Proposal of innovative approaches of relationship marketing in business.

Lendel, Viliam ; Varmus, Michal

Introduction

In developed countries, the change of business processes is characterized by customer orientation. Businesses do not develop their market activities based on the "idea" and "impressions" but on knowledge based from analysis of customers' data. However, activities based on that knowledge are feasible for a business only if they are available as processed data and on their base are adopted incentive decisions for finding, captivation and retaining of customers. This explains why it is now important to talk about relationship marketing and customer relationship management (CRM).

The importance of customer orientation is highlighted also by the concept of six keys of business success, which according to the customer orientation is the key that mostly affects the success of a business. Underestimation of customer orientation is basically a loss of business sense.

Conversely, a search for customers, monitoring their requirements and the development of these requirements and as well as finding ways to satisfy them in a competitive environment becomes one of the crucial keys to business success (Hittmar 2006).

1. Objective and methodology

The main aim of this paper is to gain new knowledge in the field of relationship marketing with an emphasis on innovation and to highlight the possibility of proposing innovative approaches to relationship marketing. Proposal for innovative approaches to relationship marketing in marketing management can contribute significantly to the identification of weaknesses when building customer relationships and identify the scope for further improvement. The paper contains a detailed description of the procedure for successfully using of innovative approaches in relationship marketing.

This procedure should be used primarily for marketing managers as a valuable tool in their use of innovative approaches to relationship marketing, especially when building relationships with customers. Problem-solving requires the use of several methods in the paper, depending on the nature of the individual parts of the solution.

Method of analysis of documents (due to analyzing current and historical data), questionnaire method and the method of semi-structured interviews (data collection in empirical research), as well as method of observation (businesses visiting) were all used for the acquisition and collection of information.

Method of quantitative assessment (formation of statistical averages, percentages, application of statistical tests and other statistical methods) and the comparative method (comparing data obtained from the relevant empirical research and the collation of data from the analysis of secondary sources) were used mainly for the information processing.

Methods of induction, deduction, synthesis (for the proposal of innovative approaches to relationship marketing), abstraction and modelling were used for solving of the proposed problem.

2. The current state of dealing with the issue

The core of relationship marketing is value and relationship, which is contrary to the transaction-based marketing and mass production of the exchange process. Currently, there is a shift from transactional marketing to relationship marketing, where the prime focus becomes the customer. Marketing focuses on building relationships interaction between businesses and their customers based on value creation, which the customer is looking for. It is a deepening of mutual cooperation. In the past the application of transactional marketing has often been characterized by psychological pressure on the customer to purchase products, which they did not have any interest in. The priority of businesses was to sell as much as possible. This often led to a loss of customers and to short-term profits.

According Janjicek (2001) during the last ten years have occurred significant shift from the producer mass culture characterized by standardized products and the choice of the producer to a dynamic culture where products can meet the specific needs and preferences of individual customers. Interest in the relationship marketing emerged in the second half of the 20th century. The first mention of this notion was by Leonard L. Berry in 1953. The first scientific papers dealing with this subject appeared in the 90s.

Juscius et al. (2006) identified the key factors that contributed to the rapid rise of relationship marketing:

--Intensive global competition,

--Educated and demanding customers,

--Increased fragmentation of consumer markets,

--Rapidly changing buying habits of consumers,

--Constantly increasing quality standards,

--The need to compete not only at the expense of quality,

--The impact of technology on almost all types of goods (including services),

--Decrease in the effectiveness of some traditional elements of the marketing mix.

Relationship marketing has many definitions (Table 1). For instance, it can be understood as a strategic business management concept. Beech and Chadwick (2005) maintain that relationship marketing is a business philosophy that seeks to develop strong relationships with customers and stakeholders, such as suppliers, media, intermediaries or public organizations. An interesting look at the concept of relationship marketing is offered by Payne (2005). Relationship marketing is understood as a strategic approach to dealing with many market areas (stakeholder), not just customers. According to Payne, relationship marketing represents a shift in marketing activities that emphasize the acquisition and retention of customers through the development of appropriate relationships. Wide variability of the notion of relationship marketing is shown in Table 1.

