Evaluating the application of CRM systems in Chinese companies by CSF

Abstract: This thesis is about the current condition of Chinese Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME) and the focus is on the Customer Relationship Management (CRM). This research also uses the concept of Critical Success Factors (CSF). The CSF are not established by any agreements or regulations; they are flexible and vary between different enterprises. This study reflects on some problems and conditions of Chinese SMEs. Since the economic market in China has not developed for so long, regulations setting and business management for most Chinese enterprises still leave room for improvement. Especially for Chinese SMEs, they take the biggest responsibility for tax and employment and meanwhile they also suffer from shortcomings like financial strength and technology capability. Helping these SMEs is a valuable and necessary topic for Chinese society and also for the study of some concept like SMEs and CRM. The CRM as a big and broad concept has been used in different circumstances; in this study, it only concerns the CRM systems implemented in target companies and information system factors like critical success factors to serve companies demands. The research design is a case study of two Chinese enterprises. The main data collection methods are interviews and observation. Since this research does not make an extensive survey of Chinese SMEs, the companies are purposefully selected. They are typical Chinese SMEs and can represent some part of the phenomenon. The results of interviews are compared with each other and the literature material. This study led to lists of CSFs considered by two case companies, which are:  Top management support and commitment  Leadership and management of time and financial stuff  Internal and external communication  Employee skills  Customer understanding of value  Customer satisfaction  Infrastructure, System and strategy conformity  Organizational data sharing and process changing capability  Systems integration inspiration from inside  Cooperation between business side and technology side  Technological readiness (hardware and software, personalization, customer involvement)