The Implementation of social CRM : Key features and significant challenges associated with thepractical implementation of social Customer RelationshipManagement

The rise of social media has challenged the traditional notionof CRM and introduced a new paradigm, known as socialCRM. While there are many benefits and opportunitiesassociated with the integration of social data in CRMsystems, a majority of companies are failing their social CRMimplementation. Since social CRM is still considered to be ayoung phenomenon, knowledge regarding itsimplementation and functionalities is limited. The purpose ofthis study is to contribute to the current state of knowledgeregarding the factors which influence the practicalimplementation of social CRM. In order to capturestate-of-the-art knowledge on this topic, a literature reviewwas conducted. In addition, interviews with CRM expertsworking within five Swedish companies were included inorder to gain additional insights from practice. Findingsindicate that the key features needed for social CRMimplementation revolve around the real-time monitoring,collection, processing, storing and analyzing of social data.Advanced technical tools, such as Big Data Technology, aredeemed required in order to handle large volumes of dataand properly transform it into valuable knowledge. The mostsignificant challenges identified heavily revolve aroundlimited knowledge as well as various technical andorganizational limitations. Additionally, findings indicatethat a multitude of uncertainties of practitioners revolvearound data legislations and privacy concerns. Hence, whilesocial CRM can entail a multitude of benefits, there are asignificant number of challenges which seem to stand in theway of unlocking the full potential of social CRM. In orderfor social CRM implementation to be made more accessiblefor organizations in the future, there is a need for moreknowledge and clarity regarding factors such as technicalsolutions, organizational changes and legislations