BizSugar.com › Sales › Relationship Marketing Builds Illusionary Loyalty as Salespeople Capture Customers' Hearts

The battle to win and keep customers in an increasingly competitive and crowded marketplace has become tougher as more companies and products are available to the free world. In response to these competitive pressures, companies are increasing efforts to build customer loyalty --commonly referred to as relationship marketing -- but have these efforts been a waste of marketing dollars, or money well spent? A team of researchers led by Robert Palmatier, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Washington's Michael G. Foster School of Business, has found that the payoff from relationship marketing depends on who owns the customer relationship, the salesperson or the company he or she is employed by.