Relationship marketing has grown in importance. This growth affects all industries, including the tourism, hospitality and travel industry. Of particular importance is the bond of relationship marketing between suppliers (principals) and retailers (travel agents) in the distribution channel. The research was undertaken to: determine whether Eastern Cape travel agents perceive relationship marketing as important; establish, what the key elements of relationship marketing strategies are,according to literature; determine what marketing strategies are currently applied by Eastern Cape travel agents; provide guidelines to Eastern Cape travel agents to implement or improve their relationship marketing strategies. Fifty self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the entire population of travel agents in the Eastern Cape. A total of 30 travel agents responded. The empirical findings showed that: Most Eastern Cape travel agents perceived relationship marketing as important; Travel agents realized the importance of the management of such relationship marketing strategies; Most travel agents were aware of or used retention strategies to enhance relationship marketing strategies; Travel agents realized that to survive relationship marketing should be part of their future planning; All respondents believed that to successfully implement relationship marketing, all staff, from front-line to top-management, need to be committed to the programme. In conclusion, relationship marketing is growing in importance and all role players need to acknowledge and manage this trend. However, this research has shown that there is a paradigm shift as more travel agents are moving away from the traditional marketing to relationship marketing.

The research problem addressed in this study was an assessment of the relationship-marketing strategy that Morkels currently has in operation. This strategy focuses on membership of a club that is sold to customers when they open an account. The strategy is to keep in touch with the customer by means of the club magazine, a club card and various special events and offers that are exclusive to club members. The strategy, however, may not be entirely successful in achieving the goals and objectives as envisaged by the senior management of the company. The objective of the research was to establish what exactly relationship marketing is. Once having investigated the theory of relationship marketing, the objective of the research was to establish what the goals of the management at Morkels were and whether or not these goals were met. The methodology of the research was, firstly, to conduct a literature survey on relationship marketing. In particular the study of literature focused on the theory related to the retail market focussing essentially where similar marketing strategies had been investigated. A variety of aspects of relationship marketing and strategies that had previously been implemented were then examined. The literature survey also considered the way in which a successful strategy of relationship-marketing should be motivated, planned, implemented and followed through. Secondly the research established what the goals and objectives of the management of Morkels were by means of an investigation into the policies and manuals of the relationship-marketing department. Finally a questionnaire was disseminated to the senior management of Morkels to establish what they considered to be the needs and opinions of the customers of the Garden Route Area. A second questionnaire with similar questions was also submitted to a sample of club members. This was done to establish the opinions of both groups. The major findings of the research were that Morkels is experiencing a degree of success with its relationship-marketing strategy. The research findings also revealed that opinions of the customers and the management of Morkels do not concur on a number of issues. These differences and the most important factors were discussed and recommendations were made to management.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology: Public Relations Management, Department of Public Relations, Durban University of Technology. Durban. South Africa, 2015. / The alumni form the largest stakeholder group of any higher education institution (HEI). Representatives from this constituency occupy seats on t he Council (the highest governing body of a higher education institution). Institutions, worldwide, look to their alumni, as a source of funds, to provide expert advice and general support. Therefore, higher education institutions and alumni have to share a mutually beneficial and ongoing relationship. This relationship is maintained through constant and regular communication. Loyal alumni are a mainstay of financial support for many universities. It is important, though, that universities, not only focus on gifts but rather on a br oad and deep engagement with alumni. Alumni relations with their colleges and universities seek to generate interest that eventually translates into financial contributions and volunteer service, which means giving back to their alma mater. To achieve this goal, communication is extremely important. Alumni respond to a call for assistance from their alma mater for many reasons. Some of the reasons include having had good experiences during their undergraduate years as well as their academic qualifications holding them in good stead in the work place. The value that universities place on t heir alumni cannot be underestimated. Many hold influential positions and can assist in contributing to the financial coffers of the university as well as sharing their expertise.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The medical scheme industry of South Africa has been exposed to fundamental changes during the last decade. We have been witness to various amalgamations and scheme closures as a result of financial pressure and changes to legislation. Never before has it been more important for medical scheme administrators to become more customer focused and find solutions for medical schemes to stay viable into the future. Relationship marketing, a widely acknowledged concept, has been recognised as an appropriate tool to manage relationships and improve customer loyalty over a long-term period. A number of studies have investigated the viability of relationship marketing strategies across different industries. No such studies have however been performed for the medical scheme industry of South Africa. The study therefore aims to investigate how loyalty between medical schemes and their respective administrators is currently maintained. It further aims to determine if the medical scheme industry would benefit from relationship marketing initiatives to encourage long-term loyalty. An in-depth literature study was performed. The underlying aspects under investigation include relationship marketing, customer relationship management (CRM) and customer loyalty. It is thus important to investigate the influence of these three components on the strength of relationships and customer retention. The second phase of the study consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews with various scheme representatives from the industry. This study is based on an exploratory case and the qualitative data was analysed using pattern finding techniques and qualitative content analysis. The study investigated the factors that have an impact on loyalty in the medical scheme industry. It was determined that relationships between administrators and medical schemes are multilevel and although relationship marketing literature indicates that key account managers are essential for the successful use of relationship based strategies, it was evident that expertise needs to extend beyond only those in key customer management positions. It is evident from the findings of this study that the medical scheme industry of South Africa could benefit hugely from correctly implemented and well researched relationship marketing strategies. This study may therefore be useful to the medical scheme industry in that it provides insight into relationship marketing in the South African context.

