THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN ENHANCING CUSTOMERS' SATI STATION

1.0 Introduction

In any organization, the need to maintain the image of the organization is in our contemporary societies a private one hence this study survey the role of public relations in enhancing consumer’s satisfaction. We set out to find whether Nigeria Airways Enugu, has in any way satisfied or disssatidied the total number of people or customers that have been satisfied or dissatisfied by the organization. This study will also x − rays how far the PR roles have helped or will help to co-ordinate the organizations perception of the Nigeria airways image when determined are bed, them the researchers would be in a better position to advise and make necessary recommendations in order to enhance it’s image. And also, to contribute to the knowledge of mass communication and indeed to the acknowledge of geniality of Nigerian in their quest for the effect of customers satisfaction in government and in parastatals.

The Nigeria Airways is a public interest and business enterprise and as such is required to succeed.

As a public institute devoted to the servicing of the public interest , it must have its customers, satisfactions as its prime motive to enhance and achieve public co-operation and acceptance. As a business institute, the Nigeria Airways must use business principles to operate in such a way that it be comes economically strong enough to depend and sustain its independence against crumbling.

Against the background the Nigeria Airways, instituted the public relations department to help foster the activities of the organization in order to achieves it aims and objectives. This is so because no business oriented organization can make any meaningful achievement without the it is easy identifiable that the basic philosophy underlying public relation practice is prime importance in all spheres of activities. The public relations man engages himself in doing he has done. This involves winning friends, keeping them and influencing them, as well as others it also involves looking good by building and sustaining good image or goodwill through good deeds that will wim favourable consideration for Nigerian Airways Enugu among members of the public.

Public relations by definition according to frank Jefekins states “that public relation is the process of assessing consumer wants establishing communication fastening good will so that consumer wants or needs can be profitable satisfied”. I

Another definition of public relations according to the editors of public relations news, PR is a philosophy and function of management, which evaluate public attitudes, identities the policies of an individual or organization with public interests and execute a programme of actions to earn public understanding and acceptance”.

From these definitions, it is obvious that the public relations man blends the public interest with that of the organization for optimal achievement. It also identified the need for the public relations man to evaluate the public attitude and conception of the organization with the area of attaining and eliciting favourable actions where necessary. As a result of this, customers satisfaction in the activities of Nigeria Airways, Enugu among others should pursued. One way of doing this is to map out a programme of action that is, customers oriented and favourable to the generality of the people.

In actual sense, Nigeria Airways, Enugu cannot exist in a vacuum. It cannot grow if it neglects the existence of its customers it must function as an institution ready to compute the customers. This includes expressing her policies and practices through communication for general awareness.

However, this communication function can best be formed if public relations manager is given its appropriate place in the management of Nigeria Airways, Enugu.

Sincerely speaking, the Nigeria Airs, is fast recognizing the enormous function which public relation would perform if allowed into the strategic decision making level of the organization. In this contemporary society, the public scrutiny and accountability is on the increase. It is imperative therefore, that good public relation should enhance good will and customers satisfaction in the organization.

The image of the Nigerian Airways, Enugu depends on the her behavior and financial performance her making policies and the quality of her products or services, the management style, approach and the resultant satisfaction. The protection and maintenance of the Nigeria Airways Enugu image is the fundamental responsibility of public relation. As the conscience of the organization and its public and monitors the diffusion of the programmes of the organization to know when it impinges public opinion and warfare.

George Flangan stated that “if an individual contact and experience with co-operation is extensive, his proposed image of the coronation is likely to be strong, positive and relatively stable if , on the other hand, the individual’s familiarity with corporation is slight, as is most of the case, the mage will probably be weak, (negative) Lazy and unstable” 2

The only meaning drawn from this statement is that, if the level or degree of customer’s satisfaction in any organization is high; the customer tends to maintain more cordial relationship and vice-verse. It is the image of the organization that attracts popularity among the potential customers. In this sense, the only image that can last long is the one that its stand is valid, true and authentic.

Candidly no organization can satisfy its mummeries customers with out being perceived first by the customers or trusted and dependable, so far Nigeria Airways to maintain the line of dependability, its policies , performance and pubic reactions have in his interaction with a company constitutes to the attitude he forms about it.

