Consumer Relationship Orientation

This research focuses on determining the antecedents of a consumer’s receptivity to long-term relationships with a service provider. Relational receptivity is an important factor in customer segmentation, as it helps companies to allocate resources and plan marketing strategies according to the expectations of the content of the relationship. Drawing from relationship marketing and consumer research theories, we suggest that customers’ relational receptivity can stem from a) customers’ inherent characteristics in the form of relationship proneness and relational mode and b) the fit between the customer characteristics and firm characteristics. Managerial implications are provided.