Customer Relationship Management (CRM) at Doctors Surgery

client race Man growment (CRM) at Doctors operating theaterProposed on the job(p) TitleDoes guest Relationship Management (CRM) build stronger bonds with the guests and help provide quality run in a doctors surgery at Camden? - A boldness study of NHS interrogation Background and ContextI carry chosen this topic in install to find out what argon the key issues that argon key for sure-firely running a doctors surgery. We make been seeing that thither atomic number 18 always enduring dis gladness and complain almost the go, both clinical and non-clinical.HypothesisThe hypotheses that ordain be tested in this investigate atomic number 18 as followsTo analyze what aspects of CRM strategies atomic number 18 missing in running this doctors surgery.To commit what benefits stop be attained by completely implementing CRM at PPCCTo what extent the employees are playing their role according to CRM strategies.To view in various models, strategies, theories and modes tha t stomach be mathematical functiond to make the service ingestionful at doctors surgery. plaque Background Partnership Primary Care Centre (PPCC)The Surgery has been established in 1973 for the concourse who are living in the housing. It was named Fairweather House Surgery. Initially it had 250 patients from the housing. Dr. Morris Davies was founder General Practiti atomic number 53r (GP). In 1976, Dr. Diane Rosenthal, Dr. Jonathan Rosenthal, Dr. Enid Greenbury and Dr. Wil Cupola took over from Dr. Morris Davies and this Surgery was under Camden and Islington Primary Care Trust (PCT). In 1976 Camden and Islington PCT allocated much patients and gave a practice frontier that is a catchment domain. In 1976, GPs appointed a practice nurse who used to do child immunisation, dressing, and cervical smear.In 1988 Dr. Wil Cupola left the surgery and Dr. Ian Hopkinson joined the surgery as a disunitener and there were 8 sessions of doctors and 5 sessions of nurses. GPs decided to register more patients and in 2003 total registered patients were 1900.It was difficult to offer more function from the small premise, so GPs had several meeting with the PCT to move to a large building. During this time, Camden and Islington PCT shared into two and this surgery came under Islington PCT who decided to move the Surgery in a bigger premises. Meanwhile, one of the local GP died and a nonher GP went for retirement.In 1st October of 2003, Fairweather House Surgery shifted to new built premises and named the surgery as Partnership Primary Care Centre (PPCC). After go to this new premise, there are now 16 consulting session of doctors, 10 nurses session and 5 health care assistant sessions. Now the total registered patient is 3300 and growing e trulyday.(Source Mr. Rashidul Hasan Practice animal trainer and Mrs. Heather Johnson Ex-Practice Manager at PPCC)Services Offered at PPCCServices that are offered by PPCC are personal doctoring, urgent medical exam problems, out of hours emergencies, home visits, talking to a doctor or nurse on the telephone, family planning services , antenatal care , child health surveillance, screening and health promotion, travel immunisations advice, sexual health for teenagers adults, cease smoking advice, alcohol advice , advice on drug problems, test results, repeat prescription service, interpreting services, careers needs and particular(prenominal) nurse-led clinics available that include asthma/COPD clinics, diabetic clinic, cervical smears, childhood immunisation, family planning, heart disease/stroke prevention, advantageously person checks. (Source PPCC leaflet)Customer Relationship Management System at PPCCThe surgery uses patient selective teaching memory system called VISION that is the most popular GP entropy storage system in the country. It has been hold by the comp any called INPS. It holds all the information well-nigh the patients who are registered with PPCC. It holds the name, date of birth, conductress, telephone numbers and plain the medical information. This system is also linked with the Whittington Hospital in target to receive test results including X-rays that are transferred electronically to the surgery.Rationale for the chosen topicI have selected Customer Relationship Management (CRM) because it is one of the best and most popular methods of developing stronger bonds with guests (in this research my clients are the patients who keep an eye on to the doctors surgery). It can be express that if there is no patients and so there is no need of doctors surgery, that is no patient, no business. By the murder of CRM strategies, PPCC can become one of the role model for new(prenominal) doctors practices. Customer cheer is the core of any business and when it comes to patients, it is a must.Research Questions- Formulation of researchable questionsLike all research, my research also has an objective and to succeed that objective I have prepared a res earchable question. The most important question to me is How effective pass on be customer consanguinity management strategies in providing quality services in doctors surgery?I result be focussing on this question through out my analysis of this research. Some of the important concerns that volition arise while answering this question are as follows What is CRM? Usage of CRM? What are the organisational benefits of CRM? How successful CRM can be in providing quality services? To what level can customer satisfaction can be achieved? How the organisation can achieve competitive advantage by CRM?Research AimThe pay off of this research is to determine the relationship betwixt the CRM and the quality of services and does it build a stronger bond with customers.Research ObjectivesThe main objective behind this research is to sympathise and identify the root cause of customer dissatisfaction with the services provided at the doctors surgery. This research testament focus on the real life example of a capital of the United Kingdom base