The Contribution of CRM Marketing Variables Towards Improving Company's Performance : A Case of Thessaloniki Area Hotels

Abstract

Companies are developing and deploying CRM systems to improve their business performance and competitiveness. Although, previous research has shown the information technology, in general, contributes to the improvement of organizational performance, the benefits of the marketing variables in CRM systems still remain uncertain. Concerning the hotel industry, there is a significant body of literature that has examined and underlined the necessity of information systems adoption and application. Nevertheless, the CRM systems do not embed efficiently marketing variables like customer satisfaction, loyalty, customer’ complaining etc. This paper will present and analyze the findings of an exploratory research study which has been conducted in Thessaloniki area. An attempt was made to find out whether marketing variables are adopted by hotel CRM systems. Further, the research explored the degree to which hotels have exploited the potential of CRM systems. Particularly, it will analyze whether the hotels are profiting from the opportunities provided by CRM or whether simply their use of CRM revolve around the basic functions of providing information1 .