CUSTOMER INTENSITY AND SMES PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM BAUCHI SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT

Abstract

This study examined the effect of customer intensity on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) performance in Bauchi South Senatorial District, Bauchi State, Nigeria. Drawing on the entrepreneurial marketing framework proposed by Morris et al. (2002), the study adopted a survey research design and collected primary data from SME owner-managers across seven local government areas using a structured questionnaire. The study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via ADANCO 2.0.1 for data analysis. Findings revealed that customer intensity has a significant and positive effect on SMEs performance (β = 0.23, p < 0.05). The study concludes that entrepreneurial marketers who prioritise customer relationships, customer satisfaction measurement, and value creation are more likely to achieve superior business performance. The study recommends that SME operators in Bauchi South Senatorial District should embed customer-centric practices into their core business strategies in order to sustain competitive advantage and improve overall organisational performance.