The dependability of the organization depends on the degree of the comfort given to her customers and her good will. As regards to these facts Walter asserts “ No administrative scheme is workable with put good will and good will aboout strange practices is impossible new development in Nigeria Airways, Enugu, that is not communicated to the potential customers in clear terms and with clear evidences show so as to elicit favourable actors to attain mutual understanding will be an effort in futility.

It is therefore important that Nigeria Airways Enugu should acquaint it self with the customers for cordiality through continuos and systematic public relations practice. It is essential that all public reaction activities of the Nigeria Airways are within the frame work often agreed and understood the corporate personality.

The modern business organization, quick to recognize the changes in the environment, has adjusted. It has more comprehensive and positive programmes by responding to community expectations and pressures. This, for short, is the spring board of the concept of goodwill and customers satisfaction.

However, the activities of Nigerian Airways and prospects c an better be under of view of its origin. To this end, below is the mark off point of Nigeria Airways.

1.1 Background Of The Study

The History Of Nigeria Airways

The history of the organization would traced to 1945 when it was incorporated as West African Airways corporation (W.A.A.C) to understate operation which the Royal Airforce left behind at the end of would war “., was then jointly owned by former Bristish colonis manly; Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Sier Leone. The African Airways corporation (WA.A.C) was managed by West African Transport Authority (W.A.A.TA).

On attainment of independence in 1957, Ghana pulled out to set up its own Air line, the Ghana Airways, leaving Nigeria, British overseas Airways cooperation (BOAC) and Eldr Dempstr lines as the owner of what remained (WAAC) .

The Federal Government took total controls of the business in Augusts 23, 1958 by buying out the shares of its partners, the B.O.A.C and Elder Dempster lines. In this sense the airline because 100 percent Nigeria owned and the name changed to Nigeria airways limited. In the same vain, after some years Nigeria Airways Enugu was established.

The Objective Of Nigeria Airways

The objectives of the air line as a national earner is to operate a scheduled and chartered air transportation services for the carriage of passages, cargo, mails and any other related business in most reliable, efficient and profitable manner on both domestic and international routers.

Apart from its commercial objectives, the organization also has social defense, security and political responsibility to the government and people of Nigeria as the nation’s national carrier.

For example, the airline could give back up services to the military authorities as a transportation auxiliary in a period of national emergency such as war. In other works, the line as a true is different from other commercial airlines since it must perform governments functions without profit when directed to do so by the authorities.

For the above reasons , Nigeria, Airways is duty bond to separate in the country whether it is commercially viable or not.

In situation where communication is poor, Nigerian Airways is used by government as an effective institute to bridge people, goods and mails through he ought and breath of the country. This is a great social and economic responsibility to the nation. Based on these reasons, the Federal Government offers its protection to the airline through diplomatic channel in international traffic negotiations guarantees the airlines to secure local and foreign loans to purchased aircraft and equipment.

Due to the numerous aims and objectives of the Nigerian Airways her zeal towards making them a reality the origination is department allied to case activities and foster developments in a way of satisfying its cutworms.

1.2 Statement Of Research Problems

There have been a good number of complaints from the Nigeria Airways Eniugu public relation is operation of the organization. There is no efficient, effective and systematic public relation in the Nigerian Airways, Enugu does not communicate to it customers a as and when due.

The Nigerian Airways, Enugu seems to be undergoing image problems. The problems of financial constraints, deferring regulatory policies down by the government negative attitude of employees to work management problem, flight delays and conciliation, inefficient services and generally rising costs of goods and services seems to point to the that public relations has failed its role in finding out what actually satisfied the customers of Nigeria Airways Enugu.

There has been absence of direct incentives to customers, which now brings about low persuasive sales strategy.

The acceptance of forged tickets, defected tickets and checking about passenger with infects or children tickets and affects the customers satisfaction badly.

The refund of unused tickets takes a very long time, hence the customer involved unusually get displeased because of the undue time spent before they are finally satisfied.

Another problem is that the management of the parastatal makes it impossible for airline public relations manager to do his job satisfactorily. The resultant effect here is that is compelled to take actions and execute some programme that are not of the interest to the various customers.

1.3 Objective Of The Study

The objective of this study is to identify more efficient and effective way of using public relations to enhance customers’ satisfaction and goodwill in Nigerian airways Enugu.

