IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE LEVELS IN SERVICES INDUSTRIES, THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF THE MARKETING CONCEPT (A CASE STUDY THE IBETO PHOTOGRAPHIC COLOUR LABORATORY, ENUGU)
Abstract
The Nigerian economy is filled with different kinds of services providing industries, ramping from the large ones like banks to very small ones such as hair salon services. The deep economic problems in the country has made services provision of all kinds very expensive and competitive. The only solution to survive is to engage vibrant and strategically marketing. But most service firms expenditure the small ones neither have a specialized marketing unit nor seen to take marketing programmes and concept very serious. It is on this lapses, that this study was based. The major objective of this study is to critically examine the marketing programmes of service based firms (in Enugu) in order to identify ways in which customers services can be improved through the application of marketing
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE   
INTRODUCTION
1.1        Background of the study                                               
1.2        Historical Background of the study                                 
1.3        Statement of the Problem                                     
1.4        Purpose of the study                                            
1.5        Research Hypothesis                                            
1.6        Significance of the study                                               
1.7        Limitations of the Study                                                
1.8        Definition of Terms                                                      
CHAPTER TWO
Review of related literature                                  
2.1        Review of Literature                                             
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1        Research Design                                                  
3.2        Area of the study                                                        
3.3        Population of the Study                                                
3.4        Sample Size Determination for Customers               
3.5        Sampling Procedure                                                     
3.6        Instrument for Data Collection                               
3.7        Validity of Research Instrument                             
3.8        Reliability of Research Instrument                          
3.9        Method of Administration of the Research                
3.10    Method of Data Analysis                                               
CHAPTER FOUR
Presentation, analysis, and interpretation
4.1        Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation                
4.2        Test of Hypothesis                                                       
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1    Summary of Findings                                           
5.2        Recommendations                                                       
5.3        Conclusion                                                          
Bibliography
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Marketing implies all those human functions performed to satisfy consumer needs through production and exchange processes. Organization that adopt the marketing concept mostly aim at finding what the consumers needs and wants are, and providing such needs and wants effectively and efficiently to the consumers.
Offering marketing services as a form of business is fast growing within the scope of marketing over the year. The relative amount of services has been growing in the economy representing about two third of the Gross National Product. Marketing of service as an intangible product, apart from the existence as separate industrial sector, services also represent a major strength of Nigerian firm and the world at large. It has dominated the spectrum of Nigerian businesses.   
However, the growing importance of services and their business to start up, in most cases, have made the sector very attractive to a lot of the citizenry.
Competition has become more intense than before and people are becoming too conscious of the quality of services being offered to them.
1.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY   
          The company, Ibeto photographic colour laboratory, is a subsidy of Ibeto Group of companies. Ibeto photographic colour laboratory was incorporated in 1984 in the Eastern part of Nigeria under the name of Ibeto Industries limited (IIL). With an array of modern and sophisticated machines it has been able to meet the demands of its numerous customers in both quality and services, through its networks of branches all over Nigeria. The company has established an excellent reputation and has remained a leading photo processing company with laboratories in Nnewi, Enugu, Onitsha, Aba and Nsukka. Its customers cut across different individuals and organisation. Some of the organisations that patronize the company include Rocana Advertising Agency etc. The individuals include Newton etc. The service rendered by the company include development of firms into negation processing pictures into different sizes.
1.3       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Ibeto photographic colour laboratory has been facing a lot of problems in the recent past. Some of the problems are listed below.          
Intense competition in printing photophobic colour laboratory industry in Enugu.
Lack of adequate marketing experts in Ibeto photographic colour laboratory.
Lack of customers, due to poor quality of their photographic colour laboratory.
Lack of adequate machines in the firm which helps to fasting the job to their customers.
Another problem is time consuming by the customer  in terms of service given to them.
However, in all these that have stated here as the problems facing this company, one should be able to know the steps to take in solving the problem facing Ibeto photographic colour laboratory Enugu.      
1.4       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to find out how Ibeto photographic colour laboratory are improving their customer services level.
How Ibeto photographic colour laboratory can stand the competition from other related firms in the same photographic colour laboratory market.  
To know their customers are satisfied with the quality of their services at the right profitability level.
How possible to employ enough marketers who know the principles of marketing concept in the Ibeto photographic firm.  The way to increase the level of awareness/enlightment to the general public is to enable them understand the importance of patronage.  To know the reactions of the customers toward the services rendered to them.
1.5       HYPOTHESIS FORMULATION
Ho:   Good customer service, increase to the customer patronage.
Hi:    Good customer service does not increase to the customer patronage.
Ho:   Customer services impacts positively on the company’s profitability.
Hi:    Customer services does not impacts positively on the company’s profitability.
Ho:   Customers are satisfied with the photographic services offered by Ibeto.  
Hi:    Customers are not satisfied with the photographic services offered by Ibeto.  
1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY
For the purpose of this study, Ibeto photographic colour laboratory, Enugu was chosen. Although they are many other photographic laboratories, the choice of Ibeto Enugu is to make the study more manageable. This is informed by the fact that the researcher has constraint of time and fund. In any case, the findings from the study of Ibeto photographic colour laboratory could easily be generalized among other similar organisations throughout the country.
1.7       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is significant in carryout: firstly, this study will be of immense benefit to some stakeholders in service industry. Secondary, the study is significant to both the management of Ibeto photographic colour laboratory Ltd Enugu, and other related firms because the study will no doubt expose the problems affecting them, as well as proper solutions for most of the problems.     
Thirdly, this study will be significant to the customers/users of services especially those of Ibeto Enugu and other photo lab. Industries in Nigeria, because it shall expose them to the intricacies of evaluation of service rendered to them.
Finally, the study will hopefully aid researchers who are interested in this particular profit topic.   
1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS
There are varied definitions of services but the definition below brings out the essential ingredient in services.
Kotler (2002: 444) services can be defined as any act or performance that one party can offer to another that is essentially  intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything. Kotler (2002).
Services industries: They are these firms that render intangible services to their customers such as hospitals, loan agencies, military services, police and fire departments, post office, regulatory agencies, and schools. Kotler (2002: 444).
Edoga (1998) defined services as any activity benefactor or satisfactions that is offer for sales, it is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything.