CRM implementation: critical success factors

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems have contributed significantly to the development of the economy since the business world has moved from a transaction-based economy to an economy based on customer relations, and organizations have moved from a product-oriented philosophy to a philosophy that is customer-centric. Knowing and anticipating customer needs, current and future, is at the base of a successful business strategy. CRM tools seek to respond to this new paradigm focused on the customer. A set of critical success factors (CSF) are presented to the implementation of a CRM in a technological company, as well as a list of criteria that allows to measure the success of the implementation. The study followed a qualitative approach using the MaxQDA software. The information collected through semi-structured interviews concluded that the involvement of top management, a clear definition of objectives, an adequate change management, and the consideration of the inputs of the end users are the most critical factors for the success of a CRM system implementation.