ASSESSMENT OF DIGITAL PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES IN ENHANCING CUSTOMER RELATIONS IN THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA

This study examined the influence of digital public relations strategies on customer relations at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja. The study was anchored Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Trust Theory. The study adopted a survey research design. A sample of 380 respondents was selected from CAC customers and relevant staff, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, and multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that CAC used various digital public relations platforms, particularly its website, social media, online customer-service platforms, email, and SMS. The findings further indicated that these platforms facilitated timely information, improved accessibility, enhanced communication, and contributed to customer trust. The regression analysis revealed a significant effect of digital public relations strategies on customer satisfaction and perception of CAC (R = 0.684; R² = 0.468; F(5, 374) = 59.01; p < 0.001). The study also identified poor internet connectivity, delayed responses to online enquiries, technical difficulties, inadequate digital infrastructure, limited customer awareness, and insufficient staff capacity as major challenges. The study concluded that digital public relations strategies significantly contributed to improved customer relations at CAC. It recommended stronger investment in digital infrastructure, faster online response mechanisms, improved staff capacity, and integrated digital customer-service systems to enhance the effectiveness of CAC’s digital public relations practices.