dc.description.abstract | This study sought to investigate the use of Relationship Marketing strategy
by supermarkets in Nairobi. A cross-section of supermarkets under three
categories; large, medium and small size, based on sales volumes were
studied. The objective of the study was to assess the attitude of managers
towards relationship marketing, to establish the relationship marketing
practices adopted by supermarkets and to assess the relationship between the
managers' attitude and the relationship marketing practises adopted.
The findings show the managers of large supermarkets have a highly
positive attitude towards relationship marketing, and a good understanding
of the concept. While managers of medium and small size supermarkets
have a fairly positive attitude, and an average understanding of the concept.
The managers' understanding of the relationship-marketing concept has
been found to influence the attitudes held by managers. The greater the
understanding of the concept and its strategic benefit, the more positive the .
attitude and the greater the number of relationship marketing practises
adopted.
The findings also show the relationship marketing practises adopted by
supermarkets are fairly similar, with most involving interaction and
communication with regular customers, and provision of price incentives to
the regular customers.
The results further reveal a highly positive correlation between the
managers' attitudes and the relationship marketing practises adopted. Further
research however is needed to determine the intervening variables that affect
the adoption of a relationship marketing strategy, to determine whether the
managers' attitudes are dependant on the size of the supermarket, and to
identify the attitudes of customers towards relationship marketing. | en |