AI Integration in CRM: Challenges, Opportunities and Guidelines for Successful Adoption. A Design Science Research

Sammanfattning

Driven by the forces of digital transformation, both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) have become essential components in today’s business environment. The integration of AI into CRM promises considerable opportunities but also introduces significant challenges for organizations. As a result, this thesis seeks to answer the following research question: “How can AI be successfully integrated into CRM across strategic, operational, and analytical CRM?” The research question is based on the explicated problem that states that “there exists no comprehensive overview of actual implications of AI integration into CRM while also providing practical guidelines for successful adoption.” To answer this research question and address the explicated problem, a Design Science Research (DSR) approach was chosen, complemented by a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The SLR included 19 articles published between 2021 and 2025, and applied an abductive thematic analysis. The analysis identified key opportunities and challenges in each of the three CRM types (that is, strategic, operational, and analytical CRM) and forms the basis for the development of a set of guidelines for CRM-experts. The results show that AI can enhance CRM functionalities through opportunities such as improved customer personalization, real-time analytics, and lead management, creating an overall competitive advantage. At the same time, challenges such as AI ethics, data quality issues, and employee resistance are evident and must be addressed. Based on these findings, a set of 14 guidelines is presented as the artifact of this study. Structured according to the three CRM types, it offers practical guidelines to support CRM-experts with AI integration in CRM. The artifact was evaluated through interviews with CRM-experts, which underscored its relevance while also offering suggestions for improvement. The discussion highlights how the guidelines address practical barriers and offer a concrete roadmap for organizations seeking to implement AI into CRM.