DIMENSIONS OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FROM SHIP AGENCY PERSPECTIVE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Year 2021, , 57 - 61, 30.12.2021

Öznur Ağca

https://doi.org/10.47512/meujmaf.1033848

Abstract

Customer focus, satisfaction, and value are among the key determinants in establishing customer relationship management. With the effects of increasing competition and negative environmental developments e.g., Covid-19, companies’ interests on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) activities have increased. This study explores some dimensions that are frequently used for establishing CRM such as customer focus approach, customer value and customer satisfaction from the ship agency perspective. According to the findings, agencies claim that they frequently have difficulties to achieve customer satisfaction, they adopt many strategies for CRM (e.g., telephone calls, e-mails, offering promotions, visits), they consider hiring staff of sales department carefully, they customized their services for customers, and they challenge competition and gain lower profits because of it. Surveys and feedbacks are frequently used by agencies for evaluating customer satisfaction.

Keywords

Ship Agencies, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Satisfaction

References

• Baş, A. Şenbabaoğlu, E., & Dölarslan, E. Ş. (2016). İşletmelerin müşteri odaklılık ve müşteri tatmini düzeylerinin güven oluşumuna etkisi: müşteri boyutunda bir değerlendirme. Ankara Üniversitesi SBF Dergisi, Vol.71, No.4, ss. 1267-1289.
• Chen, C., Chiang, Z., Hsieh, M., & Zeng, X. (2018). “Applying the data envelopment analysis to discuss performance evaluation of customer relationship management in shipping industry”. Journal of Coastal Research, 83, pp. 833-838.
• Choo, H. J., Moon, H., Kim, H., & Yoon, N. (2012). “Luxury customer value.” Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal. Vol.16, Vol.1, pp.81-101.
• Çolak, S. (2007). Dry Cargo and Chemical Tanker Investment Analysis in Ship Management Sector. Istanbul Technical University, Master Thesis, (Published in Turkish).
• Graf, A., & Maas, P. (2008). “Customer value from a customer perspective: a comprehensive review.” Journal für Betriebswirtschaft, Vol.58, No.1, pp.1-20.
• Keradinidis, G., Aidonis, D., & Manikas, I. (2012). “Maritime Operations and New Business Models Elaboration.” 2nd International Conference on Supply Chains, Katerini, Greece.
• Mahajan, G. (2020). “What is Customer Value and How Can You Create It?.” Journal of Creating Value, 6(1), pp. 119-121.
• Moshi, J. K. (2000). Problems and prospects of the state shipping agency in Tanzania. Master thesis, World Maritime University, Malmö, Sweden.
• Pereira, M. T., Fróis, J., & Ferreira, F. A. (2018). Analysis of a customer relationship management tool in a shipping company. In 8th International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Bandung, Indonesia, 6th -8th of March 2018, pp. 434-444. IEOM Society International.
• Santoso, L., Setiawan, L., & Firdaus, M. R. (2021). “Customer Relationship Marketing Application in The Coal Industry On Ship Agency Services.” International Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting -Research (IJEBAR), Vol. 5, No.1, pp. 218-233.
• Wang, Y., Lo, H. P., Chi, R., & Yang, Y. (2004). “An integrated framework for customer value and customer‐relationship‐management performance: A customer‐based perspective from China.” Managing Service Quality: An International Journal. Vol:14, No:2-3, pp.169-182.
• What is Demurrage, https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/freight-forwarding/demurrage/ [Accessed 06 Oct 2021].
• Winer, R. S. (2001). “A framework for customer relationship management.” California Management Review, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 89-105.