ABSTRACT
The role of public relations in ENHANCING CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION IN A
GOVERNMENT PERASTATTALS (A CASE STUDY) OF THE ENUGU STATE IDATER CORPORATION)
is hinged on disclosing the necessity of applying public relations and the role
public relations can play in rendering a satisfactory services which will not
only retain customer but attract more customers to a government firm.
Accordingly, customer satisfaction
has to do with serving the customers in a most respectable and satisfying
manner as well as conducting such services in a way he customer like or want
according to John Hoepers (1985) “in the free market economy, one gains wealth
only through serving the customers best d determined by the opinion of the
customers themselves. The researcher has investigated on how the management
sees the public relations department of the Enugu state water corporation and
what satrapies it has employed in including the satisfaction of the
corporations customers and how these strategies have affected the relationship of
customers with the government organizations Questionnaires and oral interviews
were used by the researcher to obtain data. A total of 150 questionnaires were
given to respondents comprising the employee, management and customers of Enugu
state water corporation but only 122 questionnaires were returned. The
researcher also make use of reluctant and reliable test books written by
authors on public relations.
From findings, the researcher was
able to observe that the public relations department of the Enugu Sate water
corporation is highly regarded and its action ties have contributed to the
tremendous growth of the corporation and its suggestions also form the basis of
their policies.
Another major observation is that
the corporation through the role of the public relations department has adopted
and implemented some suggestion made by customers in order to serve them
better.
In ending this study, the researcher
has made some recommendations both for the growth and progress of the
corporation and also for further studies in this area.
The project, for the purpose of easy
understanding is divided into five chapter. The first chapter entails the
introduction of the topic under study which the second chapter deals with the
review of relevant literatures that have been used in this project.
Chapter three deals with the outline
of the methodology used where as chapter four contains the analysis and
interpretation of the result.
The summary of this work is
discussed in chapter five together with conclusion and recommendations for
further study.
TABLE
OF CONTENT
TITLE PAGE
II
APPROVAL
PAGE
III
DEDICATION
IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
V
ABSTRACT
VII
TABLE OF
CONTENT
X
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACK GROUND OF STUDY
1
1.2
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENUGU STATE WATER
CORPORATION
10
1.3
STATEMENT OF
STUDY
15
1.4
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
20
1.5
SIGNIFICATION OF
STUDY
22
1.6
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
23
1.7
HYPOTHESES
24
1.8
CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITION 26
1.9
ASSUMPTIONS
27
1.10
LIMITATIONS
28
1.11 Theoretical
framework
29
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature
Review
30
2.1
The Education of Public
Relations
31
2.2
Towards A Definition of Public Relations
36
2.3
Operative Parts Of the Above Definitions
42
2.4
Functions of
PR…………………………………
47
2.5
The Role of the PR in Customer
Satisfaction 49
2.6
Summary of Literature
Review
53
CHAPTER THREE
3.0
Methodology
………………………………………….
57
3.1 Research Method
………………………………….. 57
3.2
Research
Design……………………………………
57
3.3
Population Size…………………………………… 58
3.4
Measuring
Instrument……………………………
60
3.5
Data
Collection……………………………………..
60
3.6
Data
Analysis…………………………………
60
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0
Data Analysis and
Results………………..
62
4.1 Presentation of
result Employee and Management
Questionnaire.
63
4.2
Presentation and Analysis of Customer
Questionnaire…………….
73
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0
Summary and
Recommendation
88
5.1 Summary of
Findings
80
5.2
Conclusion
91
5.3
Recommendation
93
5.4
Appendix
99
5.5
Bibliography
96
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACK GROUND OF STUDY
In this are of multifarious
organization for production, service or distribution and its subsequent water –
tight competition among the concerns, it has become germane for an organization
whether profit – oriented or public service type to continually adjust
themselves to the needs of the environment in order to survive.
“No man island”. The same is
applicable to an organization because no organization can function in isolation
from its public that constitute its environment.
The public which constitutes the
environment and forms the nucleus of any society has to be pleased and
satisfied that an organization has its interest at heart for the organization
to survive. There can be no escape in today’s world from the grinding wheels of
public attitude. This is the era of “ the public be pleased”. For the obvious
reason that every organization is dependent on its public for survival. And
public support can only gained of the public are satisfied.
