How Firm's Profitability is Analyzed in Relationship Marketing

While relationship marketing is viewed as an important driver in the development of the firm’s profitability, the condition of this profitability seldom receives much attention. In this study, we employ a dynamic exchange model between firm and customer to explore the conditions affecting the firm’s profitability from a relationship perspective. The application of this model reveals explicitly that relationship marketing is not always profitable. The firm-customer relationship profitability depends on the customer life value (margin and retention rate), the duration of the firm-customer relationship, and the marketing budget to retain the customer and the customer acquisition cost.