Results
Findings for H1
Shown in Tables II and III are findings regarding bank
customers’ perceptions of CRM activity frequency. A mean
score less than 4.0 implies that the time interval between
CRM efforts is considered to be too infrequent; a score
greater than 4.0, the time interval is considered to be too
frequent.
As depicted in Table II, the attitude mean score for an e-mail
sent once a month for those favorably disposed toward a CRM
e-mail (M ¼ 4.59) and for those unfavorably disposed toward
a CRM e-mail (M ¼ 4.92) exceeds 4.0. There is no significant
difference ( p . 0.05) between these two means. Overall, both
groups of customers apparently feel that receiving an e-mail
from the bank once a month is too often.
The two groups showed significant differences ( p , 0.05),
though, in the other two interval conditions (Table II). More
specifically, the favorable CRM e-mail group, relative to their
unfavorable CRM e-mail counterparts, perceive that the
once-in-three months and the once-per-year time intervals are
too infrequent (M ¼ 3.47 vs 3.98 and 2.37 vs 2.88,
respectively). Therefore, H1a and H1b receive some
support vis-a` -vis customer attitudes about the frequency of
a CRM e-mail.
Similar to the result obtained for e-mail, the favorable and
unfavorable CRM customer groups appear to have
statistically similar ( p . 0.05) attitudes toward receiving a
phone call from the bank once a month (favorable M ¼ 4.57
vs unfavorable M ¼ 4.95) (Table III). Indeed, both groups
feel that the one-month interval is too frequent. As in the case
of e-mail, the two customer groups possess significantly
different ( p , 0.05) attitudes toward receiving a phone call
once every three months and once a year. Those with a
favorable attitude toward a CRM phone call perceive the two
time intervals to be too infrequent relative to the unfavorable
CRM phone call group (M ¼ 3.57 vs 4.22 and 2.56 vs 3.42,
respectively). The foregoing results provide some support for
H1a and H1b regarding the frequency of a CRM telephone
call from a personal banker.
The preceding analyses thus indicate that those customers
who have a more favorable attitude toward CRM efforts
prefer a shorter time interval between CRM contacts.
Conversely, customers who hold a less favorable attitude
prefer longer time intervals between CRM contacts.
Findings for H2
H2 focused on whether customers’ intentions to maintain
their relationship with the bank varied if the frequency
between CRM implementation activities differed from what
customers desired. Specifically, favorable CRM customers,
relative to their unfavorable counterparts, were posited to be
more inclined to retain the relationship if the interval was
more frequent than anticipated. If the interval was longer than
expected, however, the opposite results were proposed.
Results for the tests of H2a and H2b are shown in Tables
IV and V.
As depicted in Table IV, customers’ intention to remain in
the relationship differs if CRM efforts are executed more
often than expected. Higher mean scores imply that an
inappropriate time interval has a negative impact on
customers’ willingness to continue the relationship with the
bank. Both customer groups’ intention to remain in the
relationship is affected negatively when a CRM e-mail occurs
more often than expected. The degree of the effect, though, is
significantly different ( p , 0.05) between the two groups.
The mean value for favorable customers (M ¼ 5.05) is lower
(relatively more inclined to retain the relationship) than that
for the unfavorable group (M ¼ 5.64). However, if customers
receive less frequent CRM e-mails than expected, no
significant difference ( p . 0.05) between the two groups’
relationship intention exists. Therefore, H2a but not H2b
receives empirical support when the context is a CRM e-mail.
Also, whether a CRM e-mail offering valuable information
changes customers’ relationship intentions was examined. As
shown in Table IV, there is a significant difference ( p , 0.05)
between the two groups’ relationship intention. Favorable
customers hold a positive attitude toward excessive, but
valuable e-mails, and thus are inclined to retain the
relationship with the bank (M ¼ 4.10). Conversely,
unfavorable customers show negative attitudes toward a
CRM e-mail that exceeds the expected interval level, even if
the information provided is valuable. In particular, they have
a stronger desire to end the relationship with the bank
(M ¼ 4.90).
When customers were asked about their reactions toward
receiving a phone call from a personal banker (Table V),
comparable findings were obtained to the foregoing e-mail
CRM efforts. Both customer groups’ relationship
maintenance intention is affected negatively when phone
calls are more often than expected. The effect, however, is
significantly different ( p , 0.05) between the two groups.
The mean value for favorable customers (M ¼ 5.17) is lower
(a greater desire to retain the relationship) than that for the
unfavorable group (M ¼ 5.82). In contrast, if customers
receive fewer phone calls than expected, no significant
difference ( p . 0.05) between the two groups’ relationship
intention exists. Therefore, H2a but not H2b receives
empirical support vis-a`-vis CRM phone calls.
Also, whether a CRM phone call providing valuable
information changes customers’ relationship intention was
examined (Table V). When the expected frequency is
exceeded, favorable customers (M ¼ 4.39) are significantly
( p , 0.05) more inclined to perpetuate the relationship with
the bank than are unfavorable customers (M ¼ 5.27), when
the information is viewed as valuable.
Findings for H3
H3 posited that bank customers and CRM personnel would
have different perceptions regarding the frequency with which
CRM efforts should be executed. As portrayed in Table VI,
there is no significant difference ( p . 0.05) between
customers and CRM personnel regarding whether once a
month (M ¼ 4.74 vs 4.71, respectively) or once in three
months (M ¼ 4.1 vs 3.72, respectively) is too frequent or
infrequent to send an e-mail. There is, though, a significant
difference ( p , 0.05) between customers (M ¼ 3.53) and
CRM personnel (M ¼ 2.59) regarding their perceptions
toward a once-a-year time interval for a CRM e-mail. CRM
personnel, relative to customers, were more likely to feel that
this is too infrequent. The foregoing suggests that H3 receives
minimal support with respect to CRM e-mail frequency.