses from the supplier firms (Appendix A2.6), thereby providing support for its inclusion as a variable. The analysis results also corroborated the CTA, relationship strength and

Once again I think as a customer you don't know if someone is using a CRM system. You just don't know that. Your relationship with them might be absolutely brilliantly, they're timely, their information is good and that maybe coming out of the CRM system but you don't know that. Supply Company Services Manager (Customer).

We’re very market orientated…[but]… No I think it’s totally accidental that [the implementation of CRM technology] happened and I think it’s probably the other way round. We have the CRM system and I guess we’re all realising that it could have a potential effect if we used it properly. Telco Account Manager (Supplier – CRM user).

3. Important insights into the motivation, attitudes and emotions influencing CRM technology adoption were identified. For example (see Appendix A2.1 for details):

• CRM technology provides a form of business advantage; either around the use of technology to better capture and use information about the customer, or to aid in documentation, time management and business reporting. Some respondents were cynical toward management’s reasons for adopting CRM technology.

CRM itself to me is a tool to foster the relationship or to continue [to do] the small things which you need to do to keep building a relationship. Owner, Management Company (Customer).

CRM is used to record my relationship, it's to record my services – I can win or lose business particularly if I have opposition involved, by not recording the information correctly and not having that information readily retrievable. Owner, Technical Services Company (Supplier – CRM user).

• Expectations of CRM technology users centred around sales support and knowledge (information) management,

I think the majority of people actually in the sales side of the organisation would actually think it's a really important tool for them to do the job, learn to carry out the day-to-day forecasts, and upkeep of their territory basically. Strategic Account manager (Supplier – CRM user).

• Benefits of CRM technology included a common repository available to any interested and authorised internal party, as well as the ability to identify customer and product trends,

Related to the research side CRM provides you the ability to identify issues over geography, over time, and over a large number of stuff inside their head and of course different sorts of relationships where there can also be similar patterns going. HR Manager (Customer).

[CRM]enables a good handover of accounts from person to person. It enables virtual teams to function within accounts by being able to access information about that account on an as needed basis. It enable different people in the organisation to have a view of what's happening at an account level and a portfolio level and a regional level without having to keep reinventing the wheel. Corporate Account Manager (Supplier – CRM user).

• CRM systems are considered more as a business tool or enabler, and not necessarily helpful initiating B2B relationships, except perhaps by providing good leads. Some respondents considered CRM technology to play a critical role in relationships. Others indicated far less involvement of CRM technology to influence relationship dimensions such as

customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Putting information into a database enables an organisation to, research is a very general term, find out what makes a good relationship, which bits of the ingredients are having more of an impact upon the relationships. HR Manager (Customer).

I think the majority of people actually in the sales side of the organisation would actually think it's a really important tool for them to do the job…. Strategic Account Manager (Supplier – CRM user).

I don’t think it’s that well received amongst the sales force. I think most people find it a bugbear. I think the management find it a bit of a bugbear. I think a lot of people have struggled to get to like it and get to understand it. Telco Account Manager (Supplier – CRM user).

4. Support for the existing variables used in the CTA – CR research model. I think it's important because it's, it is about demonstrating, you know, a willingness or a desire to invest in the relationship, so commitment to me is around the resources being applied to the innovation…. Healthcare Commercial Manager (Customer). So the communication you know I guess it's almost a, I don't know for want of a better term a high team issue there, if you can’t communicate properly then there's going to be no trust. The commitment won't happen and none of them [relationship factors] will happen. IT General Manger (Customer).

5. Confirmation that practitioners were familiar with specific CRM terms and expressions.

6. Detailed contextual data used to help interpret the research results. The insights and contextual information provided additional perspectives and support when interpreting the results from the survey data (explanatory phase) in Chapter 6. The detailed analysis and results from the explanatory phase of the research is discussed next.