Maintaining Customer Loyalty Using Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM): Qualitative Evidence from Small Food Businesses in Jordan

Authors

  • Dana Kakeesh Department of Marketing, School of Business, The University of Jordan
  • Ghazi Al-Weshah Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business, Al-Balqa Applied University
  • Noor Al-Ma'aitah Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Mutah University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25115/eea.v39i7.4810

Keywords:

Customer loyalty, Electronic Customer Relationship Management, Qualitative Approach, Interviews, Small Businesses, Food Industry, Jordan.

Abstract

The current study aims at providing understanding and practical insights of how to maintain customer loyalty using E-CRM from perspectives of small food businesses in Jordan. The qualitative design of research is adopted. Semi-structured and face-to-face interviews have been conducted with eight executives to generate data from target interviewees in different Jordanian food companies. Using thematic analysis for interviews and based on executives perspectives, this study provides customer loyalty concepts, benefits, tools, and measurements. Moreover, this study also investigates the benefits of E- CRM, E-CRM tools, and how customer loyalty could be enhanced by E-CRM. The results of the thematic analysis found that social media and telemarketing are the most common tools of E-CRM that are adopted by food companies. Sales frequency and sales records are the most common criteria for customer loyalty measurement. Furthermore, complaints handling, post sales services, customer following up, and maintaining customer relationship are the most critical tactics of E-CRM that are adopted by food companies to enhance customer loyalty. The study recommends that customer loyalty practices are not well established by food companies; however, adopting E-CRM practices are critical issues for maintaining customer loyalty.

Author Biographies

  • Dana Kakeesh, Department of Marketing, School of Business, The University of Jordan

    Dana Kakeesh is an Assistant Professor of Marketing, at The School of Business, University of Jordan, Jordan. Also she served as an Assistant Dean for Development and Quality Assurance between for the academic years of 2017 and 2018. She started her academic career in 2008 as a Research and Teaching Assistant at the Department of Marketing, at the same school before receiving her PhD from the York Management School, the University of York, UK in 2016. Her research interests are services marketing, tourism marketing, brand management and digital marketing.

  • Ghazi Al-Weshah, Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business, Al-Balqa Applied University

    Dr. Ghazi A. Al-Weshah is a Professor of Marketing, CEO of Al-Balqa Electronic Academy, and Director of Jordanian- Korean Center for ICT- Information Access Center, Al-Balqa Applied University,  Jordan. He has experience in teaching, training, and consultations with local and international organizations.  Dr. Al-Weshah was awarded his PhD in Marketing from The University of Wales- UK in 2010. Dr. Al-Weshah has published about 27 research papers in the field of marketing and management in international refereed journals. Ghazi Al-Weshah can be connected by weshah120@yahoo.com. Or  Ghazi.al-weshah@bau.edu.jo

  • Noor Al-Ma'aitah, Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Mutah University

    Dr. Noor Al-Ma'aitah is Associate Professor of Management at Mutah University, Jordan, specializing in supply chain and quality management, particularly supply chain relationships in the Middle East region and its ramifications for quality performance. Dr. Noor has been awarded her PhD  from University of Kent, UK. Her research interests include  culture effectiveness, and supplier-buyer relationship, TQM, and HR practices. Dr. Noor can be connected by nmaaitah@mutah.edu.jo.

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2021-07-20 — Updated on 2021-08-16

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Vol. 39 No. 7 (2021): Special Issue: Impact of Current Trends in Social Commerce, Economics, and Business Analytics

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