The prevailing notion that “the
customer is always right” therefore needs to be treated courteously and
respectively has heightened and intensified the relevance of the public
relations in to day’s business organization. Subsequently business organizations
should not keep away from the pubic, but should maintain a progressive cordial
relationship with them.
The public relations role includes
how well an organization has been able to elicit the understanding of its
customers, which it needs to survive and grow in business.
The nature this relations with
customers depend very much on how well the customer are treated and how well
they are satisfied with the services of the organization which will invariable
affect the reputation of the organization public relations can play an
important role in safe guarding a reputation or in establishing a new public
image, it can also do valuable work in improving or enhancing methods of
communication with existing and potential customers.
An organization needs to be
understood so as to fare well in the midst of competition. One way of doing
this is to map out a programme of action that is to customer oriented and
favourable to the general people. The idea is to establish a solid base
and gain a competitive advantage over its competitions. This has given rise to
a new business philosophy in which the orientation is to evolve a cluster and
value satisfactions such that the targeted public would want to deal with an
organization rather than its competitors. This marketing innovation strategy
advanced by professor Theodore lavitt aids to form the pillar of public
elations.
For threw to be cordial relationship
and understanding, there must be communication which forms the main tools
of public relations practice. Like wise for the comm. communication to be
effective and profitable, it must be mixed with courtesy and politeness which
is what public relations all about. The effective communication plays a
relevant part in an organization’s relations with its customers. An organization
should endeavour to integrate the interest of its customers in its policy; to
give them a sense of belonging through interpreting the objectives and
activities of the organization to them most people are interested in what an
organization is doing to meet their concerns and interest. It is the function
of the public relations progression to explain the organization’s actions to
various publics involved with the organization. As offonry Kanu (1985.25)
succinctly and maintaining public goodwill is communication’; public relations
communication is two-way communication. The public relations professional also
pays close attention to the thoughts and feedings of the organization publics.
Some experts refer to public an organization and its public.
It is “public’s because the
organization typically deals with many different several public in its day – to
– day operations, several public relations scholars external publics. Internal
public conclude employee mangers. External public consists of customers,
government, dealers, suppliers, members of the community and the mass for all
these various public serves as the link for all these various public.
Public relations is a management
function it is designed to enable as form set its goal and adapt to a changing
environment. It is easily identifiable
That the basis philosophy underlying
public relations practice is that people matter and that opinion is of prime
importance in all spheres of actives. As put by Joseph R. Dominick in the
dynamics of mass communication; “public relations is a management function that
helps to define organization objectives and facilitate organization change”
public realt6ions partitions communicate with all relevant internal and
external publics in the effort to create consistency between organizational
goals and social organization programmes that promote the exchange of
influences and understanding among organization’s constituent parts and
publics.
Public relations by way of
definition according to the British institute of public relations (IPR)
“referred to it as the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain
good will and mutual understanding between an organization and its
public’; The phrase “planned and sustained” portrays that PR practice is
not a chance event or fire brigade approach to management.
Sam black (1982) defined public
relations practice “as the art and science of achieving harmony with the
environment through mutual understanding based on truth full information. Again
the phrase “based on truth and full information should be noted because public
relation s practice is not based on half truth.
From the above definition, me can
deduce that public relation refers to the management function that aims at
making financials and building internal external good will on be reasonable
assumption that these are strongly needed for the organization to remain in
what ever business it engaged in as well as grow and prosper in it.
It is the theory of public relations
that management shall plan, establish, sustain and maintain mutual
understanding and goods will with its public based on truth and full
information. However, it is the practice of public relations that theses noble
principles should not only be accommodated in the organization’s policy decision,
but must be impalement to the later. The organization must be seen living up to
its public relations principle, before talking much about it, because, it has
been said with some truth, that public relations is 90% percent doing good and
10 percent talking about it.
In the case of Enugu state water
corporation, a large percentage of the needs of the customer are administered
by the employees. Only on rare occasion segment. Therefore the way the
employees attend to these customers answers their enquires etc. will as certain
the likely perception of he organization by the customer (whether positive or
negative when services are rendered efficiently and promptly questions answered
politely and customers treated courteously customers will most likely return to
do business with the corporation.
