A Survey of Current CRM Practices in China

This paper uses a convenient MBA sample to study the current CRM practices in China. Fifty-two questionnaires were collected and eight cases among them were studied further. We find that there is a great demand of CRM, especially for service providers. Also the more complicated a company structure, the greater need for CRM. The major reason to use CRM is ‘to manage and integrate customer info for the purpose of customer retention and service personalization.’ Even if most companies are satisfied with their CRM practices, the greatest challenge of CRM practices is data issue, including data collection, credibility, etc. The CRM of B-B companies is simpler and focuses more on sales and financial affairs. Those personalized and humanistic CRM practices are characterized as nepotism and operated outside their IT system. Chinese B-B companies still don’t wake up to the importance of understanding their customers’ customers. The CRM of B-C companies focuses more on personal information, which is kept well in their IT system. Most B-C personalized services are mediated via mail, email, or phone. In China, CRM is better practiced among those industries who are able to collect credible personal info, like telecommunication and bank.