Marketing Mix and Customer Relations in Soapstone Carving Businesses in Tabaka, Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

Curving businesses are doing poorly concerning customer relations. The ability of the organization to adjust itself to fit customer needs is one of the requirement for them to remain competitive in the market. In absence of marketing mix customer relations suffer in terms of customer loyalty, retention and acquisition. The current study sought to assess the effects of marketing mix on customer relations in soapstone carving business in Kisii County, Kenya. Specific objectives were: to assess the effect of product on customer relations, to find out the effect of price on customer relations, to determine the effect of place on customer relations and to evaluate the effect of promotion on customer relations. The study helps the County Government and the entrepreneurs in decision making concerning enterprise planning . The study was based on equity, assimilation and contrast theories. The study used descriptive research design. The target population of the study was 857 employees of the 53 enterprises in Tabaka town majorly dealing in soapstone carving business. Purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used. A sample size of 86 respondents was selected for the study, which comprised of 10% in each category. Data was obtained by use of self-administered structured questionnaire, which was collected later after one week. The validity and reliability of the study instrument was determined by help of the supervisor and Cronbach’s coefficient alpha respectively. Data for this study was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics like and percentages while inferential statistics of correlation and regression analysis were used. The data was presented by means of tables. The study found that: product, place, price and promotion had a positive relationship with customer relation. The study concluded that product, place and promotion significantly affected customer relations while price had insignificant but positive influence on customer relation. The study recommended that curving businesses should embrace market mix to enhance customer relation.