Thesis (M.Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2006

Customer service excellence (CSE) is the common thread that binds all businesses; as without customers no trade can take place. The South African retail sector is one of the drivers of the economy and it is important that CSE is continuously monitored to ensure that standards of excellence are maintained. What remains unknown and unmeasured is the impact of the employees and the organisation on CSE. The retail sector is dependent on its customer facing employees to be the face and character of the store. Investment in advertising and other media exposure must ultimately be tested when a consumer visits a store and experiences the CSE on the ground and in real time. The investment for the retailer becomes worthwhile if the real face of the company reflects the promises made in the media; and that is in the hands of the men and women who work in the stores. This study sought to find out the impact of employees and organisations in the Centurion mall based retail stores on CSE. Literature was reviewed and quantitative and qualitative research methods was undertaken by means of questionnaires that were distributed to the staff and management of national branded stores in the malls around Centurion. The results obtained were then discussed in terms of each variable tested. The study found that organisational commitment, employee education and employee training have a strong relationship to customer service excellence.

Despite considerable research that has focused on the attributes associated with evaluating and selecting advertising agencies, and an emerging body of literature emphasizing customer loyalty and retention, advertising agency-client investigations have often analysed these attributes in isolation. This created the need for models that represent the interrelated effects that engender retention and loyalty, especially for services, whereby evaluative as well as relational factors can influence buyer responses. Addressing this gap, this research developed and described the construct of buyer consideration sets to gain a better understanding of business relationships. This is with specific reference to advertising agency replacement considerations in the South African environment. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a more complete, integrated view of customer retention and its determinants. A heuristic model was developed with consideration of theories that originate from the transactional cost theory, social exchange theory and economic and relational contract theories. This model was empirically tested using a mixed method approach. Data obtained from 116 respondents were subjected to factor and correlation analysis to explore the dimensionality of the retention construct. An important contribution of this study is the use of multi-item scales to measure and test retention. This research supports that retention is multidimensional and highlights the limitations of research that measure single factors related to retention. What started as a complex set of relationships has been defensibly and systematically simplified into a parsimonious model. This model postulates that retention is the result of a good working relationship between an advertiser and agency; service satisfaction; respect and support; clear terms of engagement; and conflict resolution. This work also offers insight into the nuances of each of these antecedents and offer new reliable scales for measurement of the items. In management practice, this model will provide advertisers with insights with regards to procurement decisions and supplier management. It can also provide valuable insight to agencies with regard to customer retention management. Findings of this study may also be extended to other high value professional service industries. / Business Management and Entrepreneurship / D. Com. (Business Management)

