Electronic Customer Relationship Management (eCRM) in a Business-to-Business Marketing Setting

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the concept of Electronic Customer Relationship Management (eCRM) in the context of a business-to-business marketing environment. An overview of business-to-business marketing is offered; business-to-business marketing is compared to consumer-based marketing, specifically regarding buyer behavior. These comparisons include differences in revenues, the intended customer and the buying process. Market orientation is described, as is its emphasis on responding to customer needs in both consumer and industrial markets. The concepts of supply chain management, services marketing and channel management are introduced. Lastly, Electronic Customer Relationship Management (eCRM) is presented. The discussion centers on the integration of eCRM into business operations, analytical capabilities facilitated by eCRM and collaboration improvements provided by eCRM. The chapter concludes with a comparison of eCRM and relationship marketing.