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Effective Customer Relations as a Public Relations Strategy in Financial

Institutions. A Study of Access Bank Plc Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Article  in  International Journal of Communication · June 2017

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Effective Customer Relations 16

Effective Customer Relations as a Public Relations Strategy in Financial

Institutions. A Study of Access Bank PLC Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Daniel I. Nwogwugwu

Abstract
Ineffective customer relationship, communication and lack of mutual understanding
between organizations and customers are continuous public relations challenges.
Establishing an effective customer relations between financial institutions, as banks, and
their customers is a prerequisite to maintaining mutual relationships as it can lead to
customer retention and also attract potential customers. This study, using the systems
theory, analyzed the use of effective customer relations, as a public relations strategy, to
enhance the patronage and delivery of quality customer service in Access Bank Nigeria,
Ibadan. Using the available sampling technique of the survey methodology, 285 copies of
two different structured questionnaire and one interview were analyzed. Findings
revealed that customers perceive the customer relations programmes and services of the
bank as good and also rated them high. It also revealed that to a great extent, effective
customer relations led to increased patronage and attracted potential customers.

Keywords: Customer relations, public relations, financial institutions, bank, customers

Background
Organizations exist to achieve set goals and objectives. In order to achieve these, various
strategies are put in place by the management as means of ensuring that desired outcomes
are measurable and achievable. For business organizations, attention is usually focused
on the need to determine customer wants or demands and strive to meet them in order to
stay in business. Hence, the need to provide maximum customer satisfaction. Mullings
(2005) noted that the most critical approach of any organization wishing to stay in
business is in its approach in dealing with its customers. Therefore, placing customers at
the center of organizational activities is central to the success or otherwise of any
customer relations strategy.

Providing maximum customer satisfaction involves ensuring quality products or service

as well as effective customer relationship which are in line with customer demands. A
customer is a person, group of people or an organization (or all of them) whose needs a
business or service seeks to meet satisfactorily. Customers have been regarded as the
reason why organizations stay in businesses. Businesses, therefore, exist to satisfy
customer wants and needs in a manner that would benefit both the customer and the
organization. Establishing a favourable relationship with customers is therefore vital to
any business organization.
Customer relations is about developing an effective relationship and interaction between
an organization and its customers. Mullings (2005) defined customer relations as
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Effective Customer Relations 17

developing the most effective interactive customer service strategy, using principles of
customer relations to determine and satisfy both existing and potential consumer needs.
Sanda (2006) further noted that an effective customer service delivery involves all
communication and service delivery strategies with which business organizations
interface with their customers. These strategies range from taking responsibilities,
accountability and other strategies for satisfying customers.

Like many business organizations, financial institutions are established to cater for the
needs of customers to enable them to stay in business. Bhole (2006) sees financial
institutions as business organizations that act as mobilizers and depositors of savings and
suppliers of credit or finance. They also provide services as intermediaries of the capital
and debt markets. Financial institutions act as agents that provide financial services for
their customers and are regulated by a government authority. Common types of financial
institutions include: credit unions, commercial and microfinance banks, building
societies, asset management firms and similar businesses. Commercial banks offer
financial services such as keeping money for customers – individuals, people or
companies – exchange currencies, provide loans as well as other financial services.
The success or failure of banks, according to Sanda (2006) depends, to a large extent, on
how they are perceived by their publics – their various stakeholders. This realization
could be one of the reasons why banks have public relations or corporate
affairs/communications department that manage and respond to the two-way forms of
communications and challenges. Public relations, according to the British Institute of
Public Relations, is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain
goodwill and understanding between an organization and members of its publics. Public
relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other (Public
Relations Society of America). Establishing and maintaining goodwill between an
organization and its customers, therefore, is a strategic role that necessitates public
relations personnel to be professionally trained to handle such jobs.