In the light of the global competitive markets, firms are motivated to reduce costs and increase benefits derived from collaboration. As a result of this, customers reduce the number of suppliers and rather focus on establishing strategic relationships with fewer suppliers. Relationship marketing, which results in relationship value, is a fairly new concept which originated during the 1980s; as various academic authors have noted, this subject has not yet been fully explored. Value is a subjective concept, conceptualised as a trade-off between benefits and sacrifices, and can be multifaceted. Perceptions regarding value are relative to the competition. This research determined which relationship value constructs can be classified as antecedents and which of those are mediators within the South African automotive supply chain and if relationship value can lead towards retention. This research further determined what Tier 1 suppliers value most from their Tier 2 suppliers. This is important as it is crucial to retain business for Tier 2 suppliers who are usually of South African descent. The primary objective of the research was achieved, that is, to “develop a relationship value model for the South African automotive B2B supply chain”. The secondary objectives were also achieved, namely:  Objective 1: Determine RVM (relationship value model) constructs in the relationship between Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.  Objective 2: Determine how trust and commitment relate to relationship value iii  Objective 3: Determine the antecedents for the perception of relationship value by Tier 1 suppliers.  Objective 4: Determine the relationship between relationship value and business retention. From this study, it is self evident that relationship quality is perceived as being more significant than the actual product in the South African automotive supply chain since it demands a high regard for quality in general. Added to this, Tier 2 suppliers should take cognisance of trust as being of utmost importance to establish relationship value, which in return results in business retention. With the introduction of sufficient relationship value strategies, Tier 2 suppliers should be enabled to mitigate competition based on pricing. Also, with added relationship value, Tier 2 suppliers could establish themselves in a desirable position in order to retain, and even expand, business prospects in the future. / Business Management / D.B.L.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for PhD: Management Sciences, Department of Marketing and Retail, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / In South Africa, non-profit organisations were seen as vocal and active players in the struggle against apartheid. During the country’s transition period, non-profit organisations played a central role in mitigating the effects of apartheid’s unequal development and in mobilising opposition to the apartheid state. With the focus moving towards service delivery, non-profit organisations have continued to play a major role in filling gaps and advocating on behalf of those living in poverty. Non-profit organisations do not operate to advance their own interests, instead, they use society’s resources and goodwill to meet society’s needs. In the poor economic environment, stakeholders are unfortunately looking to cut back and save resources. It therefore becomes more critical for non-profit organisations to adopt relevant strategies to reach more stakeholders and to keep them involved and motivated. One such strategy that can be adopted is marketing, in particular relationship marketing. This study therefore sets out to investigate the role of relationship marketing within non-profit organisations in KwaZulu-Natal. A thorough overview of the literature was undertaken, mainly to investigate the nature of the non-profit sector in general as well as in South Africa, its marketing and the impact of relationship marketing. A mixed methodology was employed for this study. A census study using questionnaires was used to collect quantitative data whilst qualitative data was collected using a face-to-face, semi-structured interview schedule. The findings revealed that funding has become the main constraint faced by the non-profit sector. Many non-profit organisations have employed marketing tactics to assist them in promotion and fundraising. Relationship marketing was identified as a concept which can assist the non-profit organisations in building and maintaining relationships with their stakeholders. Respondents further positioned communication as the central point for relationship building. The results of the data analysis led to the creation of a framework which outlines the role of relationship marketing at non-profit organisations. This study has clearly indicated that relationship marketing forms a powerful strategy that non-profit organisations should apply to manage long-term relationships with their key stakeholders. / D

The average South African tertiary student spends more than the average South African individual each month, making them a valuable market to be understood by retailers. One technique retailers use to differentiate themselves from the increased competition is by relationship marketing through loyalty programmes. Research on the topic of loyalty programmes increased rapidly over the last decade. The problem, however, is that the majority of past research on the subject of loyalty programmes only focused on what happens after customers have already joined a loyalty programme. Little research exists regarding the factors that influence subject participation in loyalty programmes. Furthermore, to date no research study has investigated factors that might influence loyalty programme participation among South African students. The purpose of this study was to understand the tertiary student market by building on the research of De Wulf et al. (2013:69-83) as a vital study to explore factors that might influence them to participate in retail loyalty programmes. An exploratory study was conducted, in which data was collected from students studying at Pearson Institute of Higher Education/ CTI Pretoria by means of self-administered questionnaires. The study followed a quantitative research approach, in order to satisfy the research objectives. The results of the study indicate that the top four characteristics most likely to influence students to participate in a retail loyalty programme, include: a loyalty programme where you receive immediate discounts on certain items at purchase; a loyalty programme that allows you to use your loyalty card at more than one retailer; a loyalty programme with unlimited duration on the usage of benefits or rewards; a loyalty programme that rewards you by giving immediate benefits. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)