Relationship Marketing Strategies: A Case Study of Thames Boat, London

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This project analyzes relationship marketing strategies at Thames Boat.

Research Proposal – Marketing Topic
Relationship marketing strategies – a case study of Thames Boat,
London
Student’s Name:
Student’s ID:
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Abstract
Relationship marketing strategies has crucially shown the ability to focus on building a
positive customer loyalty to a firm or brand with a long haul. It is considered as an effective
tool to run the business with a long term influences in the target market. Appropriate
marketing techniques have shown a helpful corner to gain customer referrals and
understanding the satisfaction level. Social media has significantly influenced the marketing
strategies as a tool to build a positive relationship with the potential customers. The
concerned project will propose a research study that will avail data from the customers of
Thames Boat, London in order to acknowledge the concept of relationship marketing. A well-
structured research methods and survey is determined as a close-ended questionnaire that will
be surveyed to the selected sample size in order to gain the knowledge on this concerned
topic.
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Background to the Study............................................................................................................5
Research Aim.............................................................................................................................5
Research Objectives...................................................................................................................5
Research Questions....................................................................................................................5
Rational of the Study..................................................................................................................6
The Scope of the Study..............................................................................................................7
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................7
Research Methodology...............................................................................................................8
Project Planning.........................................................................................................................9
Ethical Issues............................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................11
Appendix..................................................................................................................................12
Appendix A: Questionnaire Template.....................................................................................12
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Introduction
Relationship marketing strategy is defined as the specific functions relating to the CRM
system. The concept is to focus identifiably on long-term relationships with the customers
and increases brand loyalty. Customer relationship and marketing strategies relate together in
order to encourage the continued business while ensuring great experiences significantly.
Thames Boat, London as the river cruise services to different destinations. The research
proposes to specify the importance and need of relationship marketing strategy in the cruise
service industry. The research will signify all the constraints and scopes to understand the
issues and to comprehend the core prospects while shedding a positive light on the
knowledge advancements on marketing as a strategy.
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Background to the Study
The study comprehends all the essential aspects that include a precise knowledge sharing for
the researcher to proceed further with the project. The study supports to acknowledge the
importance of relationship marketing strategies for Thames Boat, London. Thames Boat is a
touring company that considerably provides sightseeing cruises on River Themes, London
(thamesclippers.com, 2019). The research proposes all the indispensable aspects that enable
the researcher to support the organisation and the service industry in rationalising the
significance of relationship marketing as an efficient strategy. To attract the customers, social
media platforms in the recent age have shown a huge mass audiences and participations.
Therefore, utilising this as the marketing strategy tool can be beneficial to grow the
relationship in between the customers. Such concept has been determined in this research
study.
Research Aim
The concerned research will aim to gain the knowledge on how and why relationship
marketing strategies is utilised to attract the potential customers while utilising social media
platforms taking - case study of Thames Boat, London.
Research Objectives
The research objectives have been identified below –
 To gain understanding about the importance of relationship marketing strategies is
utilised to attract customers
 To acknowledge the values of social media platforms utilised as the marketing tool will
benefit the organisation - Thames Boat, London
 To examine the issues related in implementing the strategies for the company - Thames
Boat, London
 To recommend all necessary implications to be followed in order to implement the
marketing strategies significantly
Research Questions
The research questions identified will be focused upon –
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 Why and how the relationship marketing strategies is utilised in resembling the
importance of the strategies in order to attract the potential customers?
 What are the values of social media platforms as the marketing tool utilised to benefit the
company in achieving the customer attraction?
 What are the identified issues associated in the overall implementation of social media
platforms as the marketing tool and enabling relationship marketing strategies?
 What are the relevant ways that can be undermined to rectify such issues further for the
organisation Thames Boat London?
Rational of the Study
Why is the Issue?
It is important to recognise that relationship marketing is offered with new marketing
paradigm. Therefore, the relationship approach shows certain issues or challenges that arise
as the fundamental cornerstones to the marketing strategies. The organisation lacks on
determining the target customers and consumers in order to build a loyal relationship. Social