Apart from containing to do business
with the corporation, customers will also inform their financial and relations
about the form and they will in turn patronize the corporation. Thus, the water
corporation not only gains more customers, but its corporate image will soar as
it will be perceive positively by as many as will hear about it. Besides,
customers are potential applicants and jobs seekers. The relations an
organizations with its customers right reveal to the applicants whether the
organization is a good one to work with. The way the public perceive
organization will determine how the public will respond to the respond to the
organization, either with hostility, apathy, prejudice and ignorance. And since
the organization cannot dot with out their pubic threw is the necessity to not
only build, but also to sustain and maintain good public relations, positive
corporate image. As stated by George flakagan “if an individual’s contact and
experience with an organization is extensive, his proposed image of the
organization is likely to be strong, positive and relatively stable, if on the
other and, the individual duel’s familiarity with the organization is slight,
the image will probably be weak and negative. Thus, the degree of customer’s
satisfaction in an organization goes a long way in effecting the image of the
organization. If the satisfaction is high, the customer tends to maintain a
more cordial relationship with the organization and vice –versa.
The Enugu water corporation both a
public service and business organization and as such it requires to succeed. As
a public institution, it is devoted tom servicing of the public interest, it
must have its customer satisfaction as the prime motive so as to enhance its
public image and gain public good will and acceptance.
As a business organization it must
use business principles to operate in such a manner that it becomes
economically viable enough to defend maintain its independence against
crumbling.
Against this bank ground, Enugu
state water corporation establishment the public relation of the organization
object actives. this is so because no business organization can make any
progress or head way without the service of public relations personnel.
1.2
BRIEF HOSTORY OF THE ENUGU STATE WATER CORPORATION
The Enugu state water corporation
metamorphosed from the state ministry of work through periods of creation
of states in Nigeria, to its present formation its origin therefore
started before the creation of old Anambra and Imo State ministry of works the
them state ministry of works known as water supply division was created in the
ministry to handle wear supply in the state.
In 1970. the two state Anambra and
Imo States were created along with other new state in Nigeria by the then
federal government and this led to the formation of the then Anambra state
water board in 1975 which was later renamed as Anambra state water corporation
as a full government parastatal. In 1978, the state government established an
edict know as Anambra state establishment of the state water board with
responsibilities of provision, conservation, maintenance and distribution of
potable water to the people of the state and in other hand, charge water users
for the services rendered to them such charge known as water rates were based
on the government’s approved subsidized Farris.
The Enugu state water corporation
(ENSWC) was establishment by Edict No. 1 if 1997. the edict defines a Board,
consisting of the director general of the ministry of public utilities (or his
representative), the managing director of ENSWC, the executive director of the
department of finance and department. In the amendment of 1999, the executive
director for Engineering was added. In practice the executive director of Administration
is also member. The Edict assigns to the corporation the task of water supply
through the state, both in rural and urban areas. According to the edict, ENSWC
shall “develop, provide conserve and distribute in the state water for public,
domestic and industrial purpose and charging adequate fees. “for this, all
state assets related to water supply have been transferred to ENSWC.
Mean while daily maters, ENSWC is
managed by the managing director, assisted a staff office for public relations
and a staff office for internal audit.
To carry out its responsibility, the
corporation has
- a
finance and supplies department with an accounts and a purchasing section,
- a
commercial department, responsibility for the billing and collection
- an
administrative department for personnel management, transport and security;
- a
department for engineering service sections
This is the biggest department.
Apart from sections at HO, it includes the Ajall: water treatment plant
and eight (8) Zonal offices: four in Enugu City:
G R A
Enugu central
New Haven
Uwani
And four throughout state:
Ogui
9th mile (covering a part
of Udi LGA)
Udi.
Nsukka, which is recently in Nsukka
North, Covering, Udenu, Igbo Eze North, Igbo Eze South and town, Nsukka, Igbo
Etiti and Uzo – Uwani LGAs)
Net work operation and
maintenance (mainly in Enugu metropolis and Nsukka town) is
completely the responsibility of the zonal oggices, as there is no distribution
section vices at jead Quarter (HO).
MAJOR ACTIVITIVES OF ENUGU STATE
WATER CORPORATION
The water corporation is seriously
involved in the business of portable drinking water to the inhabitants of Enugu
state and also keeping record of the money realized from such business for the
maintenance well pay its staffs.
POLICY ON CUSTOMER RELATIONS
It is policy of the water
corporation that they depend on the customer for survival and therefore the
customer should be accorded due respect.
