THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATION  AS A  TOOL FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE INDUSTRY

(A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIAN TELEVISION AUTHORITY ENUGU SERVICES TO SELECTED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS)

ABSTRACT

          This research work tilled “ Public Relations as a tool for Customer Attraction and Retention in the service  Industry ( A case study of NTA Enugu services to some selected financial institutions)” was carried out with the objective of:

-                     Finding out the impact of public relations on consumer patronage of NTA Services

-                     Finding out of public relations a successful tool in attracting and retaining customers.

-                     Finding out which public relations tools are most effective.

-                     Recommending what can be done to maintain and enhance public relations and its positive  effect on the company.

In achieving the above objectives, related literature were reviewed on how public relations can be effective to service  industries.

In addition secondary and primary data were collected from customers of NTA station Enugu.

Population of the  study impresses both relevant  staff  and management of NTA, two service companies which are NICON Insurance and Union Bank was studied.

A population  of 21 was used for the  staff of NTA while 55 was used for the consumers.  The researcher used census survey  because the population is small and could be studied completely.

According to questionnaire  collected and interview conducted relevant  data were analyzed and  hypotheses tested.

The analyzed data brought out  the followings:   

-                     That public relation as a vital tool in attracting customers

-                     Also that public relations helps NTA in attracting and relating it’s numerous customers.

-                     That without  effective and efficient public relations activities  on the services industry (NTA) I customer relationship can not be cordial and this companies can never satisfy their customers let alone retaining them.

Based on the findings the following recommendations were made.

-                     A market oriented public relations department should be built by the management  of all service industries especially NTA Enugu.

-                     Public relations tools employed by a company can attract and retain  patronage. The impact of these tools on consumers  can only be determined though researching into public relations activities so that the consumer will  be satisfied.

-                     Every staff of NTA  should always be conscious of  their treatment to customers.  Although a majority of  those respondents claimed to have a satisfactory relationship with the staff on NTA. It is not a bad idea of all the respondents have the some vie. This will give an edge to the firm over their competitors. 

If the above suggestions and recommendation are effectively and efficiently followed, the Nigeria Authority (NTA) will witness an increase  in their customer patronage  and thereby reap the benefit of a positive button life on an going base.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE                                                                 II

APPROVAL  PAGE                                                      III

DEDICATION                                                               IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT                                             V

 ABSTRACT                                                                 VII

TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                        X

CHAPTER ONE

1.1            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY                     1

1.2            BACKGROUND OF NTA ENUGU                    1

1.3            STATEMENT OF PROBLEM                                      4

1.4            OBJECTIVE OF STUDY                                    4

1.5            HYPOTHESIS FORMULATION                        5

1.6            SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY                                        5

1.7            LIMITATIONS OF STUDY                                8

1.8            DEFINITIONS OF TERMS                                 8

CHAPTER TWO

2.1            PUBLIC RELATIONS  DEFINED                      10     

2.2            OBJECTIVE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS             11

2.3            MEDIA USED IN PUBLIC RELATIONS           12

2.4            MIX FOR SERVICES MARKETING                           15

2.5            WHO IS A CUSTOMER                                               19

2.6            WHAT IS CUSTOMERS ATTRACTION/RETENTION 19

2.7            THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS ON CUSTOMERS                                                         21

2.8            ATTRACTION AND RETENTION  ON THE SERVICE INDUSTRY                                                    21

2.9            PUBLIC RELATIONS AS A TOOL FOR ATTRACTION AND RETENTION CUSTOMERS IN NTA SERVICES .23

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH DESIGN                                                   24

3.1            SOURCE OF DATA                                            24

3.2            POPULATION OF  STUDY                                25

3.3            DETERMINATION OF SAMPLE SIZE              25

3.4            RESEARCH INSTRUMENT USED                             28

3.5            QUESTIONNAIRE  ADMINISTRATION AND RESPONSE  RATE                                             29

3.6            METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS                      30

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1            DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS                31

4.2            TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS                                       40

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY  OF  FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

5.0     SUMMARY OF FINDINGS’                               47

5.1            RECOMMENDATIONS                                               48

5.2            CONCLUSION                                                    50

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                                   61

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGRONUD TO THE STUDY

          The important attacked to a customers perception of a company’s image, very from company to company and from one country to another. In the developed and industrialized countries such as U. S.A. and Sapan when marketing is practiced to the letter, such perception is give utmost attention.  In Nigeria where Nigerians are only past beginning to cultivate marketing culture, only few companies attack significance to this.  Through there may be pubic relation department existing in most firms they are not marketing oriented.

