Studying the Mediator Role of Customer Based Brand Equity in Successful Customer Relationship and Brand Image of Five Star Hotels in Mashhad

Branding and brand management in the marketing world of today have many followers. In the service sector, brands are treated as a quick way to identify and differentiate themselves and create an image in the minds of their customers. Among the intangible aspects of a product or service, brand image is the most important aspect, which is emphasized in marketing strategies. Service firms try to communicate with their customers and make a desired image in the mind of their customers by influencing on customer perception of services they receive. The purpose of this article is to identify the mediator role of brand equity in successful customer relationship and brand image. Based on research objective, this study is typically practical and based on data collection approach, is a descriptive research. Data has been collected from a sample of 196 respondents using an approved and reliable questionnaire. Also the data analysis approach and software include Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and smart PLS software, respectively. Findings imply that successful customer relationship has a significant relationship with brand image and brand equity has a positive influence on brand image. In other words, brand equity has a significant influence on successful customer relationship and brand image. This means that the hotel industry should consider the role of brand equity and its improvement towards brand image improvement.