Based on the above definition it can be stated that support for long-term relationships has become a central axis of marketing and that the customers have the greatest impact on marketing solutions. Marketing is no longer just seen as a system of trading activities but as a complex process that emphasizes not only elements of the marketing mix, but also maintaining, supporting and strengthening relations with other market participants.

Michalova (2006) sees relationship building as a life cycle, where three basic phases must be distinguished: establishing, developing, and termination of the relationship. The first phase deals with the problem of establishing relationships. Michalova's (2006) emphasis is on quality data analysis of available resources, which, according her, is essential for building a successful customer relationship. The business must choose the appropriate communication channel and the right way to reach customers. If it is success, so then is a follow-up relationship. Michalova (2006) points out the important fact that the delivery of the product or service does not mean an end to the relationship. Customer service is expected to follow similar actions, advice, sales of complementary products, etc. Phase of relationship development aims to achieve significant growth in the value relation. This is also necessary in the higher investment relationship. The expected result is the strength of the relationship. This is mainly influenced by customer satisfaction, strength of competition and quality of service. Reasons for termination of the relationship may be more than the customer, as well as a business.

Wessling (2002) also uses the concept of a life cycle in building relationships. His concept is more detailed, as it distinguishes six phases to the relationship: perceptions of values, making contact, relationship development, consolidation, bankruptcy and termination of the relationship.

According to Wessling, the initiative where contact is always based on the undertaking. Having established contact leads to the further development and consolidation, Wessling (2002) points out that not every relationship can be profitable for the business. If a customer does not being profit to a business, then the maintaining of this relationship is not economically meaningful. A customer who ceases to look for other exchanges of value with the business can also initiate ending a relationship.

Palmer (1996) and Bivainis et al. (2011) identified three basic views of relationship marketing. Philosophical view defines relationship marketing in the definition of the life cycle of a customer relationship focused on the impact of the integration of consumers and employees to the business to best meet the needs of customers in the target segment. Strategic insight is understood as relationship marketing activities aimed at existing customers to keep them secure from economic, technological, psychological, geographical and temporal aspects. Tactical perspective considers relationship marketing as a tool for promoting sales and negotiations with customers.

3. The situation in Slovak companies--results of empirical research

Our research was conducted from March to the end of December 2012. Its primary task was to obtain and interpret information about predicative rate of the utilization of innovative approaches to relationship marketing in medium and large businesses operating in the Slovak Republic.

A substantial part of the research was focused on identifying the main problems for the application of innovative approaches to relationship marketing and resource gathering innovative ideas.

The target groups were medium and large businesses operating in Slovakia. The objects of research (the respondents) were managers at senior and middle level management of these businesses. The research involved a total of 207 respondents.

The biggest problem that hinders successful introduction of innovative approaches to relationship marketing is the lack of necessary funds. This has been the case for 119 of 207 surveyed businesses in Slovakia. Distrust of the management about the possible outcomes (in 57 businesses) may be partly related to the lack of information about technologies and markets (29 businesses). Other issues hindering the introduction of innovative approaches to relationship marketing in businesses in Slovakia are shown in Figure 1.

Innovative ideas can come from various sources. Slovak businesses mostly utilize the analysis of customer needs (in the 145 businesses), which we regard as a positive fact. Building strong relationships with customers bolstering innovative ideas from customers based on accurate identification of their needs. This is followed by internet (in the 137 businesses), private employees (in 127 businesses), analysis of competitors' products and services (in the 126 businesses) and fairs, conferences and exhibitions (in the 112 businesses). Other sources of innovative ideas and the number of Slovak businesses that use them, are shown in Figure 2.

Comparison of sources of innovative ideas, from which come into Slovak businesses many ideas, which are most successful and which businesses consider sources with the greatest potential is shown in Figure 3. Majority of the ideas come to business from analyzing customer needs (69 companies), and 49 businesses consider these as the most successful means, and for 76 businesses these also have the greatest potential. An interesting insight is the source of innovative ideas--their own employees. From this source come the most successful ideas for 45 businesses and 41 businesses have the greatest potential, but many ideas from employees only come in 26 businesses. This confirms the importance of customer orientation on its needs within its activities (research and development, production, marketing, human resources ...) as well. Important role in the process of obtaining innovative ideas from customers has the relationship marketing.

