Inclusion of Switching Behaviour into Relationship Marketing Model: A Theoretical Model

Abstract

Relationship marketing authors have attempted to develop distinct models suitable for investigating relationship marketing in different contexts. However, there is no agreement as yet about the antecedents that best capture the characteristics of the relational exchange that influences relationship marketing. Maintaining a long-term relationship with a customer is one of the fundamental factors determining the value that the customer provides to the company. A serious threat to achieving a long-term relationship is the customer's switching behaviour. This study develops a theoretical model of relationship marketing, which includes customers' switching behaviour (switchers and stayers), as a vital construct to understand the relationship development process between customers and service providers. Also, hypotheses to specify the association between the underlying models' constructs were presented as a basis for further study.