Gurus On Marketing

and there is no further contact. The reactive relationship involves selling
and buying but customers are encouraged to get in contact if more
information is required or if there are complaints.
The accountable relationship involves selling and buying but the
seller gets in touch with the customers after the purchase is made to
find out if the customer is satisfied with the purchase.
The proactive relationship involves getting in touch with existing
customers to inform of them of improvement made in the products.
Partnership relationship involves continuous contact with the
customer with a view to bringing about customer savings.
Different organisations build and develop different types of relationship
with their customers depending on the nature of the products and
business.
In addition to customer relationship, Kotler also highlights the importance
of customer retention by implementation of total quality.
‘Ultimately’, Kotler writes, ‘marketing is the art of attracting and keeping
profitable customers.’
Because of constantly changing marketing conditions successful organisations
have to be ready to adapt. As a result organisations have to
undertake strategic planning.
Strategic planning involves three key ideas. They are:
1 To manage ‘a company’s businesses as an investment portfolio
for which it would be decided which business entities
deserve to be built, maintained, phased down or terminated’
2 To assess accurately the future profit potential of each business
by considering the market’s growth rate and the company’s
position and fit.
3 For each business the company must develop a ‘game plan’.
FIVE PHILIP KOTLER 77