Understanding why customers are receptive to relationships with servic
e providers is a key issue in relationship marketing. This paper sugge
sts that four broad drivers-environmental variables, partner variables
customer variables, and interaction variables-affect customers' recep
tivity to relationship maintenance. Customers may maintain relationshi
ps either because of constraints (they ''have to'' stay in the relatio
nship) or because of dedication (they ''want to'' stay in the relation
ship). The potentially differential effects of these dual motivations
on customers' subsequent relationship attitudes and behaviors are exam
ined. A model of relationship maintenance is developed and proposition
s are presented regarding the antecedents and consequences of customer
s' relationship maintenance. Theoretical and practical implications of
the paper are discussed.