The water corporation believed the
“customer is always right: and should be treated courteously. The corporation
ensures that customer are treated equally and attend to in time and provides
complain box equally where customers drop their written complaints and
grievances.
And they customer the satisfaction
of their customers as the top most priority.
STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS
The Enugu state water corporation
like any other organization has lately dabbled state and in other hand, charge
water users for the services rendered to them, but such charge known as water
were based on the government’s approved subsidized ferrets.
The Enugu state water corporation
(ENSWC) was established by Edict No, 1 of 1997. the Edict defines board,
constituting of the direct general of the ministry of public utility (or
reprehensive), the managing direct of ENSWC, the executive director of the
commercial department. In the amendment if 1999, the executive director for
engineering was added. In practice the executive director of administration is
also a member. The edict assigns to the corporation the task of water supply
through out the state, both in rural and urban areas. According to the edict
ENSWC shall: “develop, provide conserve and distribute in the state water for
public, domestic and industrial purpose and charging adequate fees. “For this
a;; states assets related to water supply have been transferred to ENSWC.
Mean which in daily matters; ENSWC
is managed by the managing direct, assisted by a staff office for public
relation and a staff office for internal audit.
To carry out its responsibility, the
corporation has
- a
finance and supplies department with an accounts and a purchasing section
- a
commercial department, responsibility fir billing and collection, and
administration department for personnel management transport and security;
- a
department for engineering services.
This is the biggest department apart
from sections at HO, it includes the Ajall: water treatment plant and eight (8)
zond offices : four in Enugu City:
G R A
Enugu Central
New haven
Uwani
And four throughout the state”
Ogui
9th mile (covering a part
of Udi LGA)
Udi.
Nsukka, which is recently divided in
Nsukka North, (covering Udenu, Igbo – Eze North, Igbo – South and Isiuzo LGAs)
and Nsukka Etiti and Nsukka town, Nsukka Igbo
Net work operations and maintained
(mainly in Enugu metropolis and Nsukka town) is complete the responsibility of
the zonal offices, as department for Engineering services at head quarter (HO).
MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF ENUGU STATE
WATER CORPORATION
The water corporation is seriously
involved in the business of portable drinking water to the inhabitants of Enugu
state and also keeping record of the money realized and up keep of the
corporation and as well pay its staffs.
POLICY ON CUSTOMER RELATIONS
It is the policy of the water
corporation that they depend on the customer for survival and therefore
customer should be accorded due respect.
The water corporation believes that
the “customer is always right” and should be treated courteously. the
corporation ensures that customer are treated equally and attended to in time
and provides a complaints box equally where customers drop their written
complaints and grievances.
And they consider the satisfaction
of their customer as the top most priority.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF RESERARCH PROBLEMS
The Enugu state water corporation
like any other organization has later dabbled patronizing the usually “tanker
water sales “with untreated unhygnic water causing diseases. This condition
found in water corporation has created an unfavourable image of the corporation
to the public because sentiment and opinions have not been mounded to the
advantage of the corporation. The only effect remolding public sentiment is
through effective partial public relation in the water corporations which up
till now has not been fully utilized in the water corporation.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF STUDY
According to S.T Harlow (1993:25)
public relations is a distinctive management function that helps to establish
and maintain mutual of communication, under standing and acceptance
between an organization and its public.
As regards this, this is geared
towards examining the necessity of public relations out in the water
corporation into public relations by up public relation department.
However unlike other institutions,
public relation in Enugu state water corporation has not been given adequate
attention and power to co-ordinate all the unit in the corporation.
In most water corporations in the
country, public relations departments are not filled with precise power in what
to corporation not to do. Most water corporation neglects them and relegate
them to the back ground. Most of the corporations, infact not under stand nor
appreciate the management function of public relations department. They ten to
see it only as an image-making department fit only to carry out their public
stunt.
There is the need in most water
corporations for effective utilization of their public relations department and
the in corporation of public relations department into managerial cadre.
There is this general view that
water corporation workers tend to treat people (customers) without any regard
elation.
This them has led people away to
patronizing water corporation to ration more so to portray the roles this
department play for the corporation. This task which is its managerial function
of establishing rapport and good will between the corporation and its various.
