Relationship marketing is based on the assumption of the customers’ commitment. This commitment may be multidimensional, with an affective dimension and a calculative one. Commitment is shown to be linked to trust. Relationship marketing has not paid a lot of attention to psychological...

This conceptual article presents the current criticisms to relationship marketing and important concepts developed in marketing and psychology to understand consumer reactance toward services packaged as formal contracts. A first part presents the numerous questions that researches are raising...

The authors conduct an exploratory study in order to develop a measurement scale of customers transactional/relational orientation. The study is implemented in the context of French banking industry in both B.-to-C. and B.-to-B. environments. The results show that a different scale is needed for...

As commitment is at the core of relationship programs, the latter should share similarities with prevention programs, which are key to the health sector. A field study with a dental network show that anxiety toward illness and trust toward the practitioner are key determinants to commitment to a...

Relationship marketing makes an implicit assumption : customers are committed. This commitment is based on the existing trust between the customer and the service provider. However, customers may reject commitment, because of psychological reactance, without any loss of trust. This article...

The relational approach is often presented as a strategy to retain customers, but can also be an appropriate approach to encourage consumers to complain, as a literature review shows it. Using information contained in complaints and giving right answers (distributive, procedural and...