Interactive IMC: The Relational-Transactional Continuum and the Synergistic Use of Customer Data

ABSTRACT In a business-to-business context in the auto insurance industry, the synergistic value of the continuum of relational-transactional data in developing interactive Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) relationships was assessed. While all types of data were found to be important, relationship-oriented factors contributed more to perceived quality of the relationship than did mixed or transaction variables. The study also investigated the ability to segment business customers employing a combination using the relational, mixed, and transactional data. The customer segments differed in their evaluations of the firm's performance on the various relational, mixed, and transactional factors, but not on their overall evaluation of the relationship. This finding provides support for the notion that different customer segments are interested in different types of relationships. In addition, the segments were significantly different in terms of the amount of insurance written with the company, underscoring the financial importance of segmenting customers on these variables.

[1]  S. Hunt,et al.  The Commitment-Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing , 1994 .

[2]  Mary E. Shoemaker.  A Framework for Examining IT-Enabled Market Relationships , 2001 .

[3]  W. Reinartz,et al.  Balancing Acquisition and Retention Resources to Maximize Customer Profitability , 2005 .

[4]  Don E. Schultz,et al.  Communicating Globally: An Integrated Marketing Approach , 2000 .

[5]  Jerry G. Kliatchko.  Towards a new definition of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) , 2005 .

[6]  William N. Swain.  Perceptions Of IMC After A Decade Of Development: Who's At The Wheel, And How Can We Measure Success? , 2004, Journal of Advertising Research.

[7]  Philip J. Kitchen,et al.  The Emergence Of IMC: A Theoretical Perspective , 2004, Journal of Advertising Research.

[8]  How the Pursuit of ROMI Is Changing Marketing Management , 2004, Journal of Advertising Research.

[9]  G. Day.  Managing market relationships , 2000 .

[10]  Wesley J. Johnston,et al.  Customer Profitability: Prospective vs. Retrospective Approaches in a Business-to-Business Setting☆ , 2001 .

[11]  Ranjay Gulati,et al.  The quest for customer focus. , 2005, Harvard business review.

[12]  D. Schultz,et al.  Leveraging Customer Information to Develop Sequential Communication Strategies: , 2002, Journal of Advertising Research.

[13]  Abbie Griffin,et al.  The Role Of Transactional Versus Relational Data In IMC Programs: Bringing Customer Data Together , 2004, Journal of Advertising Research.

[14]  John A. Schibrowsky,et al.  Interactive integrated marketing communication: combining the power of IMC, the new media and database marketing , 2003 .

[15]  D. Schultz,et al.  Interactive Psychographics: Cross-Selling in the Banking Industry , 2002, Journal of Advertising Research.

[16]  Betsy Bugg Holloway,et al.  Adaptive Selling Behavior Revisited: An Empirical Examination of Learning Orientation, Sales Performance, and Job Satisfaction , 2003 .

[17]  Bernard J. Jaworski,et al.  Market Orientation: The Construct, Research Propositions, and Managerial Implications , 1990 .

[18]  Greg W. Marshall,et al.  The evolution of the seven steps of selling , 2005 .

[19]  Janek Ratnatunga,et al.  The role of marketing , 1995 .