Abstract

On the global market level, the competitiveness of companies from Western Balkans, except Slovenia and Montenegro, is at a very low level. According to Global Competitiveness Report 2010 to 2011, companies from Western Balkans were ranked from 45^th to 102^nd positions. The main objective of modern business should be to achieve business excellence and reach world class of product and services. The companies which actively and constantly apply modern methods and techniques of management have significantly better chances to improve their competitive capacity on the global market and to take stable market position with a perspective for further market growth. In order to make Western Balkan countriescompetitive internationally, it is necessary to change their way of thinking and, in some time, to adopt modern world achievements in the sphere of organizational management. One of the ways to considerably effect on improvement of the competitive advantage is the acceptance and application of customer relationship management (CRM) concept. This paper is an analysis of the concept of customer relationship management and competitiveness of companies from Western Balkans. In addition, it offers specific recommendations for improving the competitiveness of companies from Western Balkans within regional and global frames.

Key words: Customer relationship management (CRM), customer satisfaction, competitiveness, business quality, business excellence, competitive advantage.