          It is easier for a product manufacturer to thrive without a good image to his pubic than a service provide. That is why the production and product concept were difficult to change. When an individual is in dire need of an offering. He least considers the image of the outerprice producing it. This is however not possible in the service industry.  Pubic relation is an important as the industry itself except for situation where such service are rare.

          The television industry is fastly growing and becoming more competitive. The some customs are sambaed for due to the peculiar nature of service, one of the ways of convincing customer of quality output is by projecting a good corporate image.  This is because in service provision. Manufacturers and customers have a direct relationship which cold be adverse or favorable, this determines to a longer extent customer loyalty. Through effectiveness and efficiency in the promotional mix yield a signergistice   result with regards to customers  attraction and retention , the manner in which any programme presented creates  a perception in the customer mind.

          According to the institute of public relation, public relation in the deliberate, planned and  sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and it’s public.

          In Webster’s third New International Dictionary  it was defined as:

-                     The promotion of good report and good will between a person, firm or institution and other person’s special public or community at large though the distribution of interchanged and the assessment  of public reaction

-                     The  degree of understanding and good will achieved between individual, organization or institution and the public

-                     The act or science of developing reciprocal understanding and good will

-                     Ebul (1995.306) public relation  is relationship between a firm and it’s numerous public. It is also a management activities planned to shape and affect the attitude and behaviour of the public.

NTA Enugu like other NTA production centers is structured into six divisions for effective management namely:  Engineering, Programmes, News and current Affairs; Administration, commercial and Account.  The station has a staff strength of 365 which is also largest  within the authority.  The station has a 10KW Thomson CSF transmitter which in installed in 1982 and commissioned in for programme transmission  in the same year has an effective rediated power (ERP) of over 100KW.  NTA Enugu not only blankets  the entire Enugu state within clear television  signals but the station is also received clearly in nine neighboring state including; Anambra, Abia, Akw-Ibom, Benus, Ebonyi, Edo, Delta, Kogi and Imo.

          NTA Enugu is renowned for its excellence in  programme production some of these prgormames provided are drama, musical documentary and current affairs

1.2            STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

Out of the promotional mix variables in marketing, public relation seems to be the only  tool appealing of customer emotions.  This is because it involves the firm and customer directly and leaves a lasting impression on the customer’s mind.  Nigerian Television  Authority Enugu though the oldest television  station in Enugu is still trying to maintain  its standard among other television station like ESBS and MST could this be as a result of its experience and performance?  Is the company’s image so favourable to customers?

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

          From  the problem deduced.  This research work has the following objectives.

-                     To find out if the public relations is  a successful tool in attracting customer.

-                     To find out the impact of public relations on consumers patronage of NTA services

-                     To recommend what can be done to maintain and enhance public relations, and its positive effect  on the company.

-                     To find out which public relations tools in most effective.

1.4     HYPOTHESES FORMULATION             

          Hypotheses for this research work are:

Ho:    Customers are not attracted by the public relations programmes of the NTA

Hi:     Customers are attracted  by the public relations programme of the NTA

Ho2    The station’s public relations programmes are not retained in the mind of the customers.

H2      The station’s public relations programme are retained in the mind of the customers.

Ho3    The company’s image or not positively projected through its public relations  activities

H3     The company’s image is positively projected through it’s public relations activities.

Ho4    Company’s public relations activities do not affect  the profit favourably.

1.5            SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study will be of immense benefit to the  broadcast sector especially Nigeria Television  Authority to determine the extent of the effectiveness of their public relation activities on consumers.  In addition it will help the company attached to its co- operate image by the customers. 

Since services are essentially.  Intangible, steps taken to tangiblize  the intangible appeals to customers, and thus can invite or sear them. The study will enable the firm to take appropriate  step in tangibility  services. Also beside other promotional tools which informs, persuade and remind consumers public relations has a long lasting impact and tend to cost loss especially for services.

The study will also help the NTA station to determine the extent of the effectiveness  of their public relations activities on customers. Knowledge of the feelings of the public on their activities will help them to make amendment and correct misconceptions (of any) when and where. Necessary.

This in term will make them to have an edge above its competitors and customer’s   patronage will automatically increase.

A good practice  of public relations by the station will encourage service industries (consumer) to appreciate the need for public relations. By so doing the company’s image will be favorable projected and increase profit will automatically be the out come.

The researcher also will benefit from the work since the study is part of her academics profession. A through knowledge of public relation activities  will help  her in the practice of her profession (marketing)

1.6            SCOPE OF THE STUDY

For the purpose of the study, the research work was limited to Enugu metropolis. It was carried out with Nigerian Television  Authority as its case study.

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