6/ CONCLUSION: e-CRM adoption, the challenges to
face
6.1 Focus on the SMEs: the tricky adoption of ICT and
e-business solutions
We must take into consideration that investing in ICT and
e-business solutions is quite complicated for SMEs as they have to rationalise
each investment. However, the collaboration developed between organisations and
worldwide-operated systems (e.g. reservation, booking systems) have conditioned
SMEs in the adoption of ICt and e business solutions.
SMEs have to face the lack of standardisation between the
different e-business solutions deployed across. That is the very reason why
they are afraid of costly investment in systems which would not be able to be
integrated into other systems. Taking into account the very nature of tourism
and the business capacities of SMEs in comparison with large multinational,
collaborative e-business (e.g. marketplaces or portals) is essential.
Unfortunately, standards differ from one portal to another.
As stated above, SMEs are often unable to invest in e-business
systems and applications, meanwhile, the tourism market rely more and more upon
Internet. Consequently, the building of e-marketplaces with the other industry
players will enable SMEs to gain a stronger profile in a higly competitive
environment. As
e-marketplaces require compatibility between business
practices, SMEs are obliged to manage these complicated technical
interoperability matters. This technical interoperability matter is quite
tricky as most of the SMEs entrepreneurs have a limited knowledge of the ICT
and e-business developments.
The new collaborative e-commerce enables SMEs to interact with
its partners resources and capabilities. This interaction includes real-time
collaborative design, virtual requisitioning, and joint product or service
development. It means that SMEs create value through the use of their partner's
resources.
ICT and e-business solutions are mostly addressed to the
larger enterprises of the sectors. In fact, IT vendors do have a limited
knowledge of SMEs and are mostly interested in SMEs development. That is the
reason why they provide limited adaptation solutions to the smaller
organisations.
One of the main problem that SMEs have to resolve with regard
to the use of ICT and e-business system is the focus of ICT vendors on larger
enterprises. Even if SMEs represents the vast majority of the tourism industry
players, the systems available for them are still limited.
The reluctance of SMEs in the adoption of ICT solutions
developed for larger firms seems to be legitimated by the applications of these
solutions. These solutions are more profitable to larger firms as they are
created on the basis of economies of scale and a "critical mass" of users. In
addition, the larger firms influence ICT suppliers in order to obtain the
design and development of systems that encompass their particular needs. As a
result, SMEs are becoming the ICT market follower of the larger enterprises.
Consequently, the forming of relationships with counterparts within a region or
a specific destination is likely to benefit to SMEs. This kind of alliance
would enable them to improve their efficiency, reduce their costs and improve
their revenues by gaining more dynamic holidays packages or stronger marketing
resources.
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