E-commerce Significance for CRM: A B&M Company Study

This research project delves into the significance of E-commerce in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) within the context of B&M Company, a retail business. The study begins by exploring the background of digitalization and its impact on business operations, highlighting the increasing importance of E-commerce. The research aims to analyze the significance of E-commerce in CRM, assess the relationship between CRM and E-commerce, and recommend strategies for implementation. The methodology includes a literature review on the meaning and concept of E-commerce, its relationship with CRM, and its significance. The research design incorporates both exploratory and descriptive methods, with a simple random sampling technique used to collect data from employees. Data collection involves questionnaires and secondary data from books and journals. Thematic analysis is employed for data analysis, and ethical considerations are addressed. The project outlines a 20-week timeline, covering proposal development, literature review, data collection, and analysis, concluding with recommendations and conclusions regarding the effective integration of E-commerce to enhance CRM strategies and business success within B&M Company.

Research Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the study..................................................................................................................1
Research Questions..........................................................................................................................1
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................2
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................4
Research Timeline...........................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

Background of the study
Digitalisation has helped businesses in getting over new insights of operating business
activities and as such, success is achieved in effective way. The opportunities provided by digital
technology had been wonderful for the organisation in carrying out operations in the best
possible manner and ensuring goals are accomplished with much ease. It is viable for firm as
several benefits have been imparted such as improvement in business processes, deploying
effective business models etc. In according to the study, nearly 91 % of employees' wants
changing processes to digitised way so that work may be streamlined quite effectually. In
relation to this, E-commerce has revolved around organisation which means conducting activities
through usage of internet basically on electronic network (Bharadwaj, El Sawy, Pavlou and
Venkatraman, 2013). Thus, it is important for business to implement such technology as more
and more customers are making payments and purchasing goods electronically. One of the
industry that is retail is much influenced by digital technology as all departments are interlinked
to each other and perform activities. Present study is based on B&M Company which is engaged
in retail business and sells quality goods to customers. In relation to organisation, importance of
E-commerce on firm will be highlighted in the research and as such, various objectives and aim
will be formulated to gain clear understanding of research.
Aim: To analyse significance of E-commerce in CRM (Customer Relationship Management) in
context to B&M Company
Objectives:
 To analyse meaning and concept of E-commerce driving success for business
 To assess relationship between CRM and E-commerce on B&M Company
 To assess significance of E-commerce in CRM
 To recommend and implement well-structured strategies of E-commerce for CRM
Research Questions
 What is the meaning and concept of the term E-commerce initiated as unfolding digital
technology?
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 What relationship exists between E-commerce and digital technology on B&M
Company
 What is the significance of E-commerce in CRM for organisation?
Rationale
The rational behind taking this research is to provide useful insight of digital technology
that is providing business a way to achieve stated objectives in the best possible manner. For
effectively reaching to end of the research, retail sector is being studied thoroughly. The benefits
carried out by the research is that I'm able to assess kinds of modern digitised technologies which
are directly benefiting firm. Books, journals, literature and published articles are taken into
account for extracting information regarding secondary research quite effectively.
Literature Review
It is formulated to analyse impact of E-commerce on the business. Moreover, methods
have been deployed for implicating E-commerce for initiating processes or organisation.
Meaning and concept of E-commerce as unfolding technology
E-commerce is helping organisation in achieving goals in effective way. According to
Brinkmann (2014), various retailers are present in the industry which are accelerating growth of
business by deploying digitalised technology for attaining profits in the best possible manner.
Digital experiences are provided to customers which are achievable because of transforming
normal business operations in streamlined process by using digital techniques. Orders are made
by consumers and as such, they are based on digitalisation which helps to manage business
process by effectively handling orders with much ease. As per the views of Buckingham (2013),
E-commerce is buying and selling goods on the internet and helping firm to raise marketing of
goods and services and as such, business is able to sell off items and services by using electronic
network in effectual manner. The transactions are made by utilising digitalised technology and as
such, commodities are sold quite effectively.
As per the views of Fichman, Dos Santos and Zheng (2014), E-commerce is useful as it
imparts two benefits such as cost-effective goods and availability of large quantum of goods. In
relation to this, B&M Company has been continuously updating its techniques and achieving
new insights and success is accomplished by implementing modern technology in the business. It
is enhancing relationship with customers by initiating marketing and promoting goods.