This study, therefore, seeks to determine how effective customer relations - in form of
customer-oriented programmes and services - as a strategy of public relations can
enhance the services of organizations with its customers. It would further seek to
determine if customer relations has enhanced the patronage of Access Bank Plc., Ibadan
and also assist them to retain customers and build mutual relationships between them.

Effective customer relations as public relations strategy

A customer is someone that buys and/or consumes goods, services or products from a
business, vendor or organization through transactions that are financial or non-financial.
In this regard, organizations are established to satisfy customer’s needs and wants. An
organization that recognizes the importance of customers and adopts strategies to
satisfactorily meet the needs of customers is likely to continue to exist and by extension,
its employees would remain in employment than organizations who do not. Also, when
customers are satisfied with the way their needs are met, they are likely to be committed

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Effective Customer Relations 18

and loyal to the organization. Effective customer relations focuses on the customers, who
are the end users of its products and services.

Establishing an effective, mutual and beneficial relationship with customers is vital to

organizations as it can lead to customer retention and also attract new customers.
Customer relations, is about relationship management between an organization and its
customers. One of the major goals of customer relations, as a public relations strategy,
according to Ajala (2001) is to create a climate of mutual understanding between the
bank and its esteemed customers. It involves all the undertakings an organization uses to
build relationships with customers through deliberate and satisfactory delivery of
products and services. The objectives of customer relationship according to Thompson
(2004) are to acquire customers; to grow profitable customer relationships, to retain
profitable customers and to create competitive advantage. This means that an effective
customer relationship can lead to retaining existing customers as well as getting potential
customers, increase in sales (revenue) through the introduction of incentives, to get a
bigger share of the customers money thereby getting a bigger share of the market, to sell
new products and/or services, to handle complaints thereby increasing communication
between the organization and customers etc.

There, however, is a slight difference between customer relations and customer service;
although both concepts are often times used interchangeably to mean the same thing.
Mullings (2005) noted that customer service is the development of a systematic approach
to exceeding the customer’s expectations through the co-ordination of analysis,
methodology, service delivery, design, access, management, cost strategies and
communicating this message in a language that both the internal and external customer
can understand, while customer relations involves developing the most effective
interactive customer service strategy, using principles of customer relations to determine
and satisfy both existing and potential customer needs. It is a systematic interaction
between an organization and her customers. Therefore, customer service is a strategy of
customer relations aimed at interfacing with customers.

Customer relations, a strategy of public relations, is an integral part of public relations

activities of organizations. As a matter of fact, customer relations is inbuilt into public
relations because they both deal with establishing mutual relationship with customers,
customer satisfaction and creating a positive image of the organization. Public relations is
a dialogue between an organization and its stakeholders geared towards building mutual
understanding and in a way building and maintaining reputation for a company and its
products and services (Lucy Siegel cited in Cohen, 2011). Public relations activities are
usually planned while its efforts at maintaining goodwill and understanding with its
publics are constantly sustained. The key issue in public relations is publics. These
publics (including customers) vary from one organization to another. For instance,
publics of financial institutions would include but are not limited to customers, the
government, regulatory agencies, the media, security agencies etc.

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Effective Customer Relations 19

Every organization that is concerned about its portrayal before its publics would employ
public relations. Public relations activities are a management function that establish and
maintain two-way, mutual relationships and communications between and organization
and its stakeholders (customers). Once a relationship is established, all parties should
realize benefits. Benefits usually arise from the establishment of long-term relationships.
Sophisticated public relations techniques must therefore be applied in order to sustain
these relationships, build rapport with employees, customers, investors or the general
public, understand their needs and elicit feedback. Using public relations, an organization
identifies issues that face its publics, seek ways of (re)solving the issues and considers
what to say and/or do to enhance its relationships with its publics before it frames and
presents the messages. Public relations and customer relations both have a common goal,
which according to Scot (2007), is to promote a good image of the organization.
Customer relations backs up the public relations efforts because customer relations is one
of the channels used to interface with clients.