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

An important insight into the progress of innovative approaches to relationship marketing in Slovak businesses is also an area of incentives under which innovative ideas are generated (Fig. 4). Most businesses (162) generate innovative ideas to the identified customer requirements. However, a large number of businesses (120) do not take a proactive approach to generating innovative ideas and create them just in case there is a problem already. Ideas are generated randomly according to 15 businesses and they are not created at all in 6 businesses.

Innovative ideas are not being recorded by any information system in more than 64.25% of the companies in Slovakia. Out of the 25.12% that do use information systems, about 88.46% have created their own information system. In addition, in Slovakia, 11.54% of companies are using a system to record ideas that is provided by firm Salesforce. com. As part of the research was determined relationship between the level of preparedness for implementing the system of works with innovative ideas in the context of relationship marketing and the existence of an information system to record innovative ideas.

Since every company is prepared on different level for implementation and application of the system to work with innovative ideas in the context of relationship marketing were defined five levels of preparedness, further characterized in Table 2.

Hypothesis H0: Between the level of preparedness for implementing the system works with innovative ideas in the context of relationship marketing and the existence of an information system to record innovative ideas, there is no dependency (relationship).

Hypothesis H1: There dependency (relationship) between the level of preparedness for implementing the system works with innovative ideas in the context of relationship marketing and the existence of an information system to record innovative ideas.

Figure 5 is the output from SPSS Statistics, which calculates the value of Pearson chi-square statistics, Pearson contingent index and Cramer V coefficient. The last column shows the minimum value of significance at which it is possible to reject the null hypothesis--H0. The calculated value of chi-square statistics (27.019) is associated with 0% average risk that the rejection of the hypothesis H0 is incorrect. This risk is very low (less than 5% of standard), so the hypothesis H0 is rejected. In other words dependency exists between the level of preparedness for implementing the system works with innovative ideas in the context of relationship marketing and the existence of an information system to record innovative ideas. Pearson coefficient (Phi) and Cramer coefficient indicate the force dependency (the higher the value, the more intense addiction).

The results of our research confirmed the important role of innovative approaches to relationship marketing in the process of customer involvement in the production process. Customer requirements and their needs are valuable information that could assist in the production of successful products for the market. The important role is played by an information system, namely the use of information and communication technologies. Currently, the increasingly popular areas among customers have become social networking and e-commerce. There are formed concepts and solutions E-CRM and social CRM to enable it to reach a specific group of customers and build strong relationships with them.

5. Proposal for innovative approaches to relationship marketing

Innovative approaches to relationship marketing are a sequence of steps that will ensure success for businesses that are building relationships with their customers. Through new thinking as well as new approaches and orientations, business can achieve effective relationship marketing. A detailed analysis of domestic and foreign scientific literature (O'Malley, Tynan 2003; Blaskova 2010; Brendler 2002; Kedaitiene 1999; Berry 1995; Christopher et al. 1991; Bach, Osterle 2000; Chen-Injazz 2003; Kubenka, Kralova 2013; Buttle 2004; Sheth, Parvatiyar 2001; Dohnal 2002; Peppers, Rogers 1997; Berry, Linoff 2004; Parvatiyar, Sheth 2001; Ismail et al. 2007; Zvireliene 2006; Kluciarova 2013) and the conducted research provides three key elements to achieving successful customer relationships that express innovative approaches to relationship marketing:

1. Customer orientation,

2. Effects orientation,

3. Relationship adds value to the customer.

Customer orientation is finding customer needs and appropriate response to these needs, including their preservation. The business must realize that reaching new customers is much more expensive than keeping the current ones. Customer orientation mainly based on providing quality services, create customer acceptable environment on the basis of customer expectations, must be reflected in business strategy. In building relationships (as can be seen in Figure 6) the biggest role is played by employees of the business. On their performance and approach depends the percentage of successfully built long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the customers. After all, they are the first people that come into contact with customers. Based on an encounter with them, customers shape their image of the whole business. On their knowledge and skills depends the ability to meet the customer needs. Unskilled workers can harm not only consumers, but mainly business. Only obtained qualified staff, but also need to develop their knowledge and skills cannot satisfy business.

