The Brand as an Active Relationship Partner
A fundamental change in the ideology of the retail banking sector has occurred in recent years (Christopher, Payne, & Ballantyne, 1994). Instead of focusing on account-based and transaction-based services, banks are beginning to orientate themselves towards relationships with their customers (Harden, 2002). The term ‘relationship’ is used in everyday language to define a connection or association between two or more people or things. In terms of relationship marketing it has been defined as “attracting, maintaining and….enhancing customer relationships” (Berry, 1983, p. 25).
The brand-as-a-relationship concept has primarily focused on how consumers differ not only in how they perceive brands but also how they relate to brands (Fournier, Dobscha, & Mick, 1998). Such ideas use interpersonal relationship theory to formulate a framework for understanding and extending the concept of brand personality; the brand is treated as “an active, contributing partner in the dyadic relationship that exists between the persona and the brand” (Aaker & Fournier, 1995, p. 393).
In the context of service relationships, consumers’ decisions about maintaining a relationship are largely influenced by their emotional and affective bonds with the service provider (Oliver, 1999; Shemwell, Cronin, & Bullard, 1994). In order to behave in an active way, the brand must perform in a reciprocal manner and integrated marketing actions and communications can serve as a means of the brand in fulfilling its reciprocal role with the customer. Tactical considerations of how the brand should be communicated include the notion that decisions are required not only on advertising but packaging, promotions and the style of personal interactions between the customer and the brand (Aaker, 1996).
On this a basis, it is not unreasonable to postulate that the customer’s perception of the brand as an active relationship partner might be evaluated in terms of the traits that are inferred by the brand’s perceived behaviour and actions, to include marketing decisions that are made such as advertising, the tone of correspondence with the customer and the way in which service failures are dealt with.