Effects of e-CRM on customer–bank relationship quality and outcomes: The case of Thailand

Abstract

This research examines and measures the outcomes of electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM) system implementation in the Thai banking industry from customers' perspectives. Because most e-CRM implementations cannot be directly seen or recognised by customers, a literature review and interviews with experts in the Thai banking industry were used to develop a new construct called ‘customer-based service attributes’ to measure e-CRM outcomes from customers' perspectives. A full-scale field survey of 684 customers of Thai commercial banks was then conducted. A service attribute model and a model that combined relationship quality and outcome were constructed, and their validity and reliability was confirmed. Analysis of the results by using structural equation modelling (SEM) illustrated that e-CRM implementation has a statistically significant positive relationship with customer-based service attributes and with the quality and outcome of customer–bank relationships as well as an indirect effect on relationship quality and outcome through customer-based service attributes.

Exploring the impact of communication effectiveness on service quality, trust and relationship commitment in IT services

Abstract
Most firms today are served by specialized IT service providers for the development and maintenance of their business information systems. During the IT service encounter, service providers and clients interact throughout the project, exchanging information, sharing knowledge and making critical decisions. From the IT service provider's viewpoint, it is important to raise the level of clients’ relationship commitment during this service encounter as their business continuity depends upon clients assessment. Intuitively, effective communication and effective service quality, mediated by trust, are critical factors in raising the level of relationship commitment. This study proposes an empirical model consisting of four critical antecedents of relationship commitment (communication effectiveness, technical service quality, functional service quality and trust) and then tests the model using data points solicited from two global firms. Study results revealed that trust is a strong mediator for relationship commitment while functional, rather than technical, service quality is a stronger mediator in forming the clients’ trust.