[FIGURE 6 OMITTED]

The second element, which significantly affects the successful functioning of relationship marketing is orientation on the effects. In literature, this issue is discussed in detail by Wessling (2002). According to him, businesses that want to be successful should not focus exclusively on their goals and they should also consider the effects of their actions occurring after the goals have been met.

Changing of the mindset represents a change of view to negotiate business with customers. It is necessary to move away from view focused on contracts to individual perceptions of cooperation in the long term. This is only possible through the transition from perception to goal to perception to effect. The focus of each business should be the relationship with a customer. This is based on trust and mutual respect.

If there is a betrayal of trust, it leads to disruption of the relationship, which has a negative impact on business profits. A business that focuses only on monitoring of its goals (to achieve higher profit and turnover), such fact is being ignored. Focusing on effects means that the business will pay particular attention to the effects that start to occur after reaching the set goals. First, it is important that the business has developed mind display of the desired state and tried to achieve this state. The business must realize the difference between a focus on goals and orientation effects.

When is orientation on goal, the process is finished after reaching of the goal. Danger of this orientation is that after reaching of the goal may start to force effects, which are no longer tracked by business. Goal is the final aspect, which is unchanging. In the long term, this may mean decrease of business profit. Goal orientation describes the following example:

[FIGURE 6 OMITTED]

The customer wanted to buy for his wife medical orthopaedic mattress. He called to the call center of the company selling health mattress to take advice. The operator during a telephone conversation was convincing customer to buy special woollen sheet on the mattress. He is only interested in medical orthopaedic mattress for his wife. After the conclusion of the business customer discovered that he was convinced to unnecessary spending money. The operator has reached its goal, but lost the confidence of the customer. In the long term, however, the company will loss money, because the next time the customer prefers to call the call center to another company offering medical equipment.

The above example shows a situation in which the comp any solely focused on achieving the goal. The opposite situation arises when is the orientation on effects (Fig. 7). Goal is not seen as the final element. By contrast goal can be adjusted to bring the desired effects. In monitoring of the effects can be developed several scenarios that may occur after achieve of the goal. Focusing on the effects allow to the business freely modify and change goals and so bring the desired effects. This requires a change in procedure. Wessling (2002) recommends purposeful procedure to replace a causal process. This procedure is based on the possible goals that may arise different effects. Goals, which may cause unwanted effects, are regulated directly or cancelled. After determining of the goals are identified the tools by which goals will be achieved. Orientation on effects describes the following example:

[FIGURE 7 OMITTED]

The operator thorough asks of his potential customer for his requirements and advises him to buy medical orthopaedic mattress, which corresponds to the described requirements and ideas customer. Customer feels that operator communicates with him as with equal and serious partner and will remember that the operator respects his requirements. Medical orthopaedic mattress he will buy and from the transaction has a very good feeling. The likelihood that the customer will call back to the call center and order another medical device (such as a gift for his family) is very high. Also, it is probability that he will say it other who he knows, colleagues at work, as well as he bought and how was spoken with him. This is the way to build long-term profitable relationship. Satisfied customer repeat purchases, because he has created loyalty to a certain brand or company.

According to Wessling (2002), investment in customer does not always mean spending money only on marketing and sales. He highlights that investing with a focus on effects means renouncing the current payment flows to the business for the benefit of ensuring the future financial flows based on good relations.

Michalova (2006) points out that the relationship must give to the customer an added value. First of all, a good relationship is saving money for the customer. He knows that he can fall back on the business, which offers him a product of his imagination and for a reasonable price. He has assurance of a stable quality of services. An important attribute of a good relationship is the ability to provide customer comfort and safety. Customer prefers creating a relationship with such business, which is characterized by reliability, correctness, tradition, experience and promptness in dealing with the problems and requirements of the customer. All this is reflected in the form of the strength of this relationship. The basis for success is knowledge. The business must have knowledge about the customer, his needs, buying behaviours and preferences. On the contrary, the customer should have the necessary knowledge to decide on the purchase.