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According to Fitzgerald, Kruschwitz, Bonnet and Welch (2014), applications and E-commerce
websites are increasing day-by-day which are helping to inject sales by selling goods
electronically. Modern technology is benefiting organisation by imparting diversified channels
such as E-commerce, E-marketing and related channels for garnering sales with much ease. The
way of doing business is also transformed by firm and as such, it is adopting new and efficient
methods and channels to enhance its customers' base and attaining revenue quite easily. Delivery
of goods are also getting faster because E-commerce solutions are helping organisation to
accomplish new orders and garnering profits.
Relationship between CRM and E-commerce
As per the views of Haight, Quan-Haase and Corbett, (2014), E-commerce has made
drastic change in the retail sector and providing new insights to business and helping in
accomplishing stated goals and objectives. E-commerce is useful for organisation as goods are
sold through use of internet, thereby saving costs of operating physical stores quite easily.
Neuman (2013), says that revenue has been increasing up to a high extent for the business as it is
adopting digital technology and to build brand identity in front of customers with much ease.
CRM is broad term which is essential modern business activity helping organisation to enhance
sales and maximising brand value by effectively maintaining relationship with new and potential
customers leading to broaden customer base.
However, Pagani (2013) says that business was benefited by E-commerce through virtual
selling but it had inculcated certain bad consequences and viewpoints by customers. It is evident
from the fact that customers were not at all happy with virtual shopping experiences due to
longer traffic found on websites leading to crashing, more time required to deliver products are
some of the main consequences of E-commerce leading to decline. The retailers are competing
with one another leading to decreased profits as new tactics are adopted by organisation leading
to more costs to garner customers in effective way. The online platform is used by implementing
extra customer support services for resolving queries of consumers, imparting hefty discounts
adding to overall costs and thereby reducing profits. However, customers prefer online shopping
as it saves time for purchasing goods and as such, firm gets benefit out of the same.
Significance of E-commerce in CRM
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As per the views of Lewis (2015), E-commerce has changed way of doing business and
as such, organisation is required that modern technique should be implemented to get desired
results in the best possible manner. B&M Company is also under pressure to effectively use such
technology so that goods may be differentiated from that of rivals and as a result, sales may be
injected quite effectually. In order to accomplish this, proper and adequate research needs to be
conducted, competitors' analysis need to be made and solutions of E-commerce are needed as
well. This technology is benefiting organisation to drive towards success and good quantum of
profits are attained quite effectually. The retail sector is attaining sales and injecting overall
growth of country. According to Miller (2012), CRM will be improved because of
implementation of E-commerce helping to strive for strengthening and maintaining relationship
with customers in effective way. Moreover, it is helping to retain dedicated and hard working
employees with much ease.
In opinion of Smith and Wynne, (2017), E-commerce is helping organisation which were
accomplishing daily activities as per traditional methods incurring more costs and lesser benefits.
For retail organisation, it is required that it should provide user friendly experience on the
websites and helping customers' to buy goods by staying at their homes. B&M Company should
provide 24 hours service to customers to enhance their shopping experiences. Moreover, E-
commerce allows effectively to expand business operations of firm. Furthermore, applications
and websites are required to provide better user experience to customers. Thus, E-commerce has
been helping in maintaining relationship with consumers in effective way so that overall
customers may be satisfied and increased profits are attained by company.
Research Methodology
 Research Philosophy-
The research philosophy is required in order to conduct research in the best possible
manner. It will be required by researcher to complete research and finding out conclusion by
taking appropriate data and applying certain vital concepts quite effectually (Research
Philosophy. 2018). Appropriate data will be collected by scholar to attain useful insight about the
study in hand. In relation to this, positivism and interpretivism will be used to evaluate research
in effective way. This is required to have proper understanding of the research topic of impact of
digital technology in business activities.
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 Research Design-
It is also important part of the research so that appropriate design may be adopted to
provide concrete results in effectual manner. Research design will be helpful for attaining useful
insight of current study on B&M Company. There are basically two types of such design namely
exploratory and descriptive research. The exploratory type of research design is helpful in
attaining new insights about what is happening in the current scenario and as such, it provides
solution to research questions posed and study can be easily evaluated with much ease.
Descriptive method is used to provide clarity in relation to business situations (Wang and et.al,
2017). The descriptive research will be utilised by researcher to analyse impact of E-commerce
on success of firm.