media has been utilised by 72% of the marketers in UK to establish the loyal customers
(Holbi.co.uk., 2019).
What is the issue?
The issue represents the several outstanding factors reflecting the relational interpretation of
the marketing concept. People now have shown 72% activity on social media due to the
increase of internet usage in UK (Holbi.co.uk., 2019). The focus on the customer loyalty is
considered an important aspect that is changing frequently and affecting the primary target of
the relationship marketing.
What is the issue now?
The changes dynamics of relationship marketing nature is changing vividly. Customer loyalty
is significantly observed as the enduring aspects that are to be enmeshed as per other
capabilities and competences of the organisation. Understanding the fact that 71% of
customers in UK having good social media experience with the brand suggest others to use
the services (Holbi.co.uk., 2019).
How will this study shed light on this issue?
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The study significantly acknowledges a research that will shed the light on to understand the
customer perception over the company. The concept of relationship marketing directly relates
and values the customer wants, consequently the study will gain the knowledge on the overall
hypothesis.
The Scope of the Study
The study will indispensably conduct a research study in indulgent to select the appropriate
methodologies and literature reviews. In relating to the concept of relationship marketing and
social media influences to promote and market the product and services for Thames Boat,
London. The study will survey the potential consumers of Thames Boat, London in order to
gain the acquaintance over the perceptions that a customer holds towards the company.
Literature Review
Dynamic Relationship marketing
Organisations show a routine engagement in relationship marketing that show definite efforts
in order to improve the relationships with the customers and respective business partners. In
accordance to Zhang et al., (2016) it has been recognised that customers migrates with
various relationship states on over the time and therefore all relationship marketing strategies
show equal effectiveness. It signifies the perceptions that are customer trust, commitments
and dependency stating three positive areas- endowment, exploration and recovery and two
negative aspects -betrayal and negligence as the migration mechanisms.
Social Media influences as an interaction on customer-brand relationships
In identifying the change in technologies, companies now has increased the allocations of
spending more to marketing through social media programs. The influence of social media
interactions on consumer–brand relationship as determined by Hudson et al. (2016), has
shown that changing marketing concept and social media platforms is associated significantly
with customer to brand relationships. An appropriate use of social media has positively
helped the firms to gain brand relationship quality and increased anthropomorphism
perceptions.
Relationship marketing strategies – Past, Present and Future
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In the present era, relationships are recognised as the most integral part of contemporary
marketing practice and theory. In accordance to Gummerus et al. (2017), it has been
acknowledged that relationship marketing has shown close links to the growth of service
sector in characterising a long-term customer relationships. In acknowledging the changing
concept of relationships and embedding the complexity of firms ecosystem or the market
itself marketing strategies has broadened the significant scope of “relationship-marketing”.
Literature Gap
In understanding the rapid change of technologies and trends has shown the change of
customer preferences as per their specific wants and requirements from the service industry
that has shown the gap in this research study. The gap represents the limitation of the validity
of the data availed form the sources that are rapidly changing. Therefore, the study will be
based on highly related assumptions and current updates on marketing concepts but lacks the
accurate analysis of the future trends.
Research Methodology
It is a philosophical framework that defines the activities undertaken for the research project
in order to proceed with a systematic approach. The table below highlights the specific
selection of the methodologies.
Dimension of researches Selected methods
Research philosophy Positivism Research Philosophy
Research Approach Deductive Research Approach
Research Design Conclusive Research Design
Data collection method Primary and Secondary research methods
Sampling Probability Sampling technique
Table 1: Research Methodology
(Source: Created by the learner)
Research Philosophy
It deals with the sources, development and the considerable nature of the knowledge.
Positivism research philosophy is selected to gain a high structured project and to take large
samples in proceeding with the quantitative approach (Hughes and Sharrock, 2016).
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Research Approach – It reflects the plan and the procedure that combines the steps
reflecting a broad assumption of all selected detailed methods. Deductive research approach
is considered significant to test the overall validity of the hypothesis (Jackson, 2015).
Research Design – The design represents a framework that reflects techniques and methods
chosen for the researcher to implement a reasonable research study. Conclusive Research
design is admired to ensure the data gained is clear, structured and concluded successfully
(Meyers et al., 2016).
Data collection method – In understanding the two major categories- Primary and
Secondary research methods the concerned study will include secondary research study and
quantitative approach as the data collection method. Surveying the 100 customers of Thames
Boat, London will be admired to gain the data relevant to the research study (Palinkas et al.,
2015).
Sampling - Sampling is determined as the specified principle that are utilised to select the
selected samples from the overall population. Understanding the huge mass and it is
determined that the research will follow probability sampling technique to select the
respondents participating in the research study (Etikan et al., 2016).
Project Planning
Activities 1 - 2
weeks
3 - 5
weeks
6 - 8
weeks
9 - 12
weeks
13 – 14
weeks
14 - 15
weeks
Research topic assortment 
Literature review  
Assortment of an effective
research layout and design
 
