Morrisons has become the latest brand to invest into customer service reputation management, according to an article in industry publication Marketing Week.
According to the piece, the supermarket chain hopes that by implementing CRM technology, the brand will be able to compete more effectively with competitors like Tesco and Sainsbury’s; companies which have already been utilising CRM systems for a number of years.
Primarily, the Morrisons system will be launched across 10 stores, although the company plans to open the scheme up over the next 6 months to include other locations across the UK. The CRM system will also operate across the recently acquired Kiddicare brand.
Speaking to Marketing Week, Morrisons marketing director Alison Lancaster explained the intended CRM system will eventually integrate both the Kiddicare and Morrisons brands into one central database. This process will allow the retailer to collate customer data across the two brands, providing greater insight into purchase behaviour for each consumer.
“It’s not just about having a single customer view, but having a single organisational view,” she commented
It is not yet clear whether Morrisons’ proposed system will rely on a loyalty scheme (similar to the Tesco Clubcard system) or whether the company will utilise the CRM for the brand’s expanding online business in order to collect data.
No mention has been made, however, of any inclusion of social media data in the CRM system; a channel through which rival Sainsbury’s currently obtains 5 per cent of its customer service contacts.
Though plans clearly represent a forward leap for the brand, further opportunities remain for it to develop its CRM strategy in order to benefit financially from a more comprehensive understanding of individual customer behaviour.
