Caspian Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 1(13), pp. 95-103, 2012
Available online at http://www.cjasr.com
ISSN: 2251-9114, ©2012 CJASR
95
Full Length Research Paper
Relationship Marketing and Customer Loyalty, Case Study: Hormozghan
Cement Company, Bandar Khamir, Iran
Mohammad Bagher Aali
1*
, Seyed Davoud Hosseini Nasab
2
, Kamran Pashaei Fakhri
3
, Seyed Mohsen
Fazeliyan
4
, Hadi Kheirollahi
5
1
Open Higher Educations Center, Kharazmi University, Tehran, I.R.Iran&CEO of Hormozghan Cement Company,
Bandar Khamir, Iran
2
Department of Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
3
Department of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
4
Department of Islamic Studies and Finance, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran
5
MA in Economic Development and Planning, Hormozghan Cement Company, Bandar Khamir, Iran
*Corresponding Author: email: mbaali@gmail.com
Received 23 September 2012; Accepted 8 November 2012
This study is conducted to evaluate the impact of relationship marketing's underpinnings on relationship quality
(customers' trust and satisfaction) and then determine the impact on customers’ loyalty in Hormozghan Cement
Company. A researcher built questionnaire (derived from previous studies and the relevant literature) was
completed by 246 Company's customers in Iran. Correlation analysis, Multiple Regression analysis and Path
analysis assessed the impact on customer loyalty of four key constructs of relationship marketing (product
quality, product price, brand image, value offers) and mediators. Customer loyalty is basically formed by the
constructs of product quality, price quality, brand image and value offers via mediating role of costumer trust
and satisfaction. The relationships investigated in this study deserve further research. Because the data analyzed
were collected from one company of the industry in a sole Country, more studies are required before general
conclusions can be drawn. It is reasonable to conclude, on this evidence, which customer loyalty can be created,
reinforced and retained by marketing plans aimed at building satisfaction, demonstrating product quality to
customers and getting in touch with them in a timely manner. This study is the first research of the subject
within the Cement Industry
Key words: Relationship Marketing, Customer Loyalty, Cement Industry, Iran
1. INTRODUCTION
Cement Industry in Iran is undertaking a paradigm
shift. The first cement plant was established in Iran
in 1932. Since then, cement plant managers made
efforts to increase produce without giving enough
attention to the marketing side of the business
(Tajik, 2011).
Nowadays, cement production has been
increased and we are facing with surplus of supply.
This leads to the lack of selling in the sector and
intensification of competition among cement
plants. By increasing the competition in the
marketplace, making customers loyal in order to
enhance mutual profit gains importance (Tseng,
2007).Therefore, there is an urgent need for
marketing tactics to be taken into consideration in
the cement sector of Iran (Tajik,2011).
Customer is the core point amongst most
marketing strategies (Peng and Wang, 2006), so
relationship marketing is a suitable pattern that
should be taken into consideration in this sector in
Iran in dealing with customers. This idea vastly
supported by the modern business world.
This study examines relationship marketing
tactics on customers' loyalty in Hormozghan
Cement Company.
1.2. Statement of the problem
Higher competition in cement sector of Iran is
higher necessity to take benefit of marketing
theories. Whenever the competition comes up,
market share of each company comes down only if
they have loyal customers. Attracting new
customers is more expensive than retaining them
(Cutler, 1989), so they should enjoy such tactics
that enhance loyalty of customers in order to
ensure their profits. One of the marketing
strategies, that seek to acquire and retain customers