Marketing communication practices for sustaining customer relations in consumer Durable sector: An empirical study at Nanded district of Maharashtra

In this study, researcher has carried out survey of dealers to understand importance of Marketing Communication practices of Organization and its correlation for sustaining customer relations in consumer durable industry. This customer relation whether leads to increase in business values in consumer durables is also one of the major objectives for this study. This study is carried out in Nanded District majorly divided in Urban, semi-urban, rural, backward and tribal areas. Study is based on primary data obtained from selected dealers of consumer durable. Information on marketing communication practices to maintain customer relations have been obtained in two types. Direct marketing communication practices to maintain customer relations includes use of sales force for regular visit, scientific information sharing, offer, personal relation development, training and education to customers, personal interaction in the shop and or showroom, new product launch meet, sponsorship and festival meet. However indirect way to maintain customer relations includes price discount, gift and free article, radio/TV/newspaper advertisements by manufacturing companies, hoardings on road, booklets and leaflets, brochures and catalogs, sample for trial and wall paintings.

Information collected and analyzed properly in simple tabular form and percentage calculated for meaningful results. Researcher tried to understand benefits from customer relations to dealers in terms of customer loyalty, customers lifetime relationship, new customers attracted, relations with high value customers, customer retention, business transactions increased, customer complaint reduced, and increase in goodwill and status.

This study reveals that Direct and Indirect Marketing Communication Practices has lead to development and sustaining relationship with customers which is clearly reflected in attaining Business Values.