Narrative analysis of a marketing relationship: The consumer's perspective

This article uses narrative analysis to study a marketing relationship elicited by means of a phenomenological interview. The focal point is the consumer's perspective, and the single incident of a marketing encounter is treated as a core event in relationship marketing. The narrative is derived by means of a phenomenological interview, which provides an in-depth account of a relationship that ends in brand switching. The consumer's role is studied by means of narrative analysis, which exposes the consumer's script for the relationship. Marketing implications are discussed in terms of the importance of the single encounter, consumer role enactment in a relationship, and the consumer's desire for relationships based on emotional satisfaction. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.