The study wills analysis the public relations strategies and management policies of the organization in question

It is much better to identify and know the various aims and objective of Nigeria Airways to see how far the organization has achieved them or not.

The direct incentive due to the customers are they really persuasive sales strategy or not.

To analyze erratically the customers remark and responses that shall be made when questionnaires are collected to see whether the Nigeria airways will succeed as a business enterprises and social institution.

1.4 Significance Of The Study

In every organization, be it a social or business enterprises, there is need for thirty, harming and peace prevail between the organization and its customers. Any organization that tails to recognize the existence of its customers will definitely fail or fact up. And if any organization fails to take cognizance of public relations dependent of the organization , such organization will not accomplish its aims and objectives. To this end, the Nigerian Airways, Enugu, should always give the public relations manager his proper place in the organization and should help hi, function fully by giving ho, the necessary tools and equipment needed for his operations.

1. To identify total number of people or customers that has been satisfied and dissatisfied by the organization.
2. To know how public relation help to solve the problem of inadequate communication in the organization.
3. To identify and know the type of direct incentives given to customers.
4. To ascertain how the customers perceive the image of Nigeria Airway, Enugu. If the customers perception of the organization image when determined is bad, then one would be in a better position to advise ad make necessary recommendation n order to enhance its image.
5. To know some of the communication barriers faced by public relations department in the organization.
6. Finally, to contribute to the knowledge of mass communicators and indeed to the knowledge of generality of Nigeria their quest for the effect of customers satisfaction in government parastatals.

1.5 Research Questions

1. Does the image of Nigerian Airways, Enugu satisfy its present customers so as to help induce , attract and sustain the potential
2. Is Nigerian Airways Enugu facing image problems in execution of its duties ?
3. Does non − satisfaction of the customers’ needs, desires and aspiration tarnish the image or goodwill of Nigeria Airways ?
4. Does the political internee hampers or under the public relations department in Nigeria Airways ?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

The researchers will list the following: −

H1 − The pubic relation role go along way in enhancing customers satisfaction in Nigeria Airways.
H0 − The public relations role does not go along way in enhancing customers satisfaction in Nigeria Airways.

H2 − The Nigerian Airways faces image problem in execution of her duties.
H0 − The Nigerian Airways Enugu cannot face image problem in the execution of her duties.

H3- The more political interference, the more effective the performance of public relations department.
H0 − The more political internee, the less effective the performance of public relations department.

H4 − The higher the price of Nigerian Airways Enugu tickets the more the tendency of customers to withdraw the patronage.

1.7 Conceptual And Operational Definitions Of Terms

Conceptual Definitions

Public relations:

The procedure of programmed of activities of ensuring a link between an organization and it’s customers.

Public Relation:

The procedure of programmed of activities of ensuring a link between an organization and its customers

Image:

This is a method picture , idea of concept of somebody or something. It could also be seen as a sensual thing perceived s an entry or a coherent, which does not necessarily have something to do with reality of situation.

Customers:

This is a person who buys tings.

Customers’ satisfaction:

This is a state were the customers are placed and contended with the produce or services given to them.

Airline:

This is an air transport business that runs a regular services.

Organization:

This is a group with special purpose of coming together as one to operate a business ventures. It could be government or private owned.

Operational Definitions

Public:

The number of customers or people who receive the services of Nigerian Airways, Enugu

Public relation:

Mutual understanding between Nigerian Airways, Enugu and it publics, carried out by the public relation department.

Image:

The metal pictures that the public of Nigeria Airways, Enugu have on the effect efficiency of services varied by the number.

Customers’:

Those who patronize the Nigerian Airways, Enugu by way of traveling with them.

Customers’ satisfaction:

Thee extent to which the customer’s are pleased or satisfied with the service of the Nigerian Airways, Enugu.

Airline:

This means the case under study, which is the Nigerian Airways, Enugu.

Organization:

Government owned parastals know as the Nigerian Airways, Enugu.

Discount:

Scores made on question on sell discount of tickets by each respondent.

1.8 Assumptions

It is assume that after this study , the pubic relations officer would b in a between position to know the best strategy to get his internal and external public satisfied.

How would he be in a position o make very nice good will for the organizations, as to increase it profits.