Abstract
Purpose – To convert the principle of customer relationship management (CRM) into practical guidelines for best practice in the implementation of a CRM programme in the real world. Design/methodology/approach – The findings of an extensive review of the literature provide the foundations for a general CRM paradigm, which is applied to a case study of a large European bank's specification, development and implementation of CRM over a five-year period. Data for the case study were collected in 1-2?h long depth interviews with executives of the bank and a consultancy firm collaborating in the design of the programme, and were analysed by a formal coding procedure. Findings – The design and implementation phases of CRM programme development are described in detail, the latter organised into 18 initiatives in five categories: testing, founding, building doing and ongoing. Research limitations/implications – Because of the stage of development of the bank's programme at the time of writing, it was not possible to report meaningfully on an obvious sixth phase: evaluation. The paper considers shortcomings of CRM implementation and proposes avenues for further research. Practical implications – A shortage of practically grounded templates for the design and implementation of CRM programmes has left marketing managers struggling to apply the widely advocated principle to their own situations. By adding empirical evidence to prescriptions for best practice, this paper begins the process of bridging that gap between theory and practice. Originality/value – The unique case study reported here will therefore be of definite interest and potential value to managers responsible for developing market intelligence into formal plans for a CRM strategy, beyond the specific context of financial services.