The relationship between a market and a consumer is complex. Far from simply an exchange of services there is an often complex transaction of feeling, meaning and experience. How does the study of relationship marketing interpret this?

In this exciting new book the authors explore the factors of relationship marketing in its contemporary context, with the consumer in mind. From the experience of a football club supporter to experiences of gap year travel, to text messaging behaviour, and to using the library, the focus of this text is on the consumer perspective. From this angle, issues of relationship marketing, and its management, take on a new and exciting bearing.

Topics examined include: frameworks for analyzing the consumer experience; consumer communities; issues of customer loyalty; the impact of ICT on relationship marketing; and the creative consumer. Each chapter is supported by - or based on - an in-depth case study, many of which are drawn from the authors' research.

Autorentext

Steve Baron is Professor of Marketing, and Director of the Centre for Experiential Consumption Studies at the University of Liverpool, UK. He is joint author of a book on Services Marketing (Third Edition, Palgrave, 2008), and also joint author of Relationship Marketing (SAGE, 2009). He has published work in many academic journals, including Journal of Service Research, Journal of Services Marketing, International Journal of Service Industry Management, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research and International Journal of Market Research. He is Deputy Editor of Journal of Customer Behaviour, and on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Journal of Services Marketing, Service Science, and Service Business: an International Journal.

Inhalt

PART ONE: RELATIONSHIP MARKETING: THE STATE OF THE ART
Origins and History of Relationship Marketing
Relationship Marketing Themes
Customer Retention and Loyalty
Relationship Marketing
A Change in Perspective?
PART TWO: RELATIONSHIPS FROM A CONSUMER EXPERIENCE PERSPECTIVE
Frameworks for Analyzing the Consumer Experience
Consumer Resources
Use and Integration
Introducing Consumer Experience Modeling
Consumer Experience Modeling
Value Enhancers and Inhibitors
Communities within 'Experiential Networks'
Social Networks
C2C Exchanges and Relationships
CONCLUSION
Conclusions