Relationship Marketing Strategies and Operational Performance of Mobile Phone Distribution Companies in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine how relationship marketing strategies relate to the level of operational performance of mobile phone distribution companies in Akwa Ibom State. To guide the study two specific objectives were raised, two research questions were answered and two research hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 622 staff of registered mobile phone distribution companies in Akwa Ibom State. Taro Yamane sampling formula was used to determine the sample size of 319 respondents. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select the respondents of the study. This involved cluster sampling, proportionate sampling and simple random sampling techniques. The researcher developed a 20 item structured questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire items were validated by three experts, two from Department of Business Education and one from Test and Measurement Unit of Educational Foundation all from University of Uyo, Uyo. Cronbach Alpha statistical tool were used in determining the reliability of the instruments and correlation coefficient indices of .95 and .94 were obtained which showed that the instruments were reliable. Data were analyzed using Simple Linear Regression for answering research questions and testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The finding of the study indicate that effective communication with customers and service quality relates to the level of operational performance of mobile phone distribution companies in Akwa Ibom State. It was recommended that business managers should regularly organize seminar to oriented sales person on the importance of relationship marketing strategies to the company’s success which can be used in attracting new customers or as a defensive strategy of maintaining existing customers, thereby improving the level of operational performance of the company. Also, business owners should endeavor to provide quality service as this is a key to improved sales and business profitability which also result in increased customer satisfaction.