CRM strategies within small and medium family-owned businesses: a multiple case study

Building and maintaining close, cooperative and long-term relationship with customers is essential in the current era of intense competition. Therefore, this study examines how family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt and implement customer relationship management (CRM) strategies, focusing on their unique dynamics, including familial values, financial independence, and long-term orientation. Through a qualitative analysis of three Moroccan family SMEs, the research highlights how these businesses leverage relational strengths and social capital to build trust and loyalty while facing challenges in scalability and innovation. The findings emphasise the need for tailored CRM tools, digital transformation, and intergenerational collaboration to balance tradition with modernisation. Practical recommendations include involving younger generations, formalising customer data, and aligning CRM strategies with long-term business goals. This work fills a research gap on CRM adoption in family SMEs and provides actionable insights for enhancing their competitive edge.