Relationship Marketing: Exploring Relational Strategies in Marketing

Citation

Kirby, D.A. (2004), "Relationship Marketing: Exploring Relational Strategies in Marketing", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 38 No. 1/2, pp. 276-278. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560410511230

I liked this book. While it may not be the most comprehensive or necessarily state‐of‐the art treatise on the topic, it provides a no‐nonsense introduction to what has become an established, if sometimes contested, feature of modern marketing. Refreshingly, the author recognises, in his preface, that his approach is biased – that he views marketing as an art rather than a science. I suppose I should reciprocate and declare mine – I find distasteful those people who confuse relationship marketing with database marketing. Clearly we need information on our customers if we are to develop relationships with them, but relationship marketing is not about data manipulation. Rather, it is about building ongoing relationships with customers for mutual benefit. Thankfully, Egan recognises this and essentially the book is an examination of relationships in marketing and how these influence modern marketing strategy and practice. Thus I am predisposed towards the text from the outset, as it deals primarily with relationships and not with the methods for manipulating them.

To achieve his objectives for the text, the author divides it into three sections. Section 1 explores, in five chapters, the ideas surrounding relational strategies in general and relationship marketing in particular. This is followed, in part 2, by four chapters that focus on the central concept of the “core firm and its partnerships”. Finally, in section 3, two chapters address, respectively, the place of technology in relational strategy management and the management process itself. This is as it should be. Although no longer “marketing's new paradigm” and now somewhat 20 years old, there is still a need for a basic text that strips out the misconceptions and attempts to strive for clarity of understanding. This Egan does extremely well. The book is written, as the publishers suggest, in a “clear, easy‐to‐read, informal style”, displaying the author's practical experience of marketing, as well as his theoretical understanding of the subject. Hence it is a balanced text providing a sound review of theory backed by practical, real‐life examples and cases. These are lively and well‐selected, being likely to appeal to the modern student. They range from Manchester United's plans to establish a fans’ forum to a consideration of loyalty cards and Safeway's decision to abandon its customer loyalty programme. For each case there are a number of questions and presumably the author provides answers to these in the Instructor's Manual that accompanies the text. One or two of the questions are a little simplistic, however, most notably the one on the loyalty case which simply asks “Who, in your opinion, has made the right decision: Safeway or the stores that are maintaining the scheme?” Presumably a straight “Safeway” or “other stores” answer would suffice. This is where the skilful instructor, and presumably we still have them, would probe further, though.

All too frequently, textbooks such as this, together with their supportive Web sites, are being adopted as the “core curriculum”. In my view, and declaring my biases still further, this should not happen. Textbooks should not replace, I would contest, the need for staff to design and deliver their own courses, modules and programmes – to bring their own interpretation to the subject. Traditionally, students in the UK have “read” for their degrees – they have been provided with a framework, based on their tutor's “biases”, and, having been directed to the original literature on the subject, have been required to develop their own interpretations and perspectives. With texts such as this, there is a very real danger that this role of the instructor is fast disappearing and our students are not being encouraged to “read around” their subjects but to rely heavily on others’ interpretations and material that, inevitably, is dated.

To be fair, each chapter of this text does have an extensive list of references, enabling the student to study further, but perhaps this is not as comprehensive as it might be and, itself, includes standard texts and grey literature that is often difficult to acquire. Further, not all references are complete and the supposed learning outcomes are really quite simplistic. Thus for me, having declared my biases, this text works best at the undergraduate rather than the postgraduate level. It provides a clear introduction to the topic of relationship marketing by combining a sound understanding of theory with relevant practical application. It is written in a style that should engage the undergraduate reader and could well provide a valuable introduction for the practitioner. For those who really want a more advanced understanding of the subject or want exposure to the most recent literature on the subject, though, perhaps this is not the best starting point.

Though no longer new and prolifically written about, relationship marketing retains something of a mystique. In this text, Egan strips out much of the confusion. However, he is not the only author to have done this and there are numerous competing texts in what has become a highly competitive field. Even Egan's own publishers, Pearson Education, list four relationship marketing texts, and though it is slightly more expensive, at £32.99, Bruhn's more recent and more comprehensive version is probably the better buy – certainly at the postgraduate level. Notwithstanding this, John Egan needs to be congratulated on producing a thoroughly engaging and lively‐written text that relates theory to practice. I am sure it will be appreciated by teachers of marketing, not just in the UK, but around the world.