Integrated Electronic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for Alpine Tourist Destinations: Drivers and an Adoption Framework

Abstract

Integrated customer relationship management (CRM) processes between service providers and destination management organizations (DMOs) are essential to bring about the cooperation enabling a tourism region to remain competitive. While DMOs face the threat of disintermediation and need to respond with higher level services, service providers, particularly small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) have considerable potential within their CRM processes for efficiency improvement. One possible scenario to solve this dilemma would be a partnership between the service providers and the DM0 in the field of CRM processes. In this integrative CRM approach the DMO provides both the required information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure and the processing of specific tasks. Currently, the outsourcing of CRM processes is hardly practised in the DMO context. The derived research model explains which factors drive the service providers' intention to increase the outsourcing level, identifies destination management systems (DMS) as enablers of integrated electronic CRM and offers a thorough understanding of the critical factors influencing cooperative CRM between DMOs and SMTEs.

E-CRM dilemmas in developing markets: The case of a tourism company in Serbia

“…The advent of the Internet, along with increasing globalization and growing competition have brought fundamental changes in the way information about travel and tourism products are distributed and delivered (Taga, Gaspari and Vukaj, 2011). E-CRM is a new phenomenon that involves mainly the Internet, web technology and other interactive technologies to initiate and facilitate relationships between suppliers and customers (Fux et al, 2007;Pan and Lee, 2003). According to Blery and Michalakopoulos (2006) organizations that adopt e-CRM, by reducing the cost of contacting customers, can put more resources into dealing with customer enquiries, which can lead to increased profitability.…”

Data-Supported CRM as a Lever for DMO Success: A Social Exchange Relationship Approach

“…Early approaches in CRM application in community-based tourism analyzed the degree of CRM implementation in destinations [20]. Other authors stressed the importance of cooperation between various service providers and the DMO in community-based tourism for an integrated CRM [21,22]. DMOs were defined as "enablers of integrated electronic CRM" and an adoption framework for this cooperation was developed [21].…”

“…Other authors stressed the importance of cooperation between various service providers and the DMO in community-based tourism for an integrated CRM [21,22]. DMOs were defined as "enablers of integrated electronic CRM" and an adoption framework for this cooperation was developed [21]. Also, the visitor relationship marketing orientation among DMOs was researched and a model to operationalize DMO visitor relationship orientation developed [42,46].…”