A structural model of customer relationship management (CRM) strategies, rapport, and learner intentions in lifelong education

The purpose of this study is to suggest an alternative to maximize the relationship between education service provider and learner in CRM in the implementation of CRM strategy by lifelong education institutions and members. This study clarified the relationship between CRM strategy (e.g., customer orientation, education service quality, and customer value), rapport, and behavioral intention of lifelong educational institutions and employees. Content validity was verified by experts and a total of 274 preliminary surveys were used for reliability analysis and scale validation. 566 respondents were finally analyzed. The results showed that the relationship between customer orientation and customer value was mediated by the quality of education service; the quality of education service fully mediated the relationship between customer orientation and customer value; rapport had a mediating effect on the relationship between customer orientation and quality of education service, but it was found that rapport had no mediating effect in relation to quality of education service and customer value. Based on the results, this study suggested practical implications for HRD practitioners.