Improving performance of customer‐processes with knowledge management

Processes in customer relationship management (CRM) are classified as knowledge‐intensive processes. This paper seeks to provide a framework for knowledge management (KM) support of CRM processes and to show how this framework was applied in three action research cases.

In a long‐term cooperation with several leading companies the authors developed a framework for customer knowledge management (CKM) and applied this framework in several action research cases. Additionally, further case studies have been conducted which support the framework. A selection of three action research cases is presented.

Six core processes of CRM and four building blocks of KM to support these processes we identified. Each of these cases demonstrates the application of the framework and the implementation of the appropriate subset of CKM.

The cases support the CKM model. All cases presented here come from the financial services industry, thus the framework still needs to be applied in other industry segments as well.

The cases evaluate the applicability, utility and efficacy of the CKM framework and show how it can help to make managerial decisions concerning the KM support of CRM processes.

The paper provides a framework classifying the processes in CRM and the KM building blocks to support these processes. To researchers it provides an evaluation of the presented framework and shows potential fields for further research. It also gives practical advice to managers who plan CRM initiatives.