The evolution of relationship marketing And the types of program loyalty for consumer : Review and Synthesis

Prepared by the researche : Dr:Reda fooly Osman  – Lecturer of public Relations and advertising  – At EL-Gazera high in situation

Democratic Arabic Center

Journal of Media Studies : Twenty-Eighth Issue – August 2024

A Periodical International Journal published by the “Democratic Arab Center” Germany – Berlin

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Abstract

In this article, we review the core ways to create a successful relationship marketing strategy. We look at ways to do relationship marketing, including examples and the steps to start in your business. has looked at the development of relationship marketing (RM) and the significant interest it has created among academics, consultants and practitioners alike. It examined the roots of RM and reviewed the perceived problems with traditional marketing in the light of changing and complex markets. A definition of RM was presented as a reference point upon which future analysis is based. Loyalty as a concept close to the heart of RM was elaborated upon and it was suggested that loyalty schemes may play a part in relationship maintenance but cannot realistically taken as a proxy for the RM philosophy. Additionally, this chapter investigated the arguments surrounding the costs of customer acquisition versus the costs of customer retention and summarized that whereas in many industries it can be stated that the cost of acquisition exceeds that of retention, this is always dependant on company and environment specific factors and not a universally applicable truth. The benefits of relationship longevity, including stages theories, the concept of lifetime value as well as the switching costs associated with relationship longevity where also discussed in this article.There are many benefits to a good marketing plan. The process of market planning can lead a business to discovery of new market opportunities, to better utilization of assets and capabilities, to a well-defined market focus, to improved marketing productivity, and to a baseline from which to evaluate progress toward goals. The eight broad steps in developing a marketing plan are:

1. Mission, corporate goals and objectives
2. Assessing the current internal and external situation
3. SWOT analysis
4. Segmentation, targeting and positioning

Although relationship marketing (RM) is rising as a new phenomenon, relationship oriented marketing practices date back to the pre-industrial era. In this section, we trace the history of marketing practices and illustrate how the advent of mass production, the emergence of middlemen, and the separation of the producer from the customer in the industrial era led to a transactional focus of marketing. Now, due to technological advances, direct marketing is staging a comeback, leading to a relationship orientation.

Relationship marketing establishes valuable connections between a brand and its customers. In today’s economy, this connection is crucial to a business’ success. Repeat customers drive revenue and provide additional benefits like word-of-mouth marketing and increased brand awareness. Fostering a deeper relationship with its customers helps a business achieve long-term gains for sustainable growth.

Understanding relationship marketing’s essence involves recognizing it as more than a strategy; it’s a philosophy that infuses every interaction with meaning. Beyond transactions, it seeks to create a community of loyal advocates for the brand, transforming customer engagement into a powerful driver of growth. This approach aligns with the modern consumer’s desire for authenticity and personalized attention, marking a significant shift from traditional marketing tactics focused on one-off sales to fostering enduring connections.

The expansion of relationship orientation of marketing in post-industrial era is the rebirth of direct marketing between producers and consumers. The impact of technological revolution is changing the nature and activities of the marketing organisations. The current development and introduction of sophisticated electronic and computerized communication systems into society is making it easier for consumers to interact directly with the producers. Producers are also becoming more knowledgeable about their consumers by maintaining and accessing sophisticated internet databases that capture information related to each interaction with individual consumers, at no or very low cost. As a result, the functions formerly performed by the middlemen are now being undertaken by either the consumer or the manufacturers. Producers are building such systems that allow them to undertake quick responses with regard to manufacturing, delivery and customer service, reducing the need for inventory management, financing and order processing through middlemen. Also, consumers have less time and thus a condensed inclination to go to the store for every purchase. They are willing to undertake some of the responsibilities of direct ordering, personal merchandising, and product use related services with little help from the producers. Hence, given the recent technological strides and consumer attitudes, some functions performed by middlemen may be entirely removed. Similarly, the rapid convergence of technologies, such as communication and computers, mandates that companies in such industries work on joint projects to leverage their combined resources and to share risks. Thus, inter-firm partnering and alliances is becoming increasingly popular and important.

