Understanding frontline employees’ knowledge management in key aspects of customer relationship management : insights from contemporary hotels

Abstract

The relationship between knowledge management (KM) and customer relationship management (CRM) is vital to business success, yet their intersection remains underexplored. This study investigates how KM processes are integrated into the core dimensions of CRM. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on rich data collected from purposefully selected employees of three- to five-star hotels in Accra, Ghana. The study identifies four essential KM processes: knowledge accumulation, formation, retention and implementation. Findings reveal that KM is deeply embedded in more than three key functional dimensions of CRM, with this integration being both pervasive and instrumental in enhancing CRM practices. Based on these insights, theoretical and practical implications are discussed to help industry professionals optimize the integration of KM and CRM.