Relationship marketing: a concept beyond the primary relationship

Abstract

Asserts that an organisation’s ultimate goal of maintaining a loyal customer base transcends the obvious primary relationship of the organisation and its customers. The customer’s estimation of the value of the product/service is influenced by the inter‐relationships (secondary relationships), as it is these relationships that ultimately denote the value (core competence) of the product/service package. Identifies the firm’s secondary resource network and highlights the need for the marketing and management of various alliances for the firm’s long‐term prosperity, growth and leadership.