Public Relations Practitioner’s Role: Effect on Corporate Image and Customer Loyalty in the Transport Sector: (A Case-Study of Metro Mass Transit Limited)

Abstract

The contemporary business organizations highly acknowledge customer loyalty; consider it as a vital aspect, and a way towards long-term business success (Bowen & Chen, 2001). Currently, little was known about the role public relation officers play in the transport industry. In addition there are limited studies undertaken in the industry in Ghana as well. Hence, the study was to examine the effect of public relation practitioner role and its impact on corporate image and customer loyalty. The study employed a mixed research design which combines quantitative and qualitative. The multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to sample 100 staff including both senior and junior staff and management. Questionnaire, focus group discussion guides and interview schedule were used for data collection. The quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions software version 21 (SPSS) while qualitative data used content analysis, transcription and interpretation respectively, to present a meaningful, descriptive and enhance presentations and comprehensibility of the research. Key findings from the research were; there is a positive correlation between public relation role and corporate image and a positive correlation between public relation role and customer loyalty. The study recommends that; Public Relations Officers in the transport industry be given periodic refresher programs to equip them with current public relations trends.