6. Discussion

In the current period can be observed more intensive use of information technologies for collecting and storing information about clients. This trend is also reflected in the use of innovative approaches in relationship marketing, which gave rise to new types of customer relationship management (CRM). These are primarily electronic (eCRM) and social (SCRM) CRM.

Customers use communication channels based on internet technologies for several reasons. They give them a sense of anonymity (increasing willingness to sell information about their needs to other entities), lesser feeling of obligation (missing contact with specific employees), the feeling of freedom (easier decision to leave the competition). Internet offers to customers new opportunities, for example allows separate execution of basic actions via the Internet (self-service) without any time limitation. Internet technologies affect customer behaviour and they help to create the concept of e-CRM. Mainly when use of e-commerce tools or electronic channels in CRM (Payne 2005).

Between theoreticians and practitioners, there are three main streams. The first stream represents mainly consultancy business believes that e-CRM is only a subset of CRM. For example, Greenberg (2001) defines e-CRM as part of the CRM, which customer controls via the Internet. The second stream is the opposite view, i.e. e-CRM he considers as next stage of CRM. The third stream is a middle way, which argues that e-CRM is indeed present in a subset of CRM, but its development in the future will be isolated. Business as Amazon, Yahoo, eBay and so on are a good example of successful businesses where the internet plays a dominant role in CRM.

E-CRM has recently experienced a considerable boom primarily because of its advantages. The first is reflected in lower transaction costs in ensuring easy access to the global market, greater flexibility in product offerings, and not least in the new possibilities of communication with customers via Internet technologies, which are often sought in particular generation Y.

It is important to emphasize, however, that business should not focus their communication channels to communicate exclusively via the Internet. The ideal solution is shown extending traditional forms of elements of CRM and e-CRM.

At present, begins to stand out social CRM (SCRM). In the literature it is possible to meet even the abbreviations CRM 2.0 or CEM. This is a new trend that combines several different areas of Web 2.0 and traditional CRM. The main difference between traditional CRM and SCRM can be seen as the way to work with customer data. In the case of traditional CRM data are in charge of the business itself. Conversely in SCRM are these data updated and disseminated by the customers themselves. (Social CRM 2014).

Social CRM works with two terms. Social customer and customer advocate (Vitaiova 2011). Social customer means that currently there are customers due to the Internet and social networks enhancing the amount of information. Customer advocate represents the sort of customers who are so satisfied with the products, services and overall business philosophy that has become his fans so much that they want to defend the business and its products and disseminate positive information about him (an example might be customers of Apple).

Business by application of Social CRM receives particular view of community to provided product or service, information about moods, ideas and customer behaviour, brand perception (Facebook, Blogs, Twitter ...). Social CRM allows through various social platforms customers to actively participate in partnership with its suppliers. Specifically, it can influence and contribute to the improvement and adaptation of its product according to their wishes and requirements. This is called crowdsourcing, where a business seeks to exploit the potential of a knowledge community that is an interesting source of inspiration and feedback. Also the business saves considerable funds, which would invest in design from rented experts. Also, businesses in the Social CRM create a space where customers can connect with other people owning the same product and can only work together (e.g. in solving common problems or enhance the product). Examples include discussion forums of Microsoft or other software and hardware companies (Vitaiova 2011).

Applications SCRM currently offer Salesforce.com (social tools Chatter and Jigsaw) and Oracle (CRM On Demand) (Sarner et al. 2010).

Sterne (2010) defined eight categories, which can be classified into different social media (Vitaiova 2011):

1. Forums--customers can put their questions and express their opinions, while other users to respond or comment on the attitude. Business can provide to their customers own forum.

2. Reputation systems--a set of tools that allows to customers to evaluate the product and its features. They can share their opinions with others and freely discuss. They are implemented either as a separate web service or are incorporated into the corporate site.

