DIGITAL CHANNEL MARKETING: CRITICAL TOOL FOR WINNING CUSTOMER PATRONAGE IN POST COVID-19

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to empirically investigate the imperativeness of digital channel marketing in achieving enhanced customer patronage of fast food restaurants in Nigeria, amidst Covid-19. The research examined the importance of digital marketing tools from the context of Covid-19 induced economic setback as it affects restaurants operators in the city. Cross-sectional survey design was used in accessing the study‟s subjects and its population was limited to only customers of fast food restaurants in Port Harcourt. Due to the research constraint to ascertain the actual number of customers of these restaurants, we considered the entire residents of Port Harcourt as our population, upon which a sample of 400 were drawn with the help of Taro Yamen formula and accessed conveniently. A total of two hypotheses were formulated and tested using Spearman‟s Rank Correlation Coefficient. Results revealed a positive and significant relationship between digital channel marketing and customer patronage. The research concluded that the crisis occasioned by Covid-19 re-echoed the strategic importance of digital marketing channel in building competitive advantage in the eatery market. The research therefore recommends that alert fast food restaurants who want to build resilience and continuously satisfying customers amidst covid-19, should specifically incorporate online delivery and digital menu in their organizations‟ service delivery operations.