Application of customer relations in the banking industry

Customers are as important to organizations as organizations are also important to
customers. Geerman and Rodchua (2016) noted that customers are important to banking
institutions because without customers, banks would not be in business. On the other
hand, banking institutions are also important to customers because customers trust them
with their money. This symbiotic relationship allows for a two-way communication that
also provides for feedback mechanisms. However, as a result of the establishment of an
open market environment, customers are no longer at the mercy of single financial
institutions because competition has led customers to wield some form of power and
control over their choice of bank to save their monies or transact business with. In
addition, customers, these days, are well educated and more informed, than in the past
years, about the power of choice which they wield and so are more selective with their
choice of financial institutions. Therefore, if a customer is treated poorly or dissatisfied
with the services from one bank, there is a good chance that he/she would move over to
another bank where he/she can be satisfied.

Retention of customers has been identified as a delicate tasks for financial institutions. To
retain customers, effective relations between the banks and customers is mandatory;
where the customers would be made to feel satisfied with the services provided. Uddin
(2002) noted that a consistently good experience in customer service delivery leads to
familiarity, friendship and intimacy, while otherwise leads to doubts and distancing” (p.
28). In addition, Lucas, cited in Geerman and Rodchua (2016) in his study concluded that
customer relations and satisfaction are important factors to the success of businesses,
including financial institutions. One of the aspects that will make a customer choose
certain bank products or services over other banks will be in the aspect of customer
relations and satisfaction of services provided. Similarly, Aliabad, Eslami and Honari
(2016) observed that customer satisfaction would lead to increased revenue growth and
attain competitive advantage. In fact, one of the major ways by which banking
institutions can differentiate their services from other competitors is through effective
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Effective Customer Relations 20

customer service delivery as well as high quality services. Therefore, there is the need to
provide effective relationship to satisfy customers as a satisfied customer would usually
make repeated purchases.

A study conducted in Nigeria by Kehinde, Iyiola and Mayowa in 2006 found the
relationship between the organizations and its publics helped to attain set goals by
increasing the target market and boosting sales. Findings also revealed that public
relations helped to increase customer loyalty and encouraged purchase of products. In
addition, the more the relationship value increased, the more product purchase in larger
quantities increased with trust which further helped the organization to sustain a good
image. Similarly, Aliabad et al (2016) study using Greek banks found effective customer
relationship as a critical success factor as it helped to increase banks’ profits through
good management and use of customer-focused strategies.

The Systems Theory

The systems theory, proposed by Ludwig van Bertalanffy, is a study of the abstract
organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal
scale of existence. Systems theory analyzes a phenomenon seen as a whole and not as
elementary parts. According to Mele, Jacqueline and Polese(2010), a fundamental notion
of general systems theory is its focus on interactions and on relationships between parts
in order to understand an entity’s organization, functioning and outcomes. The theory
examines organizations as composed of interrelated parts that work together to meet
some goal. Real systems are open to, and interact with their environments rather than
reducing it to the properties of its parts or elements. It also focuses on the arrangement
and relations between the parts which connect them into a whole.

Systems approach to customer relations, as a public relations strategy, sees banking

institutions as systems in which every stakeholder (customer) has a role to play and rules
to respect. Members of the system (banking institution and stakeholders) are expected to
respond to each other according to their roles, which is determined by relationship
agreements. It sees the relationship between the organization (banks) and its customers as
a symbiotic relationship in which the customers need the bank to keep their money and
valuables, and the bank also needing the customers to continue to stay in business. In
addition, the customer relations department is a unit, comprising independent people.
Unlike other theories that deal separately with the various parts of an organization, the
systems approach provides the customer relations department the opportunity of viewing
the organization as a complex whole and an integral part of the bank.

