IMPLICATION OF PRODUCT BRANDING ON CUSTOMER’S PATRONAGE IN THE NIGERIAN CONSUMER GOODS INDUSTRY

Abstract

Product branding is said to be a veritable tool that can be adopted in achieving customer patronage in the highly competitive market. Hence, this study assesses the implication of product branding on customer’s patronage. The specific objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of brand perception, service quality and customer relationship management on customer’s patronage. A survey research design was used for the study, with a structured questionnaire administered to collect data from the firms’ customers. The inferential statistical tool of regression analysis was adopted to analyze the formulated hypotheses. Findings revealed that brand perception has a significant effect on customer patronage (R2 = 0.308, P=0.000), it also shows a significant effect of service quality (R2 =0.623, P=0.000) on customer patronage, and a significant effect of customer relationship management (R2 = 0.585, P=0.000) on customer patronage. The study concluded that product branding if properly managed can influence customers patronage, and also having the ability to increase the customers base and profitability of the firm. It was therefore recommended that firms should give proper consideration to issues of customer relationship management; as well as enhancing the product service experience of customers so as to improve the perception of the brand in the mind of customers to foster brand loyalty.