EXPLORING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT IN TWO PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN KUWAIT

The private hospital industry in Kuwait is an important contributor in the economy of the country. There has been a major increase in the number of private hospitals and clinics in the past four years, and more hospitals are launching new services in the private healthcare sector. In order to succeed in this sector, it is important for an organization to focus on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for thriving in the competitive market. A customer relationship management strategy is believed to give a competitive edge to hospitals, as customers nowadays make their decisions based on the type and strength of the relationships that they have with their service providers. Due to the nature of hospital environment, the products and services offered are merely the same in most of the private hospitals. Therefore, in order to differentiate the services offered, CRM should be implemented in hospitals seeking the delivery of high service quality for both its internal and external customers. The quality of the delivered services is reliant on one of the most crucial elements in any service organization structure hence, the employees. Other elements such as processes and technology are also vital for a successful the implementation of CRM. The objective of this research is to explore the Customer Relationship Management strategy development and implementation by examining the components that lead to successful implementation in two private hospitals in Kuwait. The researcher used the qualitative method through conducting in-depth interviews with management staff and other respective middle and lower management in AlSeef and Royale Hayat private hospitals. The study analyzes the primary data collected using a computer software called NVIVO, v.10. The dimensions of CRM strategy and implementation, which were proven in previous research, were assessed in this study. The researcher concluded that the two private hospitals researched developed a CRM strategy to encapsulate CRM among their business strategies; however, they have weaknesses in implementation in some of the dimensions. This research helped in defining a new dimension to fill this weakness observed, which is CRM strategic aligning