Relationship marketing in the recruitment and retention of service industry staff in family owned businesses: an Australian regional study

Leone Cameron, University of the Sunshine Coast
Peter Miller, Southern Cross University
Elspeth Frew, La Trobe University

Abstract

Relationship marketing is a practice that has been used effectively in marketing products and services to customers. Its use as a means of enhancing relationship outcomes between employer and employee in family-owned business is yet to be appreciated. A triangulation of research was conducted into family-owned and family-managed small businesses in the service industry in rural and regional Australia. This article reports on the possible benefits of adapting a new relationship marketing model for the recruitment and retention of employees and the beneficial outcomes for employers in their employees in their endeavor to recruit and retain staff.