Relationship Marketing and Bank Performance: an Applied Study on Commercial Banks in Southwestern Nigeria.

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of relationship Marketing process on Bank performance of selected Commercial Banks in Southwestern Nigeria. It examines the management and performance of marketing relationships from the perspectives of direct marketing, internal marketing, banks’ relationship quality and customer’s relation benefits in Nigeria context. The research design used was a descriptive design. The data for the study were gathered, through questionnaire adapted from Ismail (2011), from three out of six states in the Southwestern geo-political zone of Nigeria. Multistage Random sampling technique was used. High rate of return of 91% was achieved because it was a self-administered questionnaire using drop and collect method. The reliability test of instrument was done using Factor Loading and Cronbach Alpha. Data collected were analysed using both descriptive and regression analysis statistics. The Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) 17.0 version was used in data analysis. The finding reveals a positive and significant relationship between Relationship Marketing and Bank Performance indicators. The Relationship Quality and Relation Benefits were found to be positively and significantly determinants of Bank performance. The findings revealed further that Direct Marketing and Internal Marketing are insignificant predictors of bank performance. The policy implication of this study recommends that the issue of job security that has bedeviled banking sector as a result of indiscriminate retrenchment must be looked into by the banks’ helmsmen. This will lead to orgainisation commitment among the employees that seems to be lacking among the employees of Nigeria Banks. This will enhance the bank performance.

Keywords: Bank Performance, Marketing Orientation, Relational Benefits, Relationship Marketing, Relationship Quality, Nigeria