The influence of relationship marketing drivers on marketing and business performance

In the last few decades, both marketing theory and practice have gone through a transformation process, from the approach based on the marketing mix concept (the traditional/transactional approach in marketing) to a relationship-based approach. As a strategic orientation, relationship marketing requires a focus on maintaining and developing profitable long-term relationships with customers. As a as a result of the organization's focus on relationship marketing customer satisfaction has received considerable attention. Many authors consider that relationship marketing represents a paradigm shift. Contradict these opinions, we believe that the paradigm shift cannot be considered, as relational and transactional marketing practices may be observed simultaneously. The two perspectives (relational and transactional) are not mutually exclusive, as they are components of the same paradigm, one which allows relationship and transactional marketing to co-exist. In literature customer satisfaction was considered an important determinant of customer loyalty which is a driver of customer retention. This paper examines the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, as relationship marketing drivers, and some of marketing outcomes discussed in the marketing literature. We have examined the effect that those two factors have on sales, retention, market share and profitability. The survey carried out on a sample of 82 companies in the Western region of Romania has revealed that customer satisfaction an customer loyalty have a positive impact on sales from existing customers, retention rate, market share and profitability.