doctors surgery called Partnership Primary Care Centre (PPCC). I will discuss closely the implementation and benefits of CRM to PPCC.In order to achieve the above aim, the following research objectives have been set To understand and identify the root cause of customer dissatisfaction with the services provided by the doctors surgery, To determine the variable factors that could influence customer satisfaction level, To determine how CRM can bring a positive change in the quality of service, To identify how implementation of CRM can benefits PPCC.Literature checkA literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and some(prenominal)times information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. For the purpose of this research, the literature review is on Customer Relationship Management (CRM).Customer Relationship Management (CRM)The break up a business can manage the r elationships it has with its customers the more successful it will become. In order to have a disclose savvy and knowledge around the customers needs and demands, customer relationship management strategies can be used. Customer relationship management (CRM) is non just the application of technology, but is a strategy to learn more about customers needs and behaviours in order to build up stronger relationships with them. As such it is more of a business philosophy than a technical solution to assist in dealing with customers effectively and cost-effectively. (www.xicom.biz , Accessed 21/08/09)According to Armstrong and Kotler (2005) customer relationship management (CRM) is managing detailed information about exclusive customers and carefully managing customer tally points in order to maximize customer loyalty. CRM involves all of the corporate functions ( marketing, manufacturing, customer services, field sales, and field service) required to contact customers straight off or indirectly. The term contact lens points is used in CRM to refer to the many ways in which customers and firms interact. (Gray and Byun, 2001)The theme of customer relationship management CRM is based upon identifying understanding and being able to provide a better service to customers. CRM allows build a better relationship with customers, improving customer satisfaction and maximising profitability. It is about understanding, anticipating and responding to the exact needs of customers with a constant eye for making the services to them the best it can possibly be. The main target of CRM is to improve long-term growth and profitability through a better understanding of customer behaviour. (Source www.customerrelationshipmanagementcrmuk.co.uk, Accessed 21/08/09)CRM consists of three basic components customer, relationship and management. (Roberts-Witt, 2000)CustomerIf there is no customer then there will be no profit now or in the future. But a good customer, who provides mo re profit with less resource, is always scarce because customers are knowledgeable and the competition is fierce. sometimes it is difficult to distinguish who is the real customer because the buying decision is frequently a collaborative operation among participants of the decision-making process (Wyner, 1999). Information technologies can offer the skills to distinguish and manage customers. CRM can be thought of as a marketing approach that is based on customer information (Wyner, 1999).RelationshipThe relationship between a company and its customers involves consecutive bi-directional communication and interaction. The relationship can be short-term or long-term, continuous or discrete, and repeating or one-time. Relationship can be attitudinal or behavioural. Even though customers have a positive attitude towards the company and its products or services, their buying behaviour is highly situational (Wyner, 1999).ManagementCRM is not an activity totally within a marketing depa rtment. Rather it involves continuous corporate change in culture and processes. The customer information unruffled is transformed into corporate knowledge that leads to activities that take advantage of the information and of market opportunities. CRM required a comprehensive change in the organization and its people (Wyner, 1999).Specific software program to support the management process involves Field Service, E-Commerce Ordering, Self Service Applications, Catalogue Management, Bill Presentation, Marketing Programs, and digest Applications. They can be used to take the advantage of CRM, but keeping in mind that CRM is not about just technology but more about quality service.(Source http//www.tupublicas.com/docs/12-44-15-02-2004-leyva.pdf, Accessed 17/08/09)The core components of customer relationship managementThe content of a CRM strategy consists of six mutually dependent criteria (Donaldson and OToole, 2002)Emphasis on quality if we provide poor service we will lose our c ustomers and ultimately business. The core product totally is no longer sufficient, and service quality is considered as the key to successful business.Measure customer satisfaction but manage customer service This implies understanding and defining the various benefits that a prospect expects preliminary to purchase and the management of the gap between expectations and performance after the purchase process.Invest in people Both internal and external relationships are important. Implementation of a relationship orientation can exclusively come from the people in the organisation understanding the objectives set and meeting the required standards.Maintaining dialogue with customers construction long-term relationships is the key issue in CRM. Companies that listen and adapt to preferences of individual customers have a high chance to retain them and make them loyal.Setting realistic targets and assessing performance Organisations must have an understanding of customer views of the various elements in the offering and the elements important to each individual customer.Relationship-based interfaces This means being in touch with both