Public Relations/Consumer Services

Back to: COMMERCE SS3

 

Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about public relations/consumer services. Enjoy the class!

Public Relations/Consumer Services

CONTENT                                             

• Importance of Public Relations
• Media of Public Relations
• Types of Customer Services

Public relation is the image building done by an organization to give the public a favourable impression about its aims and policies.

Functions or importance of public relations

1. It ensures the maintenance of a favourable relationship between an organization and the general public
2. It helps to increase the goodwill of a company or business
3. It is a source of useful advice to the management of a business
4. It helps in advertising the products or services of the organization
5. It helps in building the image of the organization
6. It creates confidence and understanding between the firm and the public
7. Company policies are well explained and understood by the public
8. It helps in maintaining good company/employees relationship

Media of public relations

1. Exhibitions i.e. display of products of the firm to members of the public at selected places
2. Trade Fairs usually large national or international exhibition which is held annually and where organizations could display their products/services
3. Free samples or gifts – This is given by organization’s to their customers or employees to maintain their goodwill
4. Publication of feature articles e.g. in national dailies or magazines e.g. about the company’s profiles, management team etc.
5. Organization of seminars workshops and conferences
6. Provision of After-sales services
7. Sponsoring of programmes, sporting events and bankrolling live telecasts of sporting events etc.
8. Engaging in social responsibility i.e. providing the community with social amenities e.g. hospitals, boreholes, roads etc.
9. Engaging in donations to charitable ventures e.g. motherless children homes etc.

Evaluation

1. State and explain five media of public relations
2. State four differences between trade fair and exhibition

Customer services

Customers’ services are services rendered free of charge by the seller to his customers to convince them to buy or to retain their patronage.

Customer services can be divided into two categories. They are:

1. Pre-sales services
2. After-sales services

• Pre-sales services:

These are services provided to the customers before the goods are bought. They include:

1. Granting of credit or hire purchase sales facilities
2. Sorting of goods
3. Labelling of goods
4. Pre-packaging the goods
5. Dispatching of price list and quotation
6. Blending the goods
7. Granting of discounts
8. Assisting the prospective buyer to set up storage facilities.

• After-sales services:

These are extra services sometimes made available to a customer after he has purchased the product to ensure his continuous patronage. These include:

1. Home delivery i.e. Free transportation of goods to the home/shop of customer
2. Free installation services
3. Free servicing, repairs and maintenance
4. Ensuring adequate/regular supply of spare parts
5. Provision of free advice on the use
6. Granting guarantee/warrantee to the buyer

Evaluation

1. Distinguish between Pre-sales services and After-sales services
2. Give four examples each of pre-sales services and after-sales services.

General evaluation

1. What is a bonded warehouse?
2. State five importance of warehousing to Commerce
3. What factors should be considered in siting a small retail shop?
4. What five benefits does Nigeria derive from engaging in international trade?
5. State and explain five problems likely to be faced by a businessman who wants to sell his goods overseas.

Reading assignment

1. Essential Commerce for SSS by O.A. Longe Page 260 – 262
2. Comprehensive Commerce for SSS Page 525 – 530

Theory

1. List five media of public relations that can be employed by firms
2. State four examples of after-sales services

 

In our next class, we will be talking about the Law of Contract.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

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