Influence of relationship marketing on competitiveness among commercial banks in Kenya

Abstract

This research project was aimed at studying the influence of relationship marketing on the growth in the commercial banks in Kenya. This study was a cross-sectional survey undertaken among the commercial banks in Kenya. The population of the study was 47 commercial banks. A survey of all banks was undertaken. Purposive random sampling was used to pick 1 relationship marketing managers from each bank’s head office in Nairobi County. This formed the sample size which was 47 respondents who were administered with the questionnaire. The study used primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. Secondary data was gathered by a review of existing materials on the topic under study and the Kenyan banks. Data was coded and analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysis involved descriptive statistics and content analysis. The results showed that the selected variables i.e. customer trust, organizational culture, quality services and information technology each has influence on the banks market share index and each variable is very important in increasing the banks competitiveness. The study recommends that for a bank to remain competitive it should hire talent in relationship marketing management to take care of the banks portfolio/client base and be able to tailor its offering to meet and exceed customer needs. The study also recommends that every bank should have a dedicated team to handle the high profile customers of the bank since they have unique needs and they bring very high value business to the bank. And that the banking industry should plan for the adverse effects which might occur due to inflation, depreciation of USD against the KES. Therefore this study concludes that there is a weak positive relationship between the selected variables (customer trust, organizational culture, quality services and information technology) together and competition for share market development among commercial banks in Kenya.