The Problem
Lack of cordial relationship between organizations and its customers has made it
seemingly difficult for organizations to achieve their sales goals. For financial
institutions, as banks, given the sensitivity of the commodity (money) that they handle,
and the fact that they have to deal with diverse class of people – high, middle and low –
their ability to meet the consistent and diverse needs and services of these group of
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Effective Customer Relations 21

people can be minimal. Given the increasing importance of customers to organizations,

the management of effective customer relations has been seen as important for
organizations such as banks. Challenges arise when banks do not pay proper attention to
the needs of customers and also know how they are perceived by their customers. A
major dilemma is that many organizational managers and leaders know the importance of
effective customer relations, yet there have been cases of ineffective customer relations in
financial institutions. Ineffective communication and a lack of mutual understanding
between organizations and customers is a continuous challenge that organizations face in
their relations with customers. It has therefore, become an important area of research to
show how effective customer relations, which is a public relations strategy, can be
properly handled to create a special bond thereby enhancing the services between the
organization and its customers.

This study therefore is designed to examine the role and importance of customer relations
as a function of public relations between banks and customers and further establishes
how effective customer relations as well as strategies can assist banks to retain customers
and build a solid relationship between them.

Research Questions
1. To what extent do customers perceive and rate the customer relations and services
of Access Bank Plc Ibadan?
2. To what extent have customer relations programmes enhanced the patronage of
Access Bank Plc Ibadan?
3. What factors facilitate the improvement of customer relations at Access Bank Plc
Ibadan?

Methodology
The survey research method – qualitative and quantitative - was employed in this study.
The study population consisted internal (staff) and external (customers) publics of Access
Bank Nigeria Plc., Ibadan comprising Ring road, Dugbe and Bodija branches. The
research instruments were copies of questionnaire and interview guide. A total of 300
copies (240 for customers, 60 for staff respondents) of the structured questionnaire were
distributed, with the assistance of the customer service department, using the convenience
sampling technique (for customers) to willing and available respondents while the
purposive sampling technique was employed for staff (Operations Department) who are
in the best position to give relevant answers to questions raised.

Two sets of questionnaire, one for customers (external) and the other for staff (internal)
of the bank were administered. Each questionnaire was further subdivided into Sections
A and B. Section A (items 1 – 4) consisted of demographic variables of respondents
while Section B (items 5 – 14) were on respondents exposition to the issue of study that
sought to answer the research questions earlier raised. Reliability and validity of
instruments were guaranteed by a pilot study of ten university students with Access Bank
accounts who were exempted from the main study as well as three staff of Access Bank
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Effective Customer Relations 22

from a branch different from the ones studied. A total of 225 copies (from customers) and
60 copies (from staff) were retrieved and found suitable for analysis. An interview was
also held with a representative of the Group Head, Personal Banking at Ring Road
branch, who is the head of operations and oversees the customer service department.Data
was analyzed using the frequency count and percentage.

Findings
The extent to which customers perceive and rate the customer relations
programmes and services of Access Bank Plc. Ibadan
The objective of this research question is to determine the extent to which customers of
Access Bank Plc. Ibadan perceive and rate the customer relations strategies of the bank.
The study first determines if there are customer relations programmes available from staff
(internal) respondents. This would further reveal the extent of customer’s awareness and
perceptions of customer relations activities with the bank.

Table 1: Presence of customer relations programmes at Access Bank Plc. Ibadan

Responses Frequency Percent
Yes 60 100
No 0 0
No opinion 0 0
Total 60 100
Data from Table 1 reveals that all staff respondents opine that there are customer
relations programmes at Access Bank Plc., Ibadan. In a personal interview conducted
with the representative of the Group Head, Personal Banking, she revealed that “at
Access Bank, we have several customer relations programmes for our customers aimed at
enhancing our relationship with the customers”. It can therefore, be said that there are
customer relations programmes at Access Bank Plc. The study further sought to
determine respondent’s awareness of customer relations programmes at Access Bank Plc.

