Investigating the Impact of Customer Relationship Management Practices of E-Commerce on Online Customer's Web Site Satisfaction: A Model-Building Approach

Abstract

This study addresses the effect of customer relationship management (CRM) practices on online customers’ satisfaction with their experience in interacting with the company Web sites. Recognizing the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with customers, companies are actively seeking ways to enhance the customer value of their offerings through relationship marketing. Since effective managing of customer relationships essentially involves managing customer information flow, Internet technologies have become an important element of a firm’s CRM program. The company Web site is functioning as the focal point of contact for interacting with existing and prospective customers. An important concern is how the company Web site affects customers’ overall perception of the Web site. Using the concepts of Internet-mediated market orientation in marketing and user satisfaction in information systems, this study formulated and validated a theoretical model to analyze causal relationships between CRM practices, customers’ perception of a Web site’s online customer orientation and online customer Web site satisfaction. Based on the structural equation modeling analysis of the primary data collected in Taiwan, the study found that CRM practices positively impact online customers’ Web site satisfaction through their perception of the Web site’s customer orientation.