Monitoring qualitative aspects of CRM implementation: the essential dimension of management responsibility for employee involvement and acceptance

The need for the people who use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to ‘buy-in’ is widely recognised as a critical success factor. Apart from bland advice on consulting all stakeholders and selling the concepts and ideas to the potential users, there is a remarkable shortage of competent information on people issues specific to CRM. Little has been done to study how people behave within the complex social context of CRM implementation and operation. Stimulated by current research this paper is intended to act as a ‘shout’ to those who pay more attention to the mechanistic aspects of CRM systems implementation than to the people who will use them. The wording is didactic, in part, and it does not conform to the usual requirements for formally argued papers. Where assertions are made that can be supported this has been done but many years' additional research would be required to support other assertions. The paper is, therefore, an opinion piece with no pretensions beyond that status. The opinions that are expressed are firmly held, however, and the authors are convinced of the need for much greater awareness of social issues when attempting to align CRM operations with management intentions