Providing a Comprehensive Model for Customer Knowledge Management in Industrial Companies Affiliated with the Mostazafan Foundation

Abstract

Customer knowledge offers a dual-value proposition. On one hand, it helps companies better meet customer needs by identifying their requirements and desires, thereby creating value for customers. On the other hand, by identifying needs, behaviors, consumption patterns, and demands, it aids organizations in the development and improvement of products and services tailored to customer needs, thereby increasing profitability and customer loyalty. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present a model for customer knowledge management in industrial companies affiliated with the Mostazafan Foundation of the Islamic Revolution. This research is applied in purpose and descriptive-analytical in nature. The research method is qualitative. The statistical population consists of academic experts and managers of industrial companies affiliated with the Mostazafan Foundation, from which 12 individuals were selected using snowball sampling and theoretical saturation. The data collection tool for the qualitative section was semi-structured interviews based on theoretical foundations. The data analysis method used was grounded theory. The results of this section were explained in the form of 4 main categories and 19 sub-categories. The results indicated that the identified factors related to the dimensions, drivers, and outcomes of the customer knowledge management model in industrial companies affiliated with the Mostazafan Foundation in this study include: evaluating the current state of knowledge within the organization, collecting, documenting, and transferring customer knowledge, establishing effective communication with customers, and fully understanding their needs and interests, focusing on the process of creating knowledge about customers, conducting psychological assessments of customers, and analyzing customer behavior, feedback strategies from customers (through surveys, comments, feedback, and interviews with customers), focusing on the company’s knowledge-based products, reviewing the history of current customers (previous purchasing behaviors), applying creative ideas regarding products and services, emphasizing the training of knowledge transfer and management methods, strengthening technological infrastructure, collaborating with customers in creating shared value, comparing the sales of new products with competitor products, measuring the achievement of set goals, increasing efficiency in customer service and customer orientation, digital self-service tailored to the customer (in the field of customer support), intelligently transferring customer requests to relevant experts, creating the greatest value from knowledge and knowledge management at a strategic level, and improving the quality and speed of decision-making and customer service.