Definition of Relationship Marketing

Although a clearer picture of RM is becoming evident in the framework of the above   mentioned evolution of the concept we would like to determine, more specifically, what is meant by the term. Despite considerable academic research and management interest, RM may still be regarded more as an ‘umbrella philosophy’ with several relational variations rather than as a wholly unified concept with strongly developed objectives. There are numerous published definitions on the concept and further other terms have been frequently used either as substitutes for RM, or to describe similar concepts. These include direct marketing, customer relationship management, micromarketing, one-to-one marketing, loyalty marketing and interactive marketing, to name but a few. In general, however, the major characteristic of these techniques are more transactional than relational in nature.

As stated above RM is not an independent philosophy but draws on conventional marketing principles (Gordon, 1998). This view implies that the basic focus upon customer needs still applies but that it is the way marketing is practiced that requires change. As RM is a descendant of traditional marketing a good starting point in developing a definition is to look at how marketing has traditionally been perceived. This view might be summed up using the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s definition of marketing: Marketing can be defined as the management process of identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably (CIM, 2005).Relationship marketing is a strategy in which brands prioritize nurturing a positive, ongoing relationship with their customers – with the overall goal of boosting brand loyalty, repeat purchases, and other long-term benefits.

Most of the concepts, ideas and developments discussed briefly above are present in the following refined definition which describes the objectives of RM as to identify and establish, maintain and enhance and, when necessary, terminate relationships with customers and other stakeholders, at a profit so that the objectives of all parties involved are met; and this is done by mutual exchange and fulfilment of promises (Grönroos, 1994). The growing interest in RM suggests a shift in the nature of marketplace transactions from discrete to relational exchanges, from exchanges between parties with no past history and future prospects to interactions between parties with a history and plans for upcoming interaction.

Early Relationship Marketing Ideas:

 Although Berry (1983) formally introduced the term relationship Marketing into the literature, several ideas of relationship Marketing emerged much before then. For example, McGarry (1950, 1951, 1953, and 1958) included six activities in his formal list of Marketing functions:

contractual function, propaganda function, merchandising function, physical distribution function, pricing function, and termination function. Of these, the contractual function falling within the main task of Marketing reflected McGarry’s relational orientation and his emphasis on developing cooperation and mutual interdependency among Marketing actors. For example, he suggested that:

Contractual function is the building of a structure for cooperative action.

• Focus on the long-run welfare of business and continuous business relationship.
• Develop an attitude of mutual interdependence;
• Provide a two-way line of communication and a link age of their interest
• Cost of dealing with continuous contact is much less than casual contacts; by selling only to regular and con- sistent customers costs can be reduced by 10-20% (Schwartz 1963).

  McGarry’s work has not been widely publicized and his relational ideas did not lead to the same flurry of interest caused by Wroe Alderson’s (1965) focus on inter– and intracanal cooperation. Although the distributive theory of Marketing does not anymore enjoy the central position in Marketing, interest in channel cooperation has been sustained for the last three decades, and many relationship Marketing scholars have emerged from the tradition of channel cooperation research (Anderson, Narus, 1990; Stern, El-Ansary, 1992; Weitz, Jap, 1995). They have contributed significantly to the development of relationship Marketing knowledge and have been most forthcoming in applying various theoretical ideas from other disciplines such as economics, law, political science, and sociology.

Two influential writings in the 60s and 70s provided an impetus to relationship Marketing thinking, particularly in the business-to-business context. First, Adler (1966) observed the symbiotic relationships between firms that were not linked by the traditional marketer-intermediary relationships. Later, Varadaraja (1986), and Varadaraja and Rajaratnam (1986), examined other manifestations of symbiotic relationships in Marketing.The second impetus was provided by Johan Arndt (1979) who noted the tendency of firms engaged in business to-business Marketing to develop long-lasting relationships with their key customers and their key suppliers rather than focusing on discrete exchanges, and termed this phenomenon “domesticated markets.” The impacts of these works spread across two continents. In USA, several scholars began examining long-term interorganizational relationships in business-to-business markets, while in Europe, the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) Group laid emphasis on business relationships and networks (e.g., Anderson, Hakansson and Johanson, 1994; Dwyer, Schurr, Oh 1987; Hakansson, 1982; Halen, Johanson, Seyed-Mohamed, 1991; Jackson, 1985)