internal and external customers in a responsive and flexible manner. In practice, there is a gap between what firms do, what they should do, and what is most desirable to do. The means of communication should be adapted to the needs of the individual customer. (Donaldson and OToole, 2002)Types of Customer Relationship ManagementThere are opposite variations in CRM approaches and they are all in different software packages focusing on different aspects. Some of the main types of CRM are as follows usable CRMOperational CRM is for front office business processes. It interactions with customers to garner and stored customer information, so that later staff can retrieve customer information as necessary. The reasons for storing this information are as followsManaging campaignsEnterprise Marketing mechanization gross sales Force AutomationSales Management SystemAnalytical CRMAnalytical CRM makes strong use of data mining and former(a) techniques to create useful results for decision-making Analytical CRM analyzes customer data for a many reasons and they areDesigning and executing targeted marketing campaignsDesigning and executing campaigns,Analyzing customer behavior in order to make decisions relating to products and servicesManagement information systemIn this stage the importance of fully integrated CRM software becomes most apparent because the more information the analytical software has available for analysis, the better is the predictions and recommendations are.Sales Intelligence CRMSales Intelligence CRM is more or less like Analytical CRM, but is mean as a more direct sales tool. Features include alerts sent to sales staff regardingCross-selling/Up-selling/Switch-selling opportunitiesCustomer driftSales performanceCustomer trendsCustomer marginsCustomer alignment promote ManagementCampaign man agement includes elements of Operational and Analytical CRM. The functions includeTarget groups formed from the client base according to selected criteria direct campaign-related material to selected recipients using various channels.Tracking, storing, and analyzing campaign statistics, including tracking responses and analyzing trendsCollaborative CRMCollaborative CRM consists of a companys dealings with customers that are handled by various departments within a company, such as sales, technical support and marketing. Staff members from different departments can share information bundle uped when interacting with customers. Collaborative CRMs main focus is to use information collected by all departments to improve the quality of services provided by the company. (Edwards, 2007)Consumer Relationship CRMConsumer Relationship System is chiefly for a companys dealing with customers handled by the Consumer Affairs and Customer Relations contact centers within a company.(Source http//e n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management, Accessed 24/08/09)Benefits of Customer Relationship ManagementExceptional customer service is about being aware of customer needs and reacting to them effectively. CRM facilitates to understand, anticipate and respond to customers needs in a consistent way, through out the organization.Practicing CRM requires an efficient and integrated internal business system. Many businesses benefit from the organizational discipline CRM imposes, as well as from the technology itself.CRM will help business if we view it as a set of tools that let us do more for, and get more from, our customer.CRM canDevelop better communication channels move in vital data, like customer details and order historiesCreate detailed profiles such as customer preferencesDeliver instant, company-wide access to customer historiesIdentify new selling opportunitiesTo better serve customers, organizations must tick off that information can be accessed through one sin gle source throughout the enterprise. (Source http//www.is4profit.com/business-advice/it-telecoms/crm-customer-relationship-management_2.html, Accessed 16/08/09) crinkle benefits of CRMSetting customer relationship management (CRM) solution in practice requires substantial time and expense. However, there are many potential benefits. A major benefit can be the development of better relations with the existing customers that leads toIncreased sales through better timing due to anticipating needs based on historic trends,Identifying needs more effectively by understanding specific customer requirements,Cross-selling of other products by highlighting and suggesting alternatives or enhancements,Identifying which of the customers are profitable and which are not.This can lead to better marketing of the products or services by focusing onEffective targeted marketing communications aimed specifically at customer needs,A more personal approach and the development of new or improved products and services in order to win more business in the future.Finally this leads toEnhanced customer satisfaction and retention, ensuring that the good reputation in the marketplace continues to grow,Increased value from existing customers and reduced cost associated with backing and servicing them, increasing overall efficiency and reducing total cost of sales,Improved profitability by focusing on the most profitable customers and dealing with the unprofitable in more cost effective ways.Once the business starts to look after its existing customers effectively, focus can be shifted on finding new customers and expanding the market. The more we know about our customers, the easier it is to identify new prospects and increase our customer base. (Source http//www.businesslink.gov.uk/, Accessed 16/08/09)Customer privacy is an important issue in CRM. CRM deals with large amounts of customer data throughout various touch points and communication means. The personalization process in CRM re quires identification of each individual customer and collections of demographic and behavioural data, this is the very information that most customers consider personal and private. The individual organisation