CRM Is Not a Task: Examples from the Hospitality Sector

Abstract

In today's competitive business environment, attracting, nurturing and retaining customers is really a tall order. It is often advocated that an IT-enabled Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool would provide the answer. But CRM is not just a routine task that can be driven and dictated by a machine, especially in the restaurants and hotels business, where one deals with sensitive issues like food, accommodation and personal service. More than the quality of the services rendered, personal empathy and respect for the customer are the most important CRM tools for the hospitality sector. This article provides several illustrations to drive home this point.

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management, Hospitality Industry, CRM