The effect of relationship quality on market performance with key account management effectiveness and performance

Extended Abstract
Introduction: Key account management is a vital aspect of marketing, especially in the field of industrial marketing, which includes the strategic management of a company's most important customers, with the aim of strengthening long-term and mutually beneficial partnerships. This approach recognizes that a small number of customers often account for a significant portion of a company's revenue, making it necessary to devote resources to nurturing these accounts. In general, the aim of this article is to contribute to the existing knowledge by clarifying the importance of relationship quality in guiding market performance through the effectiveness and performance of key account in Toos Industrial Town in Mashhad. The findings of this study can also be used for companies that operate in similar cities or industrial sectors and provide insights into the factors that can influence their market performance through the quality of the effective relationship on the key account. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of relationship quality on market performance with the mediating role of effectiveness and performance of key account management.
Methodology: Based on the research onion, due to the fact that the researcher first creates a hypothesis and seeks to find the relationship between the research components, and on the other hand, the role of the researcher's thoughts on the research is not considered, it has a philosophy of positivism and also has a comparative approach. Also, the current realization of searching for relationships between variables is based on statistical results and the data is measured by quantitative techniques, it has a quantitative approach and has a practical purpose from the point of view of the objective. Due to the non-manipulation of the variables and the fact that the variables are described as they are, the upcoming research is of a descriptive type, the method of collecting information from this aspect of the community to measure the relationships between the sampling variables was a survey type. The statistical population of the research was the companies located in Toos Industrial Town in Mashhad. To describe the data, descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage were calculated using SPSS 26 software, and structural values were used in inferential analyses. Also, the assumptions of this research were analyzed using PLS3.2 software. The measurement level of the statistical population was individual and included marketing and sales managers present in the companies of Toos Industrial Town, and the sample size was calculated based on Cochran's formula of 237 people with an error percentage of 5%, of which 84.6% were in the industry sector and 15.4% The percentage is in the workshop sector. The sample size in industrial as well as workhouse sectors were 201 and 37 respectively. The stratified random sampling method was utilized, and the data collection tool in the research was a researcher-developed questionnaire. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for the model in question is higher than 0.7 which indicates the appropriate reliability of the questionnaire and the model. Finally, the number of collected questionnaires was 298 from 240 companies in the industrial town.
Discussion and Results: The results show that trust, satisfaction and relationship atmosphere have a positive and significant effect on the effectiveness of key account management, the effectiveness of key account management on financial performance and bilateral relationship performance, and financial performance and bilateral relationship on market performance. Also, based on the assumptions, the effect of trust on market performance through financial performance or bilateral performance of key account management, satisfaction on market performance through financial performance or bilateral relationship performance, as well as relationship atmosphere on market performance through financial performance was confirmed; but the effect of relationship climate on market performance through the performance of bilateral relationship was not confirmed.
Conclusion: In today's highly competitive business landscape, building and maintaining strong relationships with key accounts is crucial for long-term success. Additionally, strong relationships with key accounts enable businesses to gain valuable insights into customer needs, preferences, and market trends. This knowledge positions companies to adapt their strategies and offerings, ensuring they meet the evolving demands of the market. By understanding and using these logical connections, organizations can develop effective key account management strategies and strengthen strong relationships with key accounts. In general, by focusing on building trust, ensuring satisfaction and fostering a positive relationship atmosphere, key account managers will find the ability to increase the overall quality of the relationship with their key accounts, which will lead to the improvement of the results of key account management and ultimately, the effectiveness of key account management improve the financial performance of key accounts, strengthen bilateral relations and finally improve the overall performance of their market. Overall, this research has the potential to provide practical insights and contribute to both academic and managerial understanding of relationship quality, market performance, and key account management.