Customer relationship management in the international context – theoretical and practical considerations

The customer relationship strategy as part of the general business strategy is focused on the interest for the clients, having as a main objective the strengthening of the long-term relationship between the companies and the clients. The essence of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) dwells in preserving long-term partnerships, bringing added value within the business relation and delivering customised propositions to individual clients. By providing personalised products or services the company gets near the need of the client, thus making it a key customer. The bridge between the company and the key client is based on a cross-functional process through which the customer relationship management strategy is implemented. Therefore, the customer orientation becomes an impactful factor in the implementation process. Having a positive relationship with key customers and a better understanding of their needs and activity leads to clarity in the development of the customer relationship management strategy. This principle is worldwide accepted, regardless of industry in which operates the organization. The purpose of this paper is to do a key literature review on customer relationship management by enlightening both the theoretical aspects researched by academicians all over the world and empirical studies applied in international organizations. In addition, the applicative section of this paper consists in a comparison of customer relationship management dimensions’ level of implementation in two multinational companies (MNC) from different industries within fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.