Relationship marketing, word of mouth communication and consumer loyalty in the Ugandan mobile telecommunication industry

摘要

Relationship marketing and word of mouth have been relatively neglected in influencing consumer loyalty in the mobile telecommunication industry and there has been almost no academic research examining this issue in the Ugandan market hence rendering this research quite significant academically. Further, most of these studies have been in the context of developed nations. Given that there are fundamental differences in the industry dynamics, market structures, and customer needs between developed and developing countries of the world, the larger aim of this study is to develop a conceptual framework and after testing the framework further empirically examine the impact various dimensions of relationship marketing, word of mouth on customer’s loyalty in the telecommunication industry of Uganda, as there could be no universal solutions for prescribing relationship exchanges (Palmer, 1997). Thus, the purpose of this paper is: to establish the relationship between relationship marketing, word of mouth communication and consumer’s loyalty in the Mobile Telecommunication Industry of Uganda. Results of this, will assist in better management of firm-customer relationships and in achieving higher levels of consumer’s loyalty which is currently desirable for any given mobile phone company to survive in this volatile competitive environment. Provide an insight into relationship marketing and word of mouth strategies with high level ability to increase consumer’s loyalty to a desirable level.