▁to ▁an ▁arrangement ▁where ▁both ▁the ▁bu yer ▁and ▁s eller ▁have ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁a ▁more ▁satisfying ▁exchange . ▁This ▁approach ▁a ims ▁to ▁trans c end ▁the ▁post - p urchase - exchange ▁process ▁with ▁a ▁customer ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁make ▁rich er ▁contact ▁by ▁providing ▁a ▁more ▁personal ised ▁purchase , ▁using ▁the ▁experience ▁to ▁create ▁stronger ▁t ies . ▁A ▁main ▁focus ▁on ▁a ▁long - term ▁relationship ▁with ▁customers ▁differenti ates ▁relationship ▁market ing ▁from ▁other ▁market ing ▁techniques . ▁ ▁The ▁technique ▁was ▁first ▁proposed ▁by ▁American ▁market ing ▁sch ol ars ▁Ber ry ▁( 1 9 8 3 ) ▁and ▁Jackson ▁( 1 9 8 5 ). ▁Ber ry ▁( 1 9 8 3 ) ▁argued ▁in ▁a ▁conference ▁about ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁service ▁market ing ▁that ▁relationship ▁market ing ▁is ▁a ▁market ing ▁activity ▁for ▁enter pr ises ▁to ▁obtain , ▁maintain ▁and ▁promote ▁effective ▁relationships ▁with ▁customers . ▁After ▁a ▁long - term ▁study ▁on ▁the ▁market ing ▁process ▁of ▁the ▁service ▁industry , ▁it ▁was ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁ult imate ▁goal ▁of ▁enter prise ▁market ing ▁is ▁not ▁only ▁to ▁develop ▁new ▁customers ▁but ▁also ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁maintain ing ▁existing ▁customers . ▁Ult imately , ▁the ▁goal ▁is ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁long - term ▁interests ▁of ▁both ▁parties ▁through ▁co oper ative ▁relationships . ▁The ▁study ▁also ▁arg ues ▁that ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁an ▁old ▁customer ▁is ▁far ▁lower ▁than ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁developing ▁a ▁new ▁customer ▁and ▁that ▁maintain