Relationship Marketing Strategies and Customer Patronage of Deposit Money Banks in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

This study is focused on relationship marketing strategies and patronage in banking industry in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. This study was carried out to help minimize customer defections in banking organizations. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted, and questionnaire was used to collect primary data. The data collected were analyzed using mean score and the hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correction Coefficient through SPSS version 23.0. The study found that there is a significant relationship between communication, complaint handling, and customer referral and retention. It was concluded that building long term relationship with customers using some of the elements of relationship marketing as adopted in the study will boost customers readiness to been retained and achieved customer patronage for the organization. It was recommended that firms in the banking industry should develop the core practice of providing banking service that can convince users of their bank by creating customer-oriented programs. Also, the concept of relationship marketing should be adopted by banking so as to achieve improved patronage.