Table 2: Respondents awareness of customer relations services/programmes at

Access Bank Plc.
Responses Frequency Percent
Yes 178 79.1
No 36 16
No Opinion 11 4.9
Total 225 100
Table 2 reveals that 178 (79.1%) respondents are aware of customer relations
programmes, 36 (16%) respondents are not aware, while 11 (4.9%) respondents do not
have an opinion. It is therefore evident that majority of respondents are aware of the
existence of customer relations programmes at Access Bank Plc., Ibadan. They further
listed some of the customer relations services and programmes as: prompt attention to

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Effective Customer Relations 23

enquiries, birthday calls/sms on their birthdays, voice of the customer, women let’s save
promo among others.

Table 3: Extent to which respondents perceive customer relations services at Access

Bank Plc
Category Frequency Percent
Very Great Extent 36 16
Great Extent 81 36
Little Extent 69 30.7
Very Little Extent 12 5.3
No Extent 27 12
Total 225 100
Data from table 3 reveals that the highest frequency of respondents numbering 81 (36%)
perceive the customer relations services as Great, while the lowest frequency of 12
(5.3%) respondents perceive the customer relations services to No Extent. However, 36
(16%) perceive to a Very Great Extent 69 (30.7%) perceive customer relations services to
a Little Extent while there were 27 (12) undecided respondents. This could imply that
respondents perceive the customer relations services of Access Bank Ibadan to a Great
Extent.

Table 4: Extent which respondent’s rate customer relations services of Access Bank
Plc Ibadan
Category Frequency Percentage

Very Great (Very Good) 36 17.3

Great (Good) 78 34.7
Liitle Extent (Average) 72 32
Very Little Extent (Poor) 18 8
No Extent 21 9.3
Total 225 100
Table 4 shows that the highest frequency of respondents numbering 78 (34.7%) rate
Access Bank’s customer relations services as Great, while the lowest frequency of 18
(8%) respondents rate the customer relations as Poor. In addition, 36 (17.3%) respondents
rate the customer relations as Very Good, 72 (32%) rate it as Average while 21 (9.3%)
had no extent. Findings would imply that respondents rate the customer relations services
and programmes as Great (good). This could be because they may have benefitted from
the services at some point.

Extent to which customer relations programmes enhanced patronage of Access

Bank Plc. Ibadan
This research question sought to further determine the extent to which customer relations
programmes and services have enhanced and retained the customer base and getting

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Effective Customer Relations 24

potential customers to the bank. Opinions from staff, customers and interview responses
will be analyzed.
Table 5: If customers have ever approached customer service personnel for any
challenge(s)
Category Frequency Percent

Yes 172 76.4

No 53 23.6
Total 225 100
Table 5 reveals that majority of respondents numbering 172 (76.4%) have approached the
customer service personnel over some challenges they faced in the course of transactions
with the bank while 53 (23.6%) have not approached the customer service personnel.
This implies that customers usually approach customer service personnel over challenges
they face thereby making the customer service unit a functioning one.

Table 6: If respondent’s demands were met

Responses Frequency Percent
Yes 127 73.9
No 45 26.1
Total 172 100
Table 6 shows that the demands of majority of respondents numbering 127 (73.9%) were
met while 45 (26.1) respondents affirmed that their demands were not met. Interview
responses revealed that “demands may not be met immediately because of the nature of
their transaction challenges. If a customer wants to withdraw an amount of money of over
10million naira, there are certain procedures and processes which would take time than
when compared to a customer who wants to withdraw say about N10,000. However, we
strive for a win-win situation to ensure that the smooth customer/bank relationship is not
disrupted by any complaint.”

Table 7: Extent to which customer relations programmes have encouraged

customers to patronize Access Bank Plc. Ibadan.
Responses Category Percent
Very Great Extent 39 17.3
Great Extent 81 36
Little Extent 69 30.7
Very Little Extent 12 5.3
No Extent 24 10.7
Total 225 100
Table 7 shows that more respondents acknowledged that the customer relations
programmes of Access Bank Plc., Ibadan, have encouraged them to a great extent, to
continue to do business with the bank, while fewer respondents have been encouraged to
a little extent.