the Nordic School approach to services Marketing was also relationship-oriented from its birth in the 1970s (Gronroos, Gummesson, 1985). This school believes that for effective Marketing and delivery of services, companies need to practice internal Marketing and involve the   In recent years however, several factors have contributed to the rapid development and evolution of relationship Marketing. These include the growing de-intermediation process in many industries due to the advent of sophisticated computer and telecommunication technologies that allow producers to directly interact with endcustomers. For example, in many industries such as airlines, banks, insurance, computer program software, or household appliances and even consumables, the deintermediation process is fast changing the nature of Marketing and consequently making relationship Marketing more popular. Databases and direct Marketing tools give them the means to individualize their Marketing efforts. As a result, producers do not need those functions formerly performed by the middlemen. Even consumers are willing to undertake some of the responsibilities of direct ordering, personal merchandising, and product use related services with little help from the producers. The recent success of on-line banking, on-line investment programs by Charles Schwab and others, as well as direct selling of books, automobiles, insurance, etc., on the Internet, all attest to the growing consumer interest in maintaining direct relationship with marketers/

The de-intermediation process and consequent prevalence of relationship Marketing is also due to the growth of the service economy. Since services are typically produced and delivered by the same institution, it minimizes the role of the middlemen. A greater emotional bond between the service provider and the service user also develops the need for maintaining and enhancing the relationship. It is, therefore, not difficult to see that relationship Marketing is very important for scholars and practitioners of services Marketing (Berry, Parsuraman, 1991; Bitner, 1995; Crosby, Stephens, 1987; Crosby, et. al., 1990; Gronroos, 1995).

The de-intermediation process and consequent prevalence of relationship Marketing is also due to the growth of the service economy. Since services are typically produced and delivered by the same institution, it minimizes the role of the middlemen. A greater emotional bond between the service provider and the service user also develops the need for maintaining and enhancing the relationship. It is, therefore, not difficult to see that relationship Marketing is very important for scholars and practitioners of services Marketing (Berry, Parsuraman, 1991; Bitner, 1995; Crosby, Stephens, 1987; Crosby, et. al., 1990; Gronroos, 1995).

Another force driving the adoption of relationship Marketing has been the total quality movement. When companies embraced Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy to improve quality and reduce costs, it became necessary to involve suppliers and customers in implementing the program at all levels of the value chain. This needed close working relationships with customers, suppliers, and other members of the Marketing infrastructure. Thus, several companies, such as IBM, Ford and Toyota, formed partnering relationships with suppliers and customers to practice TQM. Other programs such as Just-in-time (JIT) supply and material resource planning (MRP) also made the use of int ations and appropriately influencing it (Sheth, Sisodia, 1995). Companies are increasingly collaborating with customers on Marketing, sales and support processes. For example, Procter and Gamble set up P&G Advisors for new product development and Cisco Systems created their Networking Professional Connection Program to get users to troubleshoot for support problems (Sawhney, 2002).

Technological forces are also shaping the practice of relationship Marketing. CRM software automates and integrates Marketing activities such as segmentation, targeting, product development, sales, service, order management, market research, and analytics, to focus on customer acquisition, customer retention and profitability (Rigby et al., 2002). CRM tools now include social software which at 5% of the CRM market in 2011 totaled to $820 million worldwide (Rao, 2011). However, implementation challenges such as lack of critical inputs such as user acceptance, senior management engagement, strategic focus, resources, and focused change management (Saini, Grewal, Johnson, 2010; Bohling et al., 2006), have brought the process of CRM (Reinartz et al 2004) and the role of information processes in CRM (Jayachandran et al., 2005) under greater scrutiny. CRM is undoubtedly changing the course and definition of relationship Marketing, and eventually RM may likely transform into CRM with hybrid relationship Marketing programs ranging from relational to transactional, and include the outsourcing of Marketing exchanges and customer interactions (Sheth, 2002). The challenge is to keep CRM focused on relational needs rather than just profitability (Fournier, Avery, 2011).

Given the vast amount of information on the Internet and the easy availability of peer to peer advice at websites such as Amazon and Edmunds, customers may well expect that the step after collaboration should be customer advocacy i.e., companies providing customers with open, honest and complete information for finding products even if the offerings are from competitors (Urban, 2004). For example, Progressive Auto Insurance provides rates of competitors to make it easier for customers shopping for insurance. Thus, instead of tactical use of CRM for promotions, such companies leverage CRM for understanding and advocating customers’ needs to enhance customer relationships by winning trust, loyalty and even purchases.

          collaborative relationship with an individual customer or a group of   customers involves three important decision areas – defining the purpose (or objective) engagement; selecting parties (or customer partners); and developing programs (or relational activity schemes)

Benefits of relationship marketing strategy:

Implementing relationship marketing is beneficial to B2B as well as B2C businesses. It can be scaled to meet the needs and size of a business, from small brick-and-mortar shops to international brands.