gets into an ethical dilemma as it wants to collect as much information as possible about each customer to further its sales. It is a must to have the customer consent to avoid any future problems. Authorized personnel should only have the access to the stored information and data.Drawbacks of CRMAs of any other topic there are some negative sides about CRM. According to a research study released in March, 2001 by the Meta Group (cited in Connor 2001), between 55% to 75% of CRM projects fail to meet management objectives. However, research undertaken by CRM Guru (The Blueprint for CRM conquest 2002) indicates that the failure rate of CRM projects is 35 %. About 50 % of projects get a payback within 18 months.Research MethodologyThe two most common methods of data collection for any research are qualitative and quantitative. It is important to define qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative data is the term given to data that can be quantified where as qualitative data is the term given to data based on meanings which are expressed through words and language (Anderson, 2004). Both these methods will be used to gather data and information for this research.Interviews will be conducted with the staff members to learn about their ideas and opinions on what they can add to the existing services that they provide. If possible and permitted, then a group of patients will be selected and will be interviewed about what their expectations from the doctors surgery. A questionnaire will be prepared for conducting this research which will be given to the patients who come to take service to the surgery. All these descriptive, exploratory, ethnographic, qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to fulfill the requirements of this research. entropy army MethodsThis study draws on both first-string and secondary data, such as past customer satisfaction levels, as well as both qualitative and quantitative data. The main focus will be on the qualitative approach as well as observation. This is because my data analysis will be based on words rather than figures. In addition to this, an interview will be conducted on a focused group of patients as primary data source.Primary Data Collection MethodsPrimary sources are original works of research or raw data without interpretation or pronouncements that represent an official opinion or position. Included among the primary sources are memos, letters, complete interviews or speeches (in audio, video, or written transcript formats), laws, regulations, court decisions or standards, and most government data, including census, economic, and labour data, (Cooper and Schindler, 2003). For the purpose of my research, qualitative method of data collection is more appropriate. Qualitative rese arch is centrally concerned with the understanding rather than the beat things (Hague Jackson, 1996). Moreover it is conceptualise that qualitative research provides data that is open to interpretation and argue. (Brassington Pettitt, 1996). The search will use a combination of structured and unstructured questionnaires during face-to-face in-depth interview that provide a mixture of close and open-ended questions for ease and for the acquiring optimum data. The interviews will be with the parties, the service providers and the service receivers that is the patients.Questionnaire and InterviewQuestionnaire will be one of the most important approaches that would be used in this research as it provides the simplest and fast-paced way of primary data collection. A questionnaire will be design to handout to all interviewees and this will give me the data I need to base my theories on.Interviews will be taken to collect data in which selected participants are asked questions in ord er to find out about their activities, thoughts or feeling about relative issues.The sample size will be 50 plus and of both sexes and of different age groups.Secondary Data Collection MethodsStudies made by others for their own purposes represent secondary data, (Cooper and Schindler, 2003). This will include both qualitative and quantitative data as well as descriptive and exploratory research.Books, magazines, articles, journals and other kinds of publications will be used to gather the data. The libraries that will be used for resources are London civilise of Commerce Library, the British Library, City Business Library and Online Library of University of Phoenix. As this report is a case on NHS (National Health Service), the web sites of the NHS and PPCC will be used to get information about the doctors surgery. The information gathered on the secondary research will be presented in the literature review part of this research.Data AnalysisThe primary data that will be gathered through questionnaire as a form of quantitative analysis will be analysed by using the Microsoft Excel spread sheet. To have a better understanding of the data, they will be presented in Pie chart and Bar charts. The findings will be also put as percentage of the total sample size. The interview will be analysed as qualitative data as there will be opinions, suggestions and views of the participants.Resource RequirementsSome of the expenses that would incur during the primary data collection would be for light refreshments for the interviewees and the expenses for secondary data would be for buying the referral books, magazines, printing and screening of the research. There will be also some additional transportation cost for travelling to the libraries. meter ScaleTime is a crucial element for any kind of work and I believe that the dissertation can be completed according to the following time scale.Time Scale workweekActivity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Submission of the Proposal Literature ReviewInterviews Updating Literature Review Data Collections and Questionnaire Data Analysis First design of dissertation Revising draft Second draft of dissertation Final editing and preparing Final report ready