Developing relationship marketing with customers: a Scandinavian perspective

For long‐term survival and growth, libraries and information centres need to build, develop and maintain a relationship with their customers. Highlights the shifting paradigms that have affected the traditional concept of libraries and attempts to focus the emerging issues that influence the service‐provider and customer relationship. The foremost challenge witnessed by library managers is how to provide easy and quick access to information products and services without compromising service quality while maintaining customer focus at the same time. A relationship marketing approach, initially evolved in Scandinavia, is suggested as a way to build relationships with the customers. Some experiences drawn from a pilot study conducted in Finnish libraries have been interpreted in the framework of a relationship marketing approach. The key issues raised are how relationship marketing principles can contribute to developing relationships with customers in the library and information environment. Stresses that building relationships with customers has become more critical to meet their ever changing various needs, wants, and demands. A list of further reading relating to Scandinavia is appended.