Introduction and Objective: Marketing intelligence is one of the key factors in identifying customers’ needs and expectations and strengthening long-term customer relationships. Customer loyalty also plays an important role in sustaining business relationships and increasing customer retention. This study aims to investigate the effect of marketing intelligence on customer retention, with customer loyalty as a mediating variable, in the steel industry of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran.
Methodology: This study is applied in terms of purpose, quantitative in terms of approach, and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. Data were collected through library research and field studies using a researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of 31 items across three dimensions, measured on a five-point Likert scale. The statistical population comprised 340 customers of the steel industry in East Azerbaijan Province. Based on Cochran’s formula, a sample of 181 participants was selected using simple random sampling. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.
Findings: The results of the data analysis indicated that marketing intelligence has a significant effect on customer retention, with customer loyalty playing a mediating role in the steel industry of East Azerbaijan Province. These findings highlight the importance of marketing intelligence and customer loyalty in explaining customer retention in the industry under investigation.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, focusing on marketing intelligence and strengthening customer loyalty can be considered effective approaches to improving customer retention in the steel industry of East Azerbaijan Province. Accordingly, companies operating in this industry are advised to identify customers’ needs and expectations more accurately,