 Sampling-
The sampling is required which is used to select few samples from the universe which
will be representative of whole population under study. Sampling helps to focus on sample in
order to interpret views of large quantum of population. There are two sampling methods such as
probabilistic and non-probabilistic. Probabilistic is qualitative technique used to calculate
viewpoints and mainly, simple random sampling, stratified sampling are used. On the other hand,
non-probabilistic sampling is done without calculation and size is taken. In present research of
assessing impact of digital technology on B&M Company, simple random sampling will be used
by scholar by selecting 20 employees and information can be collected in effective manner and
viewpoints will be analysed regarding usefulness of E-commerce in firm.
 Data collection-
Data collection is important for analysing research in that way by which useful insights
may be gathered quite effectually. Mainly, there are two types of data used by scholar namely
primary and secondary data. Primary data is collected by researcher which is first handed data
and is not used in previous research. On the other hand, secondary data is taken in order to
extract already published data such as from books, journals, published articles and related data
which is used in previous researches (O'Leary, 2017). Primary data will be collected by
providing questionnaires and secondary data will be gathered as well.
 Data analysis-
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The data analysis is required in order to present information in effective way. The
qualitative data has no such method, however, it will be transformed into useful information with
ease. In current study, thematic analysis will be used by scholar so that information can be
extracted regarding impact of digital technology on B&M Company quite effectually. Hence,
reliability will be achieved by performing thematic analysis.
 Ethical considerations-
The ethical considerations are required to be followed so that information may be
attained by taking consent of people in effective manner. In relation to this, confidentiality will
be made with regards to data collected from the employees of B&M Organisation so that data
would be privately held. Furthermore, data will be gathered by taking permission of workers
quite effectually.
Research Timeline
The plan will be taken by researcher to accomplish study within 20 weeks-
Activities /
weeks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 1
0
11 1
2
13 1
4
15 1
6
17 1
9
20
Research
proposal
Aim and
objectives of
research
Conducting
Literature
Review
Selecting
methods of
research
Questionnaire
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s and
interview
results
Arranging
data in proper
format
Conducting
Data analysis
Conclusion of
research
Providing
Recommendat
ions
Accomplishin
g project
entirely
Feedback
Finally
submitting
project
CONCLUSION
Hereby it can be concluded that business is benefited by implementing digitalised
technology in the normal operations. It is useful for B&M Company to effectively attain stated
goals by selling goods on online basis and enhancing customer satisfaction quite effectually.
Hence, E-commerce is beneficial for injecting sales.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bharadwaj, A., El Sawy, O., Pavlou, P. and Venkatraman, N., 2013. Digital business strategy:
toward a next generation of insights.
Brinkmann, S., 2014. Interview. In Encyclopedia of critical psychology (pp. 1008-1010).
Springer New York.
Buckingham, D., 2013. Beyond technology: Children's learning in the age of digital culture.
John Wiley & Sons.
Fichman, R.G., Dos Santos, B.L. and Zheng, Z.E., 2014. Digital innovation as a fundamental and
powerful concept in the information Systems curriculum. MIS quarterly, 38(2).
Fitzgerald, M., Kruschwitz, N., Bonnet, D. and Welch, M., 2014. Embracing digital technology:
A new strategic imperative. MIT sloan management review, 55(2), p.1.
Haight, M., Quan-Haase, A. and Corbett, B.A., 2014. Revisiting the digital divide in Canada: the
impact of demographic factors on access to the internet, level of online activity, and social
networking site usage. Information, Communication & Society, 17(4), pp.503-519.
Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches.
Health promotion practice, 16(4), pp.473-475.
Miller, M., 2012. B2B digital marketing: Using the web to market directly to businesses. Que
Publishing.
Neuman, W.L., 2013. Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Pearson education.
O'Leary, Z., 2017. The essential guide to doing your research project. Sage
Pagani, M., 2013. Digital business strategy and value creation: Framing the dynamic cycle of
control points. Mis Quarterly, 37(2).
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Smith, G. J. and Wynne, H. J., 2017. Measuring gambling and problem gambling in Alberta
using the Canadian problem gambling index (CPGI). Alberta Gaming Research Institute.
Wang, H and et.al, 2017. Exponential stability of complex-valued memristive recurrent neural
networks. IEEE transactions on neural networks and learning systems. 28(3). pp.766-771.
Online
Research Philosophy. 2018 [Online] Available Through:
<https://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/>
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