The perception of social media towards the use of services of PTT Public Company Limited

Achara Chatchalermpol

School of Liberal Art

Shinawatra International University

57425005-6@st.siu.ac.th

Wuttipong Pongsuwan Ph.D.

School of Liberal Art

Shinawatra International University

Suchai Thanawastien Ph.D.

School of Liberal Art

Shinawatra International University

Abstract

Social Media via Web 2.0 becomes a new way of communication, public relations and marketing. It gradually replaces other media because of its rapidly adopted worldwide. In the same way, the perception from social media is also quickly. This may cause both positive and negative consequences. PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), the national energy company of Thailand has adopted social media for internal and external use such as management, communication, public relations, marketing, customer services etc. They also established the company to provide technology for all ICT named PTT ICT Solutions to serve all ICT technology for PTT group. They spend 3% of annual profit for the technology development including communication technology. Many kinds of social media are applied for customers in both hard side and soft side like advertising and building corporate image. However, PTT has not yet evaluated the perception and impact from their stakeholder. This study illustrates the evaluation methodology and results from the survey to advice PTT group for better use of their social media.

Introduction

Nowadays, the global marketing has evaluated and adapted to the different

environment such as economy, society, culture, and consumer behavior which are

changing. This evolution is due to the development of computer technology which brings

the world into Globalization (Thiwaporn Jutaprachakul, 2011), for example, internet and

web 2.0 influence life style changing. People use internet for communication, for

information searching, for entertainment and even for commercial purposes (Irem Eren

Erdogmus and Mesesut Cicek, 2012). Internet can be applied for trading and service

channels around the world which results enormous profit and value added for business, a

part of the country revenue. (Office for National Statistics Thailand, 2009). It shows that

technology plays an important role in communication development (Panuwat Kongraj,

2011). Therefore, the companies need to adapt ICT in their strategy to keep up with