Title: Factors affecting the use of social networks as a customer relationship management tool

Authors: Mohammed T. Nuseir; Abdallah AlShawabkeh; Emma Louise Leibfried

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, College of Business, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi Campus, P.O. Box 112612 Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Department of Business Administration, College of Business, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi Campus, P.O. Box 112612 Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Steinbeis Hochschule, Institute of Executive Capabilities (IEC), The Steinbeis-University Berlin, Ernst-Augustin-Str. 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany

Abstract: Social networking finds its essence in communication. People communicate with their friends and acquaintances to increase their social capital, deepen their existing relationships, and enter into new relationships. By sub-categorising social networks into three main criteria factors, namely social structures, relationships, and communities, this study aimed to investigate companies' potential to use customers' social networks as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool in order to maintain the existing customer base and to acquire new customers. The sample included 268 participants from Germany and the UK. Study results revealed that the incorporation of social networks could serve as a powerful CRM tool for companies. The management of companies should therefore be aware of these influential factors to improve customer service and CRM processes.

Keywords: social networks; social media; social network marketing; customer relationship management; CRM; CRM tool.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2021.119182

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2021 Vol.38 No.2, pp.179 - 199

Received: 26 Feb 2019
Accepted: 27 May 2019
Published online: 29 Nov 2021 *

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