QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF TAM
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CRM system, as well as ad hoc systems. Krystal suggested examining other ad hoc systems as an
alternative approach to CRM. She identified data security as a potential risk of CRM
technologies. She reported that the CRM is perceived as difficult to use but somewhat useful.
Mara Lopez
Mara Lopez leads IT for a university in the southern region. Her university currently uses
ActiveCampaign as its CRM. She defines CRM as client engagement, sales, and strategic
marketing and communications. Mara identifies customer service and database management as
benefits of the CRM system. She reports a moderate rate of success with adoption, varied
acceptance among employees, with moderate employee resistance. The reasons for employee
resistance center around the time commitment to using the system and perceived usefulness.
There is at least one champion present for CRM in the state. She identifies training and support
as the critical success factor; cost and resources, perceived usefulness, and scalability were
reported as the criteria for technology adoption. Mara reported training and support as the pre-
adoption approach. In her state, the CRM system is used along with various ad hoc systems.
Challenges in adoption included data integration, perceived ease of use, and training and support.
Mara identifies data privacy and data security as potential risks of the technology. Mara states
that the technology is perceived as moderately easy to use and useful. Additionally, Mara reports
that CRM ’ s ability to deliver targeted communications and its personalizations can better enable
outreach, engagement, and communications.
Samuel Reynolds
Samuel Reynolds is an Extension director at a university in the western region. His
institution includes multiple campuses and has implemented multiple CRM systems, including
Salesforce, along with several ad hoc technologies at the various campuses. Samuel defines
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