The purpose of this paper is to address two questions: what is the difference between relationship processes and purely product‐oriented processes? And to answer this question we should bear in mind what we mean by relationship, and why a customer is willing to establish and maintain a relationship at all.
An empirical analysis subjected the motives of customers and factors for the establishment and expansion of customers' relationships. In this context the relationship motives and factors can act as base to derive strategic goals of CRM and relationship processes in a further step.
Based on strategic relationship goals the paper will give answers to a systematic identification and engineering of relationship activities and processes. Thereby relationship‐oriented activities complement present product‐oriented processes. In contrast to this we derive purely relationship‐oriented processes as well, such as the customer recovery process. Such processes do not target product sales any more than rather the sustainability of relationship (in particular to valuable customers).
The benefit of the paper is an integrated and goal‐oriented derivation and design of relationship processes and activities. An example in financial services illustrates the approach and shows its application in parts.
