Customer Relationship Management [1500 Words]

Scenario Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has been described by some commentators as a management fad, a smokescreen for largely traditional (if updated) marketing strategies and tactics. Others see it as a shift in business thinking where marketing is not seen as a functional discipline rather than an integrated business process that helps provide customer focus for the firm in both Questions 1. Discuss the above providing arguments for and against CRM. [700+ words] 2. What are the major advantages of personal selling and what can they contribute to the customer relationship marketing effort? [400+ words] 3. In what ways do you think a sales representative could make the sales presentation more relevant and interesting for the prospective customer? [400+ words] Guidance notes: Your main source of material will be from the chapters of the set book as well as your Moodle notes, but wider reading together with the ability to extract key points and construct a coherent argument, well supported with reference to marketing journals and texts will be required for higher marks. Answers should be based on appropriate theories and models and should discuss arguments; For and against RM For higher marks you should look at how these issues may be applied in different kinds of markets and selling situations, for example, customer vs organizational markets or highly technical vs low technical products