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Effective Customer Relations 25

Table 8: Extent to which customer relations programmes have enhanced the

patronage of Access Bank Plc. Ibadan.
Responses Category Percent

Very Great 30 50
Extent
Great Extent 18 30
Little Extent 10 16.7
Very Little 2 3.3
Extent
No Extent 0 0
Total 60 100
Data from table 8 was obtained from members of staff of the bank to determine their
perceptions on how their customer relations programmes have enhanced patronage from
customers. Data reveals that majority of 30 (50%) staff respondents believe that the
extent to which their customer relations programmes have enhanced customer patronage
to a Very Great Extent, 18 (30%) believe they have been to a Great Extent, 10 (16.7%)
believe they have been to a Little Extent while 2 (3.3%) staff respondents believe their
customer relations programmes have to a Very Little Extent enhanced customer
patronage. This, therefore, implies that more staff respondents believe that customer
relations programmes have enhanced customer patronage.

Table 9: Extent to which staff feel satisfied with the customer relations programmes
Responses Frequency Percentage

Very Great Extent 30 50

Great Extent 18 30
Little Extent 12 20
Very Little Extent 0 0
No Extent 0 0

Total 60 100
Table 9 implies that about half of staff respondents numbering 30 (50%) feel satisfied
with the programmes of customer relations to a very great extent, 18 (30%) feel satisfied
to a great extent while 12 (20%), to a little extent, feel satisfied with the customer
relations programmes of the bank. Interview responses further agree that effective
customer relations programmes have enhanced customer patronage to the bank. Interview
responses further revealed that:
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Effective Customer Relations 26

We carry out research to know who our customers are, their demographics so
that we would be able to meet each other’s specific and collective needs and
wants. We have a Service Level Agreement, which we use to measure
customer effectiveness, whereby every customer must be attended to in
10minutes. We also often interact with our customers through the Customers
Forum, to know how well we are serving them. In addition, we have feedback
survey where we get feedback from customers as well as suggestion boxes in
various branches where customers drop their complaints and suggestions on
how we can improve on our services. There is the customer experience
challenge, quest for excellence and so on. Basically, we carry out research
before we plan programmes that would enhance mutual relationship between
our bank and our customers. These programmes have greatly increased our
customer base and patronage.
Data imply that from the customers’ view, effective customer relations of Access Bank
has, to a great extent, encouraged them to continue to patronize the bank. Also, from the
staff respondents’ views, effective customer relations programmes have, to a great extent,
enhanced the patronage of customers and also helped the bank to get new customers.

Factors that facilitate the improvement of customer relations at Access Bank Plc.,
Ibadan
The objective of research question three is to determine respondents (customers and staff)
opinions on other factors that are considered necessary to improve customer relationship
between the bank and its stakeholders. It consists of multiple choice and open-ended
questionnaire items for respondents to share their ideas on what they believe will further
improve their relations with Access Bank Plc. This section which is a multiple-choice
item shows that more respondents prefer when there is a prompt attention and response to
their enquiries and when they receive calls or SMS on their birthdays. Attending to
customer complaints dropped in the suggestion boxes, end of the year bonanza services
as well as customer forum were other preferred customer relations programmes which
have enhanced patronage. In addition, the interview revealed that customer experience
challenge, quest for excellence, women lets save promo, voice of the customer among
others also formed improved customer relations programmes. Also, emerging opinions
from the open-ended items, when grouped into similar categories reveal that customers
relations programmes and services which respondents feel would improve their relations
with the bank include: prompt attention and response to customer complaints and
suggestions put in the suggestion boxes, sensitivity to customer challenges, incentives,
removal of ATM charges, customer forum, new product development, bonanza,
scholarship awards, community relations, corporate social responsibility through
sponsorship of sports, support to educational programmes and so on are factors that
customers
Discussion
Findings revealed first that those in charge of customer relations at Access Bank Plc.,
Ibadan are known as the Customer Service in the Operations Department. Furthermore,
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Effective Customer Relations 27