Benefits of using relationship marketing include:

1. Increase the ROI of customer acquisition
2. Maximize customer lifetime value (CLV)
3. More targeted campaigns for optimized performance
4. Better customer satisfaction
5. More savings on marketing and advertising
6. Increased brand awareness
7. Opportunities for cross-selling, upselling, and repeat purchasing
8. Improved customer loyalty and less churn
9. Positive reviews and customer feedback
10. Better brand-wide coordination on customer experience (CX)
11. Referral marketing, like referrals and word-of-mouth
12. Better customer understanding and data collection

Each benefit is not just a result but a stepping stone to building a brand that resonates deeply with its audience. For instance, by focusing on increased customer satisfaction, businesses can unlock a virtuous cycle where satisfied customers become the most credible promoters of the brand. This organic growth mechanism is both cost-effective and sustainable, setting the stage for a brand to thrive even in the face of market fluctuations. Enhanced brand awareness and loyalty stem from genuine connections, emphasizing the transformative power of relationship marketing in today’s digital age.

Relationship Stages

The definition of RM anticipates that, once a company begins thinking about individual customers, it must recognize that different customers are at different stages of relational development. Most importantly, it also suggests that each customer type (e.g. prospect, customer) should be treated in a different way like separate targeted messages and diverse value propositions. The appreciation of different relational stages in RM also includes the assumption that the higher the stage of development the greater the profitability to the business. Dwyer et al. suggest a five-stage model where each phase represents a major transition in how parties in a relationship regard each other (Dwyer et al., 1987). These are the following (Figure 1.2):Figure 1.2:Relationship ladder and stages

• Awareness is where one party realizes that the other party is a ‘feasible exchange
• partner’. Interaction has not yet taken place although there may be ‘positioning’ by
• the parties.
  • Exploration refers to the ‘research and trial stage’. Partners consider obligations, benefits and burdens of the exchange.
  • Expansion refers to the period where there is a continual increase in benefits obtained
• by partners and where they become progressively more interdependent.
• Commitment relates to the implicit or explicit promise of relational continuity between the parties.
• Dissolution implies that disengagement always remains a possibility in any relationship.

 Other models suggest relational stages of customer development. The established concept of a ‘ladder of loyalty’ was adapted by Payne et al. to create a ‘relationship ladder’ (Payne et al., 1995)

 Kotler also proposes a stages model.

 All of the three models illustrated in Figure 1.2 promote the belief that, whereas traditional marketing’s interest end with the sale, RM’s interest extends beyond this to the development and enhancement of the customer relationship. In the Kotler model the process begins with the suspects. Prospects are at a higher level and have in most cases given some indication that they are likely to purchase the goods or services on offer. Kotler differentiates between ‘first-time’ and ‘repeat customers’ . With repeat purchases the consumer has actual experience to persist. It is at this point that the relational marketer is seen to diverge from the traditional marketer, whose interest is seen to be predominantly in the single transaction. The essential task of the relational marketer from this point is to become skillful at moving customers to higher stages of relationship, with each stage representing a strengthening of the company’s relationship with the customer (Kotler, 1997). The Kotler model suggests that the enterprise is looking to transform repeat customers into ‘clients’. The further jump to the status of ‘advocate’ implies that the customer moves from being responsive to the company to becoming actively involved, most usually through word-of-mouth recommendation. ‘Members’ implies even greater affinity to the company while finally ‘partnership’ suggests a relationship on such a high level, that the customer becomes part of the value creation process.

Lifetime Value of the Customer :

The increasing importance of RM was driven, in part, by the realization that people engage in relationships over lifetimes. The ‘lifetime value’ concept concludes that an enterprise should restrict taking a short-term view but rather should consider the income derived from that company’s lifetime association with the consumer. In the framework of an integrative customer retention strategy a company should consequently project the value of individual customers over time rather than focus on customer numbers only (Dawes and Swailes, 1999).