3. Social Networks--this is either a semi-open communities (MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook) or platform for creating custom open and closed groups for communication (Ning, SociaGo). They allow to the business to move closer to their fans and use existing social networks to increase brand awareness.

4. Blogs--give to businesses the opportunity to talk about their attitudes, as well as consumers can publish their opinions about products and businesses. A business may use them as a place of handling customer support, or as a place where customers can collaborate on ideas that enhance the services and products of the business (e.g. Starbucks mystarbucksidea.force.com).

5. Microblogs--a specific type of classical blog. The best known representative is Twitter. News (status) there are limited by 140 characters in length and serve as a warning to some interesting article, commenting on the current situation by asking short notice and so on. The advantage is fast extension of news and the possibility of immediate response to any mention of the company.

6. Social tagging and social bookmarking--tagging is a tool enabling users to sort content of one site into different, user-defined categories. These tags are visible to other users who can follow them and also sort the content of the site, aggregating existing keywords--tag clouds. Services such as Diigo, Digg or Del.icio.us and others allow the user to sort the contents of "the internet" and save their favourite, interesting or useful links to their profile, highlight certain passages, or write a note to the saved bookmarks. Bookmarking is an appropriate tool for collaboration and information sharing in teams.

7. Share multimedia content--a specialized social network where users can upload created multimedia content and share it with each other, rate, comment. Frequently it is photo sharing (Flickr, Picasa), videos (Youtube, Vimeo), documents (Scribd) or presentations (SlideShare).

8. Business wiki systems--they are flexible and dynamic, after involving of customers they can be a valuable source of innovation. Very often they replace content management systems (CMS) or act as systems of knowledge bases.

The main contribution of SCRM applications is in engage of customers in a number of important business activities. Business in this way gaining ideas on innovation, spread awareness of its brand, increasing web traffic and advertising revenue, and in particular captures the indirect feedback of its customers from social networks and communities. Conversely, customers can participate in the development of new products and services; generate assessment on the basis of price comparisons that are useful for other customers. Also they have the tools to enable them to assist each other in case of difficulties. SCRM applications provide support to the sales process by sharing contacts in the community.

To business be able to implement innovative approaches in relationship marketing, which have been described above, must use project management. Above all, it is necessary that the business realizes that each application of an innovative approach is project that comprising several processes. The basic rule of project management of innovative approach of relationship marketing is to determine:

--Goal of the project,

--Content of the project,

--The timing,

--and Financial budget.

Each project innovative relationship marketing approach is unique. In order to subsequently evaluate the success or changes in plans, it is necessary:

1. Clearly defined goal of the project an innovative approach of relationship marketing.

2. Comparison of benefits possible variants of the project innovative approach of relationship marketing.

3. Determination of metricsmodel that allow to monitoring and controling of project evaluation of the effect of an innovative approach relationship marketing.

4. Model Metrics link to the whole business performance evaluation system and confront the relationships between the measurement results.

5. Determining responsibility for the results of the project innovative approach of relationship marketing.

6. Determination of the time horizon of monitoring and evaluation of achievement of an innovative approach through metrics.

7. Ensuring channels for communication of measurement results among all responsible persons and persons who influence the measurement results, including the definition of corrective actions.

Project planning of innovative approach of relationship marketing is shown in Figure 8.

Conclusions

Motives and behaviour of people during the buying process is often complicated, unpredictable and irrational. Understanding of the behaviour of a buyer's decision is one of the basic prerequisites of creating a successful marketing strategy. Communication with customers is becoming impersonal, automated and mass. For example, in a supermarket customer does not find anyone to help him find less common goods. Customer wants to be a personally addressed and it is needed meet this request. Mass advertising losing its tremendous importance. Sincerity is the most important feature of successful marketing. The true and honest customer care is a new requirement for success. Successful creating of customer relationships requires close cooperation among departments in the business. In the first place must always stand customers (Lendel, Varmus 2012). This means that the needs and requirements form the content of business strategy, which is reflected in customer orientation.

