MARKETING OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA TELEVISION AUTHORITY CHANNEL 8 ENUGU)
ABSTRACT
This research work is mainly on the marketing of communication services in our Nigerian television with special emphasis to Nigeria television authority Channel 8 Enugu. The data needed for this study was collected from the employers/staff of the television house. The objective is to find out how this channel will be able to reach it’s numerous customers with adequate and reliable information at their door post around and all over the world. Also to determine the amount of satisfaction customers derive from the present state of communication services by the channel. The research methodology employed were questionnaire and observations of how communications services are marketed to reach its numerous customers. Also Desk research was employed and most of the vital information was collected from both primary and secondary sources of data collection. However, the use of statistical models and chi-square was not used to test the hypothesis because the population used was not definite. From the analysis of the data obtained it was discovered that Nigeria television Authority Channel 8 Enugu has a very vast area of coverage. That the quality of their services is able to meet the needs and demands of this numerous customers. With the observations made by the research, It was recommended that the Nigerian Television authority channel 8 Enugu should do the following.
(a) Should maintain their high quality of services.
(b) The Nigerian Television authority channel 8 Enugu should continue to be customer oriented by paying attention to customers complain if their is any. So that they will be increased efficiency in their marketing of communication services.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Consumption is basic to human existence. The human nature is usually involved in an every day activity which stems from manufacturing, buying and consumption. The consumer also must be aware at the existence at a product before thoughts of buying and testing the product will ever come to his mind. Therefore, the manufacture utilizes different options to eep the consumer aware of the existence at his products and to determine how such products can serve the purpose of the consumer. Such options stem from the bill boards, radio, posters, souvenirs (eg. Can stickers, opener, table mat etc) testing market to television.
It does not necessarily mean that the only use of the television is for advertising purposes. Television is an electronic medium, through which information, entertainment and education are offered to the populace most of the time without cost.
On the other hand, television marketing is a service marketing contrary to marketing concept, has no profit motive. Its priority is to identify way of solving the public entertainment and leisure problems and making sure that daily information concerning the people reach them first-hand without adulteration an delay.
The American marketing association (AMA) defines services as activities, benefits or satisfaction which are offered for sale or are provided in connection with the sales of goods. The services described in the second half of the definition are those included in the sale of records to the customers. Viz, pre-sale services. This paper is primarily concentrating on the first part of the foresaid definition viz, activities benefits or satisfaction which are offered for sales. The marketing of these kinds of services usually do not include the sale of the goods to customers such activities, benefits and satisfactions offered are intangible in nature i.e. they are not concrete objects which can be tested, felt, moved and so on.
When a customer buys a service in the service market, he buys the time knowledge, skill or resources of someone else who is the provider or supplier of the service. The buyer receives satisfaction or benefit of the activities of the provider who may be an individual, a firm or a company or even and institution specializing in selling certain benefits or satisfaction.
Television marketing, could make us define marketing as the creation and delivery of customer satisfaction, service at a profit to the supplier or provider of the service. The roles of customer satisfying services assumes unique importance in the customer- oriented marketing approach. In the sale of service to customer, what is important is that customer be satisfied, that their needs and wants be fulfilled by the provider of services.
When you talk of television marketing in Nigeria, the profit motive include in the marketing concept could be ignored totally because both federal and state owned television stations in this country do not make profit compared with the counterparts overseas. The equipment designed to help television houses and researchers to know the number of viewers a channel records everyday has since been in use in the united kingdom and America. The number of television set owners are also known and each and every owner has a television license just as you have you vehicle license which is renewed annually. Such things as television and radio license do not exist here in Nigeria and may not exist in the very near future. This is why the television houses depend on the government Federal or state depending on ownership for subventions to sustain ie. Otherwise. It generates revenue from advertisements and sponsored programmes.
Television is the latest medium of mass communication and has begun to be extensively used for advertisement. It uses audio – visual appeals to contact consumers of general utility products. Like radio advertising, television advertising may take the form of short commercials as well as sponsored programmes combining entertainment with publicity. This medium is now available in our country but the only price we pay is the cost of our television sets period.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The research problem is therefore centred on identifying the opportunities through which television houses could generate funds to sustain them and also enough funds to enable them and also enough funds to enable them serve the public more effectively. Under customers –oriented marketing, selling the demand at the customer is the central marketing function. It is guaranteed road to even profitability. Profit is the by-product of consumer satisfaction. The concept of service to customers and to society is based on ethical views of marketing practices services to customer is the master- key to both survival as well as profit. It is also the intention of this researcher to identify the impact of television advertising or the consumers, how they react to it (whether negatively or positively).