CRM technology: can adoption increase service quality and perceived value in maintenance services?

This paper investigates customer relationship management (CRM) technology's value creation potential through service quality (SERVQUAL) considerations. Few studies have looked into the impact of CRM applications on service quality, an established antecedent of successful service business relationships. A survey and interviews with maintenance service customers in Singapore affirmed that functional service quality (SERVQUAL) is a significant factor of customer perceived value. Potential CRM applications features are generally perceived to be value-adding and those that are associated with the SERVQUAL service responsiveness dimension are rated most. Systematic and accessible customer information to facilitate response to service requests and issues is highly-valued. The expeditious communication of issue resolution is another favoured CRM feature. The results provide intelligence to service providers on the design of CRM-enabled customer service programmes. Future research can investigate other industrial services categories/other markets as well as other explanatory factors for CRM value perceptions.