Connecting Service, Promotion, and Satisfaction: The Relational Role of Relationship Marketing in Indonesian Hotels

This study examines how customers’ perceptions of service personalization and perceived promotional communication effectiveness are related to customer satisfaction in the hotel industry, with relationship marketing examined as a relational pathway. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, data were collected from 406 hotel guests in Indonesia and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Perceived service personalization is positively associated with relationship marketing (β = 0.500, p < 0.001) and customer satisfaction (β = 0.417, p < 0.001). Perceived promotional communication effectiveness is positively associated with relationship marketing (β = 0.420, p < 0.001) and customer satisfaction (β = 0.319, p < 0.001). Relationship marketing is positively associated with customer satisfaction (β = 0.144, p = 0.018). The indirect effects of perceived service personalization (β = 0.072, p = 0.015) and perceived promotional communication effectiveness (β = 0.060, p = 0.032) on customer satisfaction through relationship marketing are significant. Relationship marketing represents a complementary relational pathway linking service personalization and promotional communication effectiveness with customer satisfaction. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings indicate associations rather than causal or temporal effects. The study contributes by integrating functional, communication-related, and relational customer perceptions within a Social Exchange Theory perspective.