findings revealed that there are customer relations programmes at Access Bank which
would promote better relations and understanding between the bank and customers (see
table 1). Customers also acknowledge the presence of customer relations services (see
table 2) and listed some of the customer relations services/programmes as: prompt
attention to enquiries, birthday calls/SMS on their birthdays, end of the year service as
well as customer fora. They, therefore, perceive to a Great Extent and rate these customer
service programmes as Great (see tables 3 and 4).Public relations, according to Salmon
Lee, is about managing and shaping public perception about your company, product,
service, brand and individual. Customer relations, a strategy of public relations therefore
enhanced the perception of customers to the bank positively. In addition, customers
usually visit the customer service personnel when they face challenges with banking
transactions (see table 5). Most of their demands were also met (see table 6), which
meant that they (customers) were satisfied and could rely on Access bank to keep their
monies safe. Tribulato, La Malfa, and Branca, cited in Khan, Hussain, Rasheed and
Rizwan (2016) stated that client reliability can be acquired if organizations listen to their
customers and comprehend client needs and settle on right choices in such manner to
satisfy them. Interview responses further revealed that before customer relationship
programmes are carried out, the bank first listens to the demands of their customers,
carried out through constant research, before implementation.

Also, findings revealed that as a result of customers’ positive perception of customer

relations programmes, as well as the prompt response to customer enquiries, birthday
calls/SMS to customers, end of the year service, customer experience challenge, women
lets save promo, voice of the customer etc, further led to increased patronage and
attracted potential customers to transact with the bank. Members of staff also confirmed
the increased patronage of customers (see table 8) and also felt satisfied with the
customer relations programmes of the bank to a great extent (see table 9).The findings are
similar with that of Kehinde, Iyiola and Mayowa (2006) who also found that the
relationship between the organization and its publics helped the organization to attain its
set goals by increasing the target market and boosting sales. Furthermore, Nazari,
Sarafraz and Amini (2016) pointed out in their study that customer relationship business
strategy on one side aims to increase profitability and revenue of the organization and on
the other side aims to increase customers' satisfaction and loyalty.

Findings from research question three show other customer relations programmes and
services that customers want Access Bank to put in more efforts at. These services
include: prompt attention and response to customer complaints and suggestions put in the
suggestion boxes, sensitivity to customer challenges, incentives, removal of ATM
charges, customer forum, new product development, while the programmes include:
bonanza, scholarship awards, community relations, corporate social responsibility
through sponsorship of sports, support to educational programmes.
Effective customer relations, has enhanced the patronage of AccessBank Plc, Ibadan
which was ascertained by both customers and staff members. The interview conducted
also revealed that customer forum, SMS boxes placed at strategic locations in the bank,
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Effective Customer Relations 28

complete contact directory with which the bank calls and sends messages to customers as
well as customer visitations has greatly enhanced the communication, relationship,
commitment, familiarity, loyalty and patronage of customers.

Conclusion
Banking institutions as with other business organizations need customers to keep
growing. They, therefore, need effective customer relations and strategies in order to
remain in business and attract potential customers. Public Relations is about relationships
and the building and sustenance of two-way communications between an organization
and its publics and helping them to adapt mutually to each other. An effective customer
relationship which is a public relations strategy between banking institutions and
customers would lead to better relationship and promote better understanding between
them. This study has, therefore, shown that effective customer relations can lead to
increase in relationship between customers and the banks as well as an increase in
patronage. Banking institutions therefore need to keep reviewing their customer relations
strategies in order to enjoy continuous patronage from customers.

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 Effective Customer Relations 29

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