Relationship Marketing: Pursuing the Perfect Person‐to‐Person Relationship

Abstract

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Consumers’ trade‐off between relationship, service package and price

“…As far as the consumer is concerned, the dealer is the face of the company. How the dealer performs ± either good or bad ± is how the company will be viewed (Illingworth, 1991). Car dealers are increasingly confronted with more demanding and knowledgeable consumers, shortened product life cycles, crowded environments, undifferentiated product and pricing offerings, intensified competition, and market fragmentation (Woodruff, 1997).…”

Using customer satisfaction research for relationship marketing: A direct marketing approach

“…For example, in the auto industry Toyota's Lexus operation prides itself on customer-relationship management according to J. D. Illingsworth, group vice president of Toyota Motor Division in the U.S. (15). Toyota's creed is "customer first, dealer second, and Toyota third."…”

“…Relationship marketing is becoming pervasive in both industrial and consumer markets (11,16,17,22), including automotive (15,25), banking (6,18,20,24,28), and a multitude of others (26). Relationship marketing is becoming pervasive in both industrial and consumer markets (11,16,17,22), including automotive (15,25), banking (6,18,20,24,28), and a multitude of others (26).…”

Using customer satisfaction research for relationship marketing: A direct marketing approach

“…This illustrates Toyota's observation that all members of the channel must be involved and committed to the relationship orientation. Illingsworth (15) states that the company went through a very careful dealer selection process, initially allowing only about 7 percent of the candidates that applied to actually become dealers. In addition, Lexus stresses that telephone follow-ups be made by sales staff shortly after delivery, by the service department after service visits, and even by employees at corporate headquarters.…”

“…Concurrent with this intensified focus on the consumer, a relationship marketing orientation is emerging as central to designing organizational structure and strategy. Relationship marketing is becoming pervasive in both industrial and consumer markets (11,16,17,22), including automotive (15,25), banking (6,18,20,24,28), and a multitude of others (26). Under the relationship marketing perspective, firms view themselves as having an ongoing relationship with their customers, aimed at delivering extra value and generating multiple transactions over time.…”