The study the role of promotion in marketing of electricity services (NEPA) in Enugu Metropolis it has became necessary as this stage of our development to determine the extent of the implementation of the marketing concept in carrying out role of promotion in NEPA services.

Over the year, NEPA in Enugu metropolis has had to cope with the unco-operative consumers who have refused to settle their electricity bill promptly.

The method used for collecting relevant data for the study was the random sampling investment method two set of questionnaires were distributed, one for NEPA customers and NEPA officials totaling questionnaires respectively.

The role of promotion makes a significant contribution in the marketing process. It was also found that promotion has a positive effect on consumers the achieve (success). This, the right of role of promotion message has to be developed using the right media type.

The finding of the study shows that customer usually don’t pay their bills on time, customers who were discounted were not easily reconnection after payment.

The researcher recommended that NEPA should improve on it services such as distribution meter reading and reconnection people offer payment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page

Certification

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of contents

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.1 Background of study

1.2 Statement of the problem

1.3 Objective of the study

1.4 Significance for emulations of hypothesis

1.5 Significance of the study

1.6 Scope of the study

1.7 Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO

Review of relevant literature

2.1 The meaning of marketing promotion

2.2 Types of marketing promotion

2.3 The importance of marketing promotion

2.4 Marketing promotion management

2.5 Nepa and its services

CHAPTER THREE

Research methodology

3.1 Research design

3.2 Area of study

3.3 Population of the study

3.4 Sample and sampling procedure

3.5 Instrument for data collection

3.6 Validation of the instrument

3.7 Reliability of instrument

3.8 Method of data collection

3.9 Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

Data presentation and analysis

4.1 Data presentation and analysis

4.2 Test of hypothesis

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion of finding, recommendation and conclusion

5.1 Discussion of finding

5.2 Implication of finding

5.3 Recommendation of finding

5.4 Conclusion

5.5 Limitation of study

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM

Marketing according to W. J. Stanton (1984) marketing is a total system of business activities designed to plan, price, promote distribute want satisfying goods and services to present and potential customers. A. I. Okafor (1995) marketing activities undertaken by the firm towards the creation of satisfied customers. The American Marketing Association defined marketing as the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods services from the producer to the user. The initiate of marketing, London defined it thus, “a management process responsible for identifying anticipating and satisfying customer requirement profitably”. John Strafford et al (1986) defined marketing as looking at the business through the customer’s eyes”. They looked at concept of marketing as more than just a department.

It is rather the whole question of which way the business is oriented and is one of the various factors that can make the difference between success and failure.

Kotler (1991) defined marketing as a social and management process by which individuals and group obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging product of value with others. He went on to explain that marketing rests on the following core concepts: needs, want and demand products valued, cost and satisfaction, exchange transactions relationships, marketer and marketing and marketers. According to him, human and needs, want, and demand are the starting point of the disciplines of marketing while identification of those need leads to the finding of products to satisfy these needs and want. It is therefore very important that marketing is not seen narrowly as the task of finding clever way of selling a firm’s products.

Organizations that ignore the marketing concept are not customers oriented. The era of hard selling is gone as most companies in developed countries have realized. It has been established that the capacity of organization to survive and proper depend on their ability to continuously market themselves in an environment of ever changing human needs and wants. Such organization like NEPA that enjoy state monopoly and whose services are vital should drop the customer be – demand attitude. In view of this NEPA has continued to uplift it image in customer services.

The establishment of NEPA by the federal government decree No 24 of 1972 marked the turning point in the development of electricity supply for all parts of the federation. It was co-ordinated for better efficiency.

There is marketing promotion in NEPA Enugu district office level. Marketing is not necessarily a commercial process. As a social process that involves the identification, anticipation and satisfaction of human need and want. NEPA depends on marketing activities for their growth and prosperity.

This is because, marketing not only make the production of the goods and services needed in these societies and beyond possible but also facilities their exchange and thereby generates the profit needed for capital accumulation, industrial growth wealth and health of these societies also by focusing attention on the good needed by the resources are not wanted in the production those goods and services which are not required in the society and thus enhances economic growth further.

The National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) has come a long way to stay in Enugu according to NEPA District manager “the lizard that jumped from an iroko to the ground says he will praise himself if no one else does. NEPA will praise themselves on what they have done so far in providing the electricity services needed by the entire societies in general.

The services of the NEPA for long have been made available to all the users of electricity especially to those in Enugu metropolis. The customer in Enugu metropolis have obnoxious attitude towards the services of NEPA. Many of them do not pay their bills on time. This nonchalant attitude of customers has had to affect the services of NEPA greatly.

For NEPA to remain in services it embarks on one of its marketing exercise”. This is meant to discontinue supply of electricity to the indebted customers until the outstanding debt is settled. NEPA before carrying out this exercise creaes the awareness through radio and television announcement.

To enhance revenue collection, NEPA in Enugu has five designated center where payment are made. The centers are Enugu central service center independence layout services center, Awkunanaw service center, Abakpa – Nike service center and 9^th mile services center. Each of this centres set up a team of task forces in charge of disconnection and another team for reconnection service.

NEPA collects different reconnection fees from defaulters while same pay five hundred naira (N500) other pay one thousand and two thousand naira respectively. This depends on the type of disconnection effected in the customer’s premises.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The impact of marketing in an organization cannot be over-emphasized O. K. Olakunori and their (1997) defined marketing as the identification and satisfaction of people need through the exchange process. The marketing section of NEPA through it marketing activities satisfies the need of the customers. It is the connecting link between the customers and authority it performs the following function viz reading of meters distribution of bill raising of necessary adjustment handling of customers complaints and collecting of the debt of authority. The survival of the authority depend mainly on the effective and efficient work of the marketers.

A problem is said to arise when there is a gap between the actual state and the desired state. The customers in Enugu metropolis in spite of the services of NEPA complain of bad attitude of marketing in carrying out their marketing activities. They complain of non-reading of meters, distributing of bills, reconciling of customer accounts attending to customer’s complaints and of extorting money from customers before reconnection. This has resorted the government to plans allow provide hand in the management of NEPA from generating to distribution and finally to the marketing of it activities.

That upon all the acclaimed effects by NEPA personnel, customers are still complaining about their ineptitude to word providing satisfaction why?