[FIGURE 8 OMITTED]

Caption: Fig. 3. Comparison of sources, from which come most successful ideas and ideas with the greatest potential (source: own research)

Caption: Fig. 6. The relationship between relationship marketing and customer orientation (source: Lendel, Kubina 2009)

Caption: Fig. 7. Effects orientation (source: Custom processing by Wessling 2002)

Caption: Fig. 8. Planning project of innovative approach of relationship marketing (source: own elaboration)

doi: 10.3846/btp.2015.434

Acknowledgements

This paper was partially supported by the Slovak scientific grant VEGA 1/0363/14 2014-2017.

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Viliam LENDEL (1), Michal VARMUS (2)

(1,2) Department of Management Theories, Faculty of Management Science and Informatics, University of Zilina, Slovak Republic

E-mails: (1) viliam.lendel@fri.uniza.sk (correspondingauthor); (2) michal.varmus@fri.uniza.sk

Received 06 February 2014; accepted 14 January 2015

Viliam LENDEL, Assoc. prof., PhD in Management (University of Zilina), lecturer at Faculty of Management Science and Informatics, University of Zilina. Research interests: Management Information Systems, CRM, Innovation.

Michal VARMUS, PhD in Management (University of Zilina), lecturer at Faculty of Management Science and Informatics, University of Zilina. Research interests: Innovation, Innovation strategies, Marketing, Marketing Communication.

Table 1. Definitions of the relationship marketing concept

Author(s)         Definition

Gronroos          Relationship marketing can be seen as a process
(1997)            of identifying and creating, maintaining,
                  improving and, if necessary, termination of
                  relationships with customers or other
                  stakeholder. The aim is to build profitable
                  relationships based on mutual trust, fulfilling
                  promises and achieving the objectives of all
                  sides.

Morgan, Hunt      Relationship marketing is any marketing effort
(1994)            aimed at the creation, development and
                  maintenance of successful interactions
                  (exchange values).

Gummesson         Relationship marketing can be seen as a
(1994)            relationship or interaction networks.

Moller and        Relationship marketing is about understanding,
Wilson (1995)     creating and managing interactions between
                  economic partners, suppliers, service providers
                  and end users.

Zvireliene,       Relationship marketing is defined as "the new
Buciuniene        marketing", oriented towards the main objective
(2008)            of the company's operations--fulfillment of
                  customer needs and building of long-term
                  relationships with customers.

Michalova         Relationship marketing is forcing one/us to
(2006)            immediately analyze the marketing situation and
                  develop activities and resources in order to
                  create, maintain and expand relationships with
                  customers or specific customer segments.

Dudinska et       Relationship marketing is one of the strategic
al. (2006)        business management concepts and its essence is
                  to establish, develop, maintain and improve
                  relations with customers and other stakeholders
                  (employees, owners, suppliers, intermediaries,
                  public and professional institutions) in order
                  to create mutual value and benefits for all
                  parties involved. The final effect is a unique
                  wealth that creates for a company the
                  preconditions for ensuring long-term
                  competitiveness.

Jurgileviciute,   Relationship marketing can be defined as a
Sudzius (2010)    long-term, mutually useful relationship, which
                  is characterized among others by such
                  attributes as confidence, cooperation,
                  communication, commitment, dependence as well
                  as development and maintenance.

Sheth,            Relationship marketing are communications and
Parvatiyar        marketing programs focused on economic
(1995)            development, i.e. consumers benefit by lowering
                  the price of products or services.

Peng, Wang        Relationship marketing involves all the
(2006)            marketing tools with a focus on developing of
                  customer loyalty, and gives benefits to all
                  parties involved in the communication.

Berry (2002)      Relationship marketing is a marketing concept
                  aimed at maintaining and creating new
                  relationships with customers based on mutual
                  satisfaction and attraction.

