Implementing Relationship Marketing

Relationship marketing is a powerful new business approach, but an implementation framework is required. This article discusses how six corporations collaborated in an exercise to develop step‐by‐step guidelines. The framework is illustrated in fields ranging from high tech to consumer products. An important trend in marketing centers on the concept of relationship marketing, a firm's effort to develop long term, mutually beneficial links with customers. It involves a partnership approach with an account to solve complex problems. General Electric and Union Carbide were early adopters of the concept, noting that relationships go far beyond price since buyers share internal company data with suppliers and expect reciprocal commitments and loyalty. Although discussed as a general marketing approach, less is known about implementation (Copulsky and Wolf, 1990; Gronroos, 1994; Morgan and Hunt, 1994). Indeed relationship marketing can backfire if customers perceive that it is only a supplier's latest buzzword. This article reports the results of an exercise conducted by six well known corporations which collaborated to articulate exactly what elements may be involved when implementing a relationship marketing program.