WORLD EDUCATION CONNECT MULTIDISCIPLINARY E-PUBLICATION
Vol. V Issue IX (September 2025)
International Circulation
This is an open-access, peer-reviewed, and refereed international publication in online & printed versions that features research papers, abstracts, theses, dissertations, and journals. It is registered to the ISSN National Center of the Philippines, and ISSN International Center, the Global Index for Continuing Resources with ISSN (Online) 2799-0842 and ISSN (Print) 2799-130X.
World Education Connect Multidisciplinary e-Publication, Vol. V, Issue IX (September 2025), pp.143-145
Rhena C. Detangco
MBA Student, UPHSD, Metro Manila
Abstract
This study investigated challenges in applying marketing strategies to retain customers of Takumi Brands in the Philippines. A sequential explanatory mixed‑methods design combined a survey of 72 industrial buyers with follow‑up interviews. Reliability across 19 sub‑indicators ranged from .71 to .85 (Cronbach’s alpha). Perceived levels of relationship marketing, digital marketing (RACE), content/search elements, and word‑of‑mouth were very high, as were retention indicators (repeat purchase, satisfaction, loyalty). Multiple regression showed all four pillars significantly predicted retention: relationship (t=2.09, p=.04), digital (t=2.25, p=.03), content/search (t=4.51, p<.001), and word‑of‑mouth (t=4.19, p<.001). Interviews highlighted persistent hurdles: keeping content fresh and emotionally resonant, ensuring consistent service quality at scale, personalizing journeys across varied purchase cycles, and formalizing referrals beyond ad‑hoc advocacy. The study recommended institutionalized after‑sales engagement, a tiered loyalty/referral program, omnichannel coherence, and a data‑driven editorial engine to sustain ongoing advocacy and repeat behavior.
Keywords: customer retention, relationship marketing, digital marketing, content marketing, word‑of‑mouth.
Introduction
In a digitized, choice‑saturated market, winning a second purchase mattered more than winning the first. This study examined how four pillars—relationship marketing, digital marketing structured through the RACE sequence (plan, reach, act, convert, engage), content/search elements (reliability, relevance, uniqueness, emotion, attention, interest), and word‑of‑mouth (WOM)—influenced customer retention among Takumi Brands’ Philippine customers. Takumi supplied safety gloves and shoes to industrial buyers; repeat purchases, satisfaction, and brand loyalty framed retention. The study aimed to: (a) profile respondents; (b) assess levels for each pillar; (c) gauge retention; and (d) test whether the pillars significantly predicted retention.
Methods
Using a mixed‑methods, sequential explanatory design, the study began with a quantitative survey and followed with semi‑structured interviews for interpretation. Fieldwork covered eight industrial sites with Takumi accounts: Laguna Technopark, Greenfield Autopark, Meridian Sta. Rosa, LIIP Mamplasan, CIP‑1 Canlubang, CIP‑2 Calamba, FPIP Sto. Tomas, and LIMA Batangas. Proportionate stratified sampling targeted 61 respondents; 72 responses were analyzed, representing decision‑makers and frequent users. A structured questionnaire measured relationship marketing (trust, commitment, communication, service quality), digital marketing (RACE), content/search, WOM, and retention (repeat purchase, satisfaction, loyalty) on a five‑point Likert scale. Pilot testing produced Cronbach’s alpha values from .71 to .85 across 19 sub‑indicators, spanning all variables and ensuring acceptable internal consistency. Surveys were distributed electronically; interviews were recorded with consent. Identifiers were removed and data were securely stored. Descriptive statistics summarized constructs; multiple regression tested predictors; thematic analysis surfaced implementation challenges.
Results
Most respondents were aged 25–30 (42%) or 31–35 (40%); 64% were male, and purchases occurred mainly monthly (47%) or quarterly (32%), reflecting routine, operations‑driven reordering. Perceptions across pillars were very high: relationship marketing (trust 4.47; commitment 4.57; communication 4.59; service quality 4.62), digital (plan 4.56; reach/act 4.61; convert 4.62; engage 4.63), and content/search (reliability and relevance 4.63; uniqueness 4.59; emotion 4.64; attention 4.61; interest 4.64). WOM likewise scored high (recommendations ~4.61; positive feedback ~4.64; referrals ~4.62). Retention indicators were very high (repeat purchase 4.60; satisfaction 4.64; loyalty 4.61). All pillars significantly predicted retention—relationship marketing (t=2.09, p=.04), digital (t=2.25, p=.03), content/search (t=4.51, p<.001), and WOM (t=4.19, p<.001)—with content/search and WOM strongest. Qualitative insights highlighted four challenges: sustaining fresh, emotionally engaging content; ensuring consistent service quality at scale; personalizing journeys across varied cycles and channels; and formalizing WOM through clear referral mechanics and recognition to sustain loyalty and repeat purchasing behavior.
Discussion
Findings indicated that integrated marketing worked: customers rewarded reliable delivery, courteous and responsive service, and frictionless digital journeys with satisfaction and repeat purchases—an interpretation consistent with relationship marketing’s emphasis on trust, commitment, communication, and quality interactions (Blaney, 2025). The strong performance of RACE elements reinforced a lifecycle view of digital strategy in which planning, discovery, interaction, conversion, and post‑purchase care operated as one connected system rather than isolated tactics (Chaffey, 2024).
Content and search elements carried the largest statistical weight. In crowded feeds where audiences felt over‑messaged, informative, consistent, and story‑rich content that signaled reliability and elicited emotion cut through noise and built attachment (Digital Marketing Institute, 2024). In parallel, WOM translated lived experience into social proof; endorsements from peers supported loyalty even when competitors tempted with lower prices, underscoring the behavioral edge of trust and familiarity (Kopp, 2025). Together, these effects suggested that what the brand said—and how it said it—was inseparable from whether customers returned.
Implications for practice. Five actions emerged. Institutionalize after‑sales engagement—thank‑you notes, quick product checks, and responsive help desks—to turn satisfaction into habit. Launch a tiered loyalty and referral program with shareable codes, meaningful rewards, and public recognition to amplify word‑of‑mouth. Strengthen omnichannel coherence so promises, pricing, and service levels match across distributors, field sales, and digital storefronts. Sustain an editorial engine that blends reliability with emotion through safety wins, short demos, and customer stories tied to on‑the‑job outcomes. Operationalize analytics to track segment engagement and repeat behavior, then continually refine offers, cadence, and creative.
Limitations and future work
The cross‑sectional, self‑report design limited causal inference and risked positivity bias; the sample focused on Southern Luzon industrial hubs, constraining generalization. Future research could link perception scores with actual reorder histories, broaden geography and channels, and test controlled interventions (e.g., A/B content pilots and referral‑program trials) to estimate incremental lift in retention and lifetime value.
Conclusion
In a market where safety, comfort, and productivity were non‑negotiable, Takumi earned loyalty when dependable products were paired with dependable experiences. Relationship quality, lifecycle‑wide digital execution, credible and emotionally engaging content, and empowered advocacy together supported repeat purchase, satisfaction, and brand loyalty. The path forward lay in doing simple things consistently well—and making it easy for loyal users to bring others along.
References (APA 7th; four sources)
Blaney, B. (2025, March 17). What is relationship marketing? Types & real‑life examples. Tipalti.
Chaffey, D. (2024, January 17). Introducing the RACE Growth System and RACE Planning Framework. Smart Insights.
Digital Marketing Institute. (2024, April 22). A guide to word‑of‑mouth marketing.
Kopp, C. M. (2025). Brand loyalty. Investopedia.
DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17172814