Some of the objectives are:-
a) To examine the
relation between the water corporation employees and the various public of the
corporation whether the relationship is as it supplied to be.
b) To discover the
effects of this public relations role in achieving the organization objectives.
c) To find out the
day to day activities of the public relations department in the water
corporation
d) To ascertain
the level of customer contribution in the services rendered by Enugu state
water corporation.
e)
To make public recommendation based on observations.
1.5 SIGNIFICATIONS
OF STUDY
Research on this topic is considered
to be great importance due to be the fact that it will necessitate the
application of public relations in enhancing and boosting the satisfaction of
customers.
The water corporation or other organization
times are involved with the various public in the social, subsequently, this
demands that the Enugu state water corporation endeavour to be in continuous
communication and contract with their various public so as to quickly
communication and explain the policies and activities of the corporation to
their carious public, they should like wise represent fully the interest these
publics during the formation of these public
1.6 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
Enugu state public relations
personnel of Enugu state water corporation satisfy their various customer
through the communication function?
2 Are
there any programme built particularly for the customer?
3 Is
the polices and activities of the PR department in Enugu state water
corporation oriented or not?
4 Is
there any form for customer to air their views?
5 Dose
and desires tarnish the image of Enugu state water corporation?
6
Could improvement in the services of Enugu state water corporation
enhancing customer satisfaction?
HYPOTHESISE
Based on these questions six
hypotheses were formed.
Hi: the public relations
personnel of Enugu water corporation satisfy their various customers through
communication function
Ho: public relations personnel
of Enugu state water corporation do not satisfy their various customers through
the communication function
H2: the Enugu state water
corporation public relations department builds a particular programme for
customers.
Ho: the Enugu state water
corporation pubic relations department dose not build any particular programme
for customers.
H3: the policies and
activities of the PR department in Enugu state corporation is customer
oriented.
Ho: the policies and
activities of the PR department in Enugu state water corporation is not customer
oriented.
H4: there is a form for
customers to air their view.
Ho: there is no form for
customer to air view?
H5: the non – satisfaction of
the customers needs and desires tarnish the image of Enugu state water
corporation.
Ho: the non – satisfaction of
the customers needs and desires do not tarnish the image of Enugu state water
corporation
H6: improvement in the
services of Enugu state water corporations in enhancing customer satisfaction.
Ho: improvement in the services
of Enugu state water corporation does not help in enhancing customers’
satisfaction
1.8 CONCEPTUAL AND
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
For the objective of charity in this
project, the research adopts the use the these words with the following
meaning:-
PR public relations, due to the
length if the word, it has been abbreviated to PR and will be used in the
course of the project.
PUBLIC/ CORPORATE PUBLIC: The people
who are likely to be affected by the activities of the Enugu state water
corporation and who activities will equally affect the operation of the water
corporation.
CUSTOMERS: The people who patronize
the services of the water corporation
ROLE: The refers to functions,
duties which promotes progress or activity it can also be expected as the duty
which one is supposed to perform at a given time
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: The extent to
which the customer are pleased or satisfied with the water corporation’s
services.
GOVERNEMENT PARASTATAL: people
working under government’s directives.
1.9 ASSUMPTIONS
Taking into account of the role of
pubic relation in enhancing customer’s satisfaction the research deduced the
following assumptions:-
That the exist areas of over lap
between public relations and its role in enhancing the satisfaction of customers.
That public relations is imperative
in boosting customer satisfaction due to the fact that PR is committed to the
affairs of an organization’s public;
That customer’s satisfaction is a
device for increase business profit as well as to establish good public image
and subsequently public acceptance of the business organization and that the
inability of an organization to detect its customer’s need and satisfy them
could result to losing them
1.10 LIMITATIONS
while carrying out this project, I
met with scads of difficulties that limited the study.
Some of the these problem are lack
of found for transportation to and for Enugu further more, some of the
respondents were reserved in responding to the questionnaire. They were afraid
they mighty be implicated.
Conclusively, lack of the necessary
test books in the library limited the scope of the literature review.
1.10 THE THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK
The theory chosen for this work is
the effects of media on social institutions like the water corporation in view.
As the media have developed they have incontrovertibly, achieved two things
diverted time and attention form other activities, and between a channed for
reacting more people with more information than was available under pre – mass
media conditions. These facts have implications for any other institution
attention and which requires allocation of people’s time, attention and which
has to communicate information, especially to large numbers and in with other
institutions and they offer new ways of reaching permament institutional
objectives. It is the this which is responsible for the process of
institutional effects.
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