Table 2. Characteristics of the level of preparedness on the
application system works with innovative ideas in the
context of relationship marketing

Level of                    Characteristic                 Point
preparedness                                              interval

Chaotic        Area of innovative ideas: Innovative         0-40
               ideas are not generated, their
               formation is not supported in any way,
               any information concerning innovative
               ideas are not recorded

               Area of rewarding for innovative ideas:
               company does not provide any award for
               innovative ideas

               Area for implementation of innovation:
               innovation is not being implemented (in
               the company)

Insufficient   Area of innovative ideas: the creation      41-70
               of innovative ideas is not supported,
               but innovative ideas are collected,
               information about them is not recorded

               Area of rewarding for innovative ideas:
               company provides bonuses to staff in
               the event of exceptional innovative
               ideas

               Area for implementation of innovation:
               innovations are introduced randomly and
               unsystematically without the use of
               methodological tools, companies
               encounter many problems when trying to
               achieve successful implementation of
               innovation

Acceptable     Area of innovative ideas: innovative        71-100
               ideas come mainly from employees and
               customers, some information related to
               innovative ideas is being recorded

               Area of rewarding for innovative ideas:
               employees are being rewarded mostly in
               the form of formal recognition

               Area for implementation of innovation:
               innovation begins to be implemented a
               systematically, however, methodological
               tools for innovation are used
               minimally, working out and to avoid
               problems preventing the successful
               implementation of innovation

High           Area of innovative ideas: innovative       101-131
               ideas come from several sources, most
               pertinent information is recorded in
               the information system

               Area of rewarding for innovative ideas:
               the employees and also other providers
               of valuable innovative ideas are being
               rewarded

               Area for implementation of innovation:
               innovation is implemented with the help
               of some methodological tools,
               successful implementation prevents only
               the minimum of problems in the company

Excellent      Area of innovative ideas: the emergence      132
               of innovative ideas is fully supported
               by all stakeholders and they come from
               all sources, all information concerning
               innovative ideas are thoroughly and
               transparently recorded in the
               information system

               Area of rewarding for innovative ideas:
               anyone who provides innovative idea is
               rewarded by incentives, mostly in the
               for of cash bonuses

               Area for implementation of innovation:
               company systematically implements
               innovation utilizing various
               methodological tools aimed at achieving
               innovation, there is no problem for
               achieving successful implementation

Fig. 1. The main issues hindering the successful
introduction of innovative approaches to
relationship marketing in Slovak companies
(source: own research)

Number of companies

Other                                                     67
Nothing                                                   7
Technical and organizational complexity                   60
Missing environment conducive to innovation development   41
Lack of information about technologies and markets        29
Lack of necessary funds                                   119
Insufficient use of available resources                   47
Lack of trust between management and other departments    8
Distrust of management to possible outcomes               57

Note: Table made from bar graph.

Fig. 2. Number of business using different sources
of innovative ideas (source: own research)

Number of companies

Other-contractors                                        8
Changes in people's minds                                42
Demographic changes                                      14
Changes in industry structure and market                 40
Requirements for processes                               39
Internet                                                 137
Consultancy firms                                        11
Fains, conference, exhibitions                           112
Commercial literature, catalogs, advertising magazines   55
Journals and publications                                99
Licence literature                                       4
Patents                                                  8
Primarily scientific and technical information           27
Analysis of competitive products and services            126
Own staff                                                127
Analysis of customer needs                               145
Own research activities                                  71

Note: Table made from bar graph.

Fig. 4. Number of companies in which innovative ideas
are generated based on the above suggestions (source: own
research)

Number of companies

Other                             6
Ideas are not generated           6
Randomly                          15
Based on development technology   41
Based on business needs           47
Based on customer requirements    162
Based on the detected problem     120

Note: Table made from bar graph.

Fig. 5. Output from SPSS Statistics--chi-square test for
characters level of preparedness and the existence of an
information system to record innovative ideas (source: own
research)

Chi-square tests

                           Value        df      Asymp. sig.
                                                 (2-sided)

Pearson Chi-square       27,019 (a)      6         ,000
Likelihood ratio           30,709        6         ,000
N of valid cases            207

(a)--5 cells(41.7%) have expected count less than 5.
The minimum expected count is ,035.

Symmetric measures

                           Value      Approx.
                                       sig.

Nominal by Nominal Phi      ,361       ,000
  Cramer's V                ,255       ,000
N of valid cases            207

(a)--Not assuming the null hypothesis.

(b)--Using the asymptotic standard error assuming the null
hypothesis.