INCREASING CUSTOMERS TRAFFICS THROUGH PUBLC RELATIONS.

 
The study focused on increasing customer traffic  through public Relations: a case study of first Bank PLC Enugu. The objective of the study among  others include:to determine the impact of Public Relations on increasing costumer traffic …to know how Public Relations helped in improving  communications between organization and its Public …to find out if Public Relations activities of First Bank impacts on its Profit.
Based on these, three hypothesis were formulated  each focusing on impact of specific Public Relations. Information were sourced from extensive literature on  journals,  textbooks and materials of the area of study were reviewed. Primary data were sourced   from respondents comprising customers, relevant staff  and management of First Bank Plc.Data collected were presented in statistical tables, analyzed and interpreted. Based on the analyses, some of  the  following findings were made; -  It was discovered that the customers of first bank  are satisfied  with the Public Relations activities of the bank but it requires  improvement as indicated by the few that were not satisfied. - The researcher equally discovered that the their service charges were moderate and quality of their services  commendable, but a reasonable number complained  that they spend more than an hour attending to them, equally of note is that some of their staff are arrogant. Based on the findings the researcher made the following recommendation: - The management should internalized Public Relations  activities  in their operations for improve Public  Image and the companies sustenance. - The Public Relations function should be defined to avoid confusion in the organization. It should be clearly defined to include relationship with other publics and not only press Relations, publicity, lobbing and counseling, the relationship should be clearly incorporated. This when carried out will lead to the achievement of the organizational goals. 
                        
 
Public Relations has be come a potent tool in modern  business management in recent times.   A public is any group that has an actual or potential inert in or impact on a company ability to achieve its objective. The main goal of pubic Relations are to create, maintain and protect the organization reputation, enhance its prestige and a favourable image. According to Edoga (2008:30) defined Pubic Relations as the Management function that establishes and maintain mutually beneficial relationship between the organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends and Pubic Relations is an organizations effort to win the cooperation   of group of people.
 
Nwokoye (1984:212) defined Public Relations as the activities of cooperation union, government or other organizations  in  building and marketing sound  and productive relations with special public such as costumers, employers or stockholders and with  the public at large. So as to adapt itself to its environment and interpret itself society.
Busch and Houston(1995:200) noted that  Public Relations is management function which evaluates public altitude, identifies policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with  the public interest and executes a programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. Public Relations (PR) is the management of internal and external communication of an organization to create and maintain a positive image.
 
Public Relations is management directing responsibility, because business can only think/ survive by virtue of continuing public approval “ with public sentiment nothing can fail, without it nothing can succeed” ]](Irving Smith kegan, 1977:2) quoting Abraham Lincoln. Public Relations is aimed at making friends for the organizations    and building internal and external goodwill on the reasonable that the are strongly needed for an organization to remain in business and make profit. With the increase in the activities of an organization, the need for adequate communication between the organization and those who in one way or the other are affected by  the activities of the organization  becomes more imperative.
 
An organization while wanting to remain viable, need to have good relations with its employees, customers of its products/ services , future investors, stockholders and Infact the general  public. As an organization  specialized in manufacturing or offering services, it needs to show its staff existing or potential customers that it is up to date, forward looking, concerned to product, offer the best goods /services  for the price it charges and   to make sure that it customers are really satisfied. There is proliferation of Banks, this has brought about keen competition in the industry. This competition impacts negatively on the profit of the First Bank plc in Enugu.  The question that comes to mind is how can First Bank survive in this competition, making sure that they have customers.
 
Manufactures and producers of goods and services are aware that the Public Relations does not only ensure that good relations with the public but can strive towards profit making through increased customers patronage. It is in the light of the importance attached to Public Relations that the researcher seeks to examines the role of Public Relations   in increasing customer traffic with special interest in First Bank PLC Enugu.
 
A good corporate image is usually regarded to be  essential for the existence of an organization, the success or failure of a  cooperation depends on its relationship with its special Publics, consumers, employees, stockholders, government, community, distribution-dealers, suppliers and others. A favourable corporate image creates confidence in an organization. The Banking industry is very competitive, various Banks uses marketing strategy to get customers. One of the marketing strategies adopted by banking industry is the use of Public Relations. Public Relations has been found to be very effective but it does not go with out some problems.
 
Thus, in this study, the researcher critically looked at the following:
(i)          How can the company managed the cost of Public Relations?
(ii)         How can the Public Relations of the company be made more effective?
(iii)        What is the state of attitudes and beliefs?
(iv)       What is the corporate image of those organizations?
(v)        What are the Public Relations objectives of the organdies?
The researcher is therefore poised to highlight the problem areas and how it enforce  its Public image so as  to  create a favourable corporate image among their special Publics, leading to increased customer traffic.
 
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
-   Toascertain how Public Relations help in eliminating misunderstanding
-    To recommend solutions to the problems on Public relations identified
-   To know how Public Relations helped in improving communication between people and the organization
-    To determine the impact of public Relation on increased customer traffic
-    To determine the impact of Public Relations on customer patronage.
 
Threehypotheses were formulated to give focus to this study.
H01:     Public relations activities of First Bank do not lead to increased customer patronage
H1:    Public relations activities of First Bank lead to increased customer patronage
H02:  Customers are not satisfied with the public Relations activities of the Bank
H2:  Customers are satisfied with the public Relations activities of the Bank
 Ho3: Public relations activities impact negatively on the activities of First Bank
H3: Public relations activities impact positively on the activities of First Bank
 
PublicRelations element include to inform, persuade and integrate-informing, persuading and integrating who it’s general public whether in an organization, among individuals or public corporation like the Banks. The study will help the personal satisfaction for one to  know if they have effectively improved in their communication between their management  and their general public:  To know how corporate is their programme and how they interact with customers: To know if they customers are impressed with their services or not and to know if they are improving or failing. It will equally helped the researcher and the readers who are interested in caring out a related study
 
This study is aimed at First Banks operation within Enugu. It also concentrate on increasing customers traffic through public Relations because of money and time constraints
 
Public corporation –independent bodies set up by status to carry out duties entrusted to it by status.
 Public Relations (PR) – it is that management function which has to do with reconciling or managing the interest of the organization and the interest of the publics  through effective two way communication based  on truth and information.
Publics – this is any group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on a company’s ability to achieve its objective Kotler (2009:523) 13th edition.
Image—mental picture or idea, view, opinion of something such as service or product held by the public       
Corporate image—having held or belonging to a corporation, the image such as a corporation builds for itself could be   favourable or unfavourable Opinion and Altitude—belief or judgment not founded. A complete knowledge. What the people feels, thinks or believe about something    
Corporate objective—the aim of a company, point of view which a firm directs its material and human resources to achieve a particular set goal.