Empowering CRM through business intelligence applications: A study in the telecommunications sector

The application of business intelligence (BI) techniques for knowledge discovery and decision support empowers organizations in different functions. This article examines the impacts of BI on customer relationship management (CRM) functions (marketing, sales and customer services) in the telecommunications sector. The literature found that BI application in CRM in a telecommunications context is limited but necessary due to the high rate of competition between service providers and the massive data generated by subscribers. This study surveyed employees' perspectives from telecommunications companies in Oman, and results demonstrated mixed impacts. First, the results showed that implementing BI in marketing has a positive impact on business processes values, customer values, but a negative impact on employees' values. Second, implementing BI in sales has a positive impact on financial values and employees' values, but a negative impact on business processes values, and customers' values. Finally, implementing BI in customer service has a positive impact on employees' values. The study provides valuable guidelines for practitioners in the area of CRM, BI, and telecommunications to help understand why to invest in BI in specific CRM functions.