Primary data collection 
Conducting Secondary data
collection
  
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Developing and initialising the
research plan
 
Identifying and acknowledging
the techniques to absolute the
research
 
Allocating obligatory sources
for quantitative data research
 
Analysing the information or
collected data
 
Concluding the research study 
Construction of research outline 
Research acquiescence 
Table 2: Gantt Chart
(Source: Created by the learner)
Ethical Issues
Ethical issues or considerations are the specified aspects that the researcher should consider
as an essential aspect of the research study. The participants in the research study should not
be subjected to be harmed at any cost. Respecting the perception and respondents dignity is to
be prioritised highly. Confidentiality to the data availed is to be maintained where Data
Protection Act 1998 is to be admired as the study is based in UK market.
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References
Carey, P., 2018. Data protection: a practical guide to UK and EU law. Oxford University
Press, Inc..
thamesclippers.com (2019). Thames River Cruises & London Boat Trips . [online]
Thamesclippers.com. Available at: https://www.thamesclippers.com/ [Accessed 21 Feb.
2019].
Etikan, I., Alkassim, R. and Abubakar, S., 2016. Comparison of snowball sampling and
sequential sampling technique. Biometrics and Biostatistics International Journal, 3(1), p.55.
Gummerus, J., von Koskull, C. and Kowalkowski, C., 2017. Guest editorial: relationship
marketing–past, present and future. Journal of Services Marketing, 31(1), pp.1-5.
Holbi.co.uk. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.holbi.co.uk/social-media-marketing-
stats [Accessed 21 Feb. 2019].
Hudson, S., Huang, L., Roth, M.S. and Madden, T.J., 2016. The influence of social media
interactions on consumer–brand relationships: A three-country study of brand perceptions
and marketing behaviors. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 33(1), pp.27-41.
Hughes, J.A. and Sharrock, W.W., 2016. The philosophy of social research. Routledge.
Jackson, S.L., 2015. Research methods and statistics: A critical thinking approach. Cengage
Learning.
Meyers, L.S., Gamst, G. and Guarino, A.J., 2016. Applied multivariate research: Design and
interpretation. Sage publications.
Palinkas, L.A., Horwitz, S.M., Green, C.A., Wisdom, J.P., Duan, N. and Hoagwood, K.,
2015. Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method
implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health
Services Research, 42(5), pp.533-544.
Zhang, J.Z., Watson Iv, G.F., Palmatier, R.W. and Dant, R.P., 2016. Dynamic relationship
marketing. Journal of Marketing, 80(5), pp.53-75.
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Appendix
Appendix A: Questionnaire Template
Q1. What is your profession?
o Student
o Employee
o Business Person
o Other
Q2. How often do you travel with Thames Boat services?
o Daily
o Weekly
o Once a month
o Every 2 months
Q3. Which is the major basis that you find attractive of Thames Boat services while
availing the services?
o Tours
o Lunch Cruise
o Dinner Cruise
o London Showboat
Q4. From where do you found out about the company and its services?
o Newspaper
o Hoarders
o Social Media
o Television
Q5. Do you find it useful that the information of different services and offerings is
shared in social media platforms?
o Yes
o No
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