Decisions concerning investment in relational approaches should be made on the basis of the customer’s lifetime value. These investments may include those designed to enhance product or service quality in order to improve competitive positioning, or defensively to discourage defection to the competition. In the latter case the enterprise can create ‘exit barriers’ to promote retention by making switching costs high. Switching costs are effectively barriers to exit from the relationship from the perspective of the customer. In this respect RM strategies are likely to be more successful if there are long time horizons and high switching costs.

These are monetary and non-monetary costs that customers face when switching from one supplier to another. (Kinard and Capella, 2006). Switching costs may be created by the supplier, by the customer or by the relationship itself and include for example search costs, learning costs, emotional costs, financial costs and legal barriers (Egan, 2008).

Relationship Longevity:

 As stated above, customer retention leads to enhanced revenue, reduced costs and improved financial performance. The benefits that contribute to an entire ‘life cycle of profits’ from the customer are as follows (Figure 1.3): • profit growth as a result of increased buying frequency and higher average purchases • profit due to lower distribution and administration costs • profit because of recommendation • profit out of mark-ups

Relationship marketing examples

We’ve listed the most popular and frequently used relationship marketing strategies, but relationship marketing is a diverse practice that comes in countless different forms. A business should customize its approach based on customers’ needs, company resources, and other factors.

Types of relationship marketing strategy include:

1. Creating a more personalized customer experience
2. Improving overall customer experience and customer service
3. Collecting customer feedback (polls, surveys)
4. Instituting loyalty programs
5. Offering incentives, discounts, and rewards
6. Thanking customers for their continued business
7. Creating a brand philosophy, ethos, or cause
8. Creating programs for brand ambassadors, advocacy, or user-generated content marketing
9. Developing valuable, informative content
10. Harnessing technology to better serve customer needs

Delving deeper into these strategies reveals the multifaceted nature of relationship marketing. For example, creating a more personalized customer experience goes beyond mere customization; it involves understanding the unique journey of each customer and tailoring interactions to reflect their evolving preferences and needs. Similarly, the development of valuable, informative content is not just about providing information but about storytelling that connects with customers on an emotional level, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Creating a more personalized customer experience

According to McKinsey & Company, 71% of consumers today expect personalization when interacting with a brand. This personalization can take many forms, such as using email segmentation to tailor messaging to a customer’s preferences or customizing the user experience based on customer behaviors. Brands can use ManTech, such as customer relationship management (CRM) tools and customer data platforms (CDPs), to identify effective ways to personalize the customer experience (CX).

Improving overall customer experience and customer service

In addition to personalizing the customer experience, brands should also prioritize improving the overall customer experience. A whopping 86% of loyal customers will leave a business after 2-3 negative customer experiences. Customer service cannot be overlooked in the pursuit of sales. Providing a positive customer service experience is critical for promoting an ongoing relationship with customers.

Collecting customer feedback (polls, surveys)

Collecting customer data is an important relationship marketing strategy for a few reasons. It provides valuable data on customer preferences that a brand might not otherwise gain through traditional CRM tools. It also helps build a stronger connection with customers by showing that a company values their opinions and seriously considers their experiences. Finally, it delivers positive feedback that businesses can use in their marketing, furthering brand image and referral marketing opportunities.

Instituting loyalty programs

One survey found that 78% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand if they are part of the brand’s loyalty program, even if there’s an easier option. Consumers in a loyalty program also generate 12-18% more incremental revenue growth every year compared to non-members.

Offering incentives, discounts, and rewards

Rewards or discounts are a great way to generate sales while building a stronger customer relationship. Businesses incentivize sales while customers feel positively toward a purchase because they receive a reward.

For example, a brand can offer customers reward points for each dollar spent with the company. Customers can use these points to get discounts on later buys, cash back or other rewards such as promotional items or free products. This method is often used with loyalty programs but can also work on its own.

Thanking customers for their continued business

How to do relationship marketing can be as simple as sending thank you messages to customers. When a brand shows appreciation, it makes customers feel important, boosting their loyalty and relationship with the brand. Fortunately, this relationship marketing strategy is an easy one for any business to implement.

A brand can send “thank-you” emails after a customer completes a purchase. It can also comment on social media posts that feature its products. Or, it can celebrate milestones on its website or social media channels while thanking customers for their continued business.

Creating a brand philosophy, ethos, or cause

Customers are more likely to align themselves to a brand that matches their own values. It’s getting more crucial for companies to stand out as competition grows and customers have more choices. If a brand supports a strong belief or cause, it can draw in customers who agree with those values and stay loyal for ethical reasons, even if there are cheaper or more convenient options.

Creating programs for brand ambassadors, advocacy, or user-generated content marketing

By encouraging customers to become brand ambassadors or create their own content, businesses can grow their reach and build stronger connections with their customers and communities. Investing in these relationships leads to powerful recommendations, better awareness of the brand among target groups, and content that customers can relate to.

Developing valuable, informative content

Content marketing is a long-term strategy with big results. According to one survey, marketers that prioritize blog strategy are 13 times more likely to see a positive ROI. Creating informative content establishes a brand as a valued resource for its customers.

Customers who already trust a brand are more likely to turn to it for future needs (and sales). They are also more likely to share the content with their friends and family, which helps in getting referrals and can increase sales.

Harnessing technology to better serve customer needs

A successful relationship marketing strategy uses MarTech. Tools like CRM (customer relationship management) and CDPs (customer data platforms) help businesses make smart decisions using real data. A CRM can coordinate marketing campaigns, monitor sales, manage customer touchpoints, and more.

A CDP provides a database of omnichannel, real-time customer data that can be used for segmentation, predictive automation, and personalized customer experiences and marketing. Automation tools can be used to create responsive marketing or enhanced customer service based on customer preferences and behaviors. Data and MarTech empower businesses to better serve their customers, resulting in a stronger relationship marketing strategy with higher ROI.

How to do relationship marketing in your business

Getting started with relationship marketing is as simple as:

Using customer data

Brands should review their customer data first before starting any relationship marketing strategy. Customer data will inform their strategy by providing a comprehensive understanding of what customers want, where they best interact with a brand, and what is most likely to convert. Companies can collect data through CRMs and CDPs, soliciting customer feedback, reviewing performance on specific channels, etc.

Automating whenever possible

“Personalized” doesn’t have to mean “manual”. Brands can utilize CRM and other automation tools to streamline personalization efforts, reduce manning requirements, and develop responsive marketing that is more targeted with less hands-on effort.

Empowering customer-facing teams

By providing teams with ManTech tools and customer data, brands empower their customer-facing teams to provide a higher quality customer experience. Tools can also help teams to establish cross-organizational plans and campaigns to promote the company’s overall relationship marketing strategy.

Reviewing data and results and adjusting as needed

Brands should regularly review performance data to understand where their relationship marketing strategy works and where it needs changes. This can include reviewing campaign performances, open rates for email marketing, conversion rates on promotions, and the ROI for ambassador or customer loyalty programs. By reviewing customer data and performance metrics, a brand can stay agile and develop data-driven strategies that are more likely to generate results.

Building customer loyalty through a relationship marketing strategy

The types of relationship marketing strategies are as varied as the businesses that use them. By applying some of the practices above, a company can create a relationship marketing strategy customized to fit its audience, resources, and goals. This personalized customer experience and enhanced connection between brand and buyer will ultimately lead to long-term gain and scalable growth.

Understand your business needs Some of the costliest and riskiest mistakes occur when business leaders opt for unnecessary technology investments or when they lack clear criteria for ROI.Upgrades shouldn’t serve as a showcase for new technologies but should help the business operate more efficiently and competitively.

They should focus on the following:

• expanding vital resources, such as storage or compute;
• enabling new workloads for more, new or updated applications;
• supporting additional employees, users or transactions;
• lowering the cost per user or transaction; and
• building IT capabilities, such as workload resilience, business continuity and disaster recovery.

Conclusion

The domain of relationship Marketing extends into many areas of Marketing and strategic decisions. Its recent prominence is facilitated by the convergence of several other paradigms of Marketing and by corporate initiatives that are developed around the theme of collaboration of organizational units and its stakeholders, including customers.

Relationship Marketing began as a conceptually narrow phenomenon of Marketing; however, as the phenomenon of cooperation and collaboration with customers has become the dominant paradigm of Marketing practice and research, relationship Marketing is emerging as a predominant perspective in Marketing.[i]

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