Customer Service and Relationship Management in the Context of Technology-Enabled Service Delivery Systems

Abstract

Increasingly contemporary theorists argue that the emergence of electronic markets and associated systems have enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness by which a marketer can establish, develop and maintain customer relationships. Notwithstanding, evidence suggests that this enthusiasm may need to be tempered by acknowledging that, for a sizeable group of customers, technology-enabled service delivery may lead to less than satisfactory experiences that ultimately impact upon the ability to develop relationships of mutual benefit. This paper explores issues associated with trust, reliability and a felt need for personal contact which impact upon an individual's capacity and willingness to use technology-enabled service delivery. Clearly providers must recognise that a production driven ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to electronically enhanced service delivery may have negative implications for an organisation's customer relationship management program. Managerial implications and a proposed research agenda are discussed.