DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AS A STRATEGY FOR STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS IN A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Digital transformation plays a key role in shaping and improving customer relationships in a modern business environment. This paper explores how digital technologies affect customer relationship management (CRM), with an emphasis on the changes they bring to communication personalization, multi-channel access, and customer support automation. Such changes contribute to greater customer satisfaction, strengthening their loyalty, and generally better business results. Digital solutions enable organizations to better understand the needs and behaviours of their users, which increases the effectiveness of business decisions. At the same time, a new business culture based on agility, innovation, and adaptation to the user experience is also developing. Despite the advantages, the digital transformation process faces challenges such as resistance within the organization, security threats, and technical obstacles. Effective implementation of digital solutions requires a clearly defined strategy, continuous employee education, and responsible data management. Digital transformation is a strategic approach that allows companies to build long-term and quality relationships with customers in an increasingly demanding market environment. The paper presents the results of a research conducted on the implementation of digital technologies in customer relationship management processes and the effects of applying digitalization in these processes. Key words: Digital transformation, customer relationship management (CRM), personalization, omnichannel, customer loyalty.