Title: Customer knowledge management or consumer surveillance

Authors: Jennifer Rowley

Addresses: School for Business and Regional Development, University of Wales, Bangor, LL57 2DG, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Abstract: As organisations develop their customer knowledge practices, processes and competence, consumers and citizens need an increasingly sophisticated appreciation of the potential for, and nature of, consumer surveillance. The discussion in the paper is informed by an analysis of three typical transaction records, respectively from a supermarket, a bank and a telephone company. Analysis of these illustrates the type of patterns and customer knowledge that can be extracted. Organisations can use this data in shaping customer portfolios, building segments, new product development, fashioning business processes and customer service, and in marketing communication and promotions. Options for consumer response to surveillance include: ignore, monitor, engage, and sabotage.

Keywords: knowledge management; customer relationship management; CRM; customer knowledge management; consumer surveillance; consumer response.

DOI: 10.1504/GBER.2005.006923

Global Business and Economics Review, 2005 Vol.7 No.1, pp.100 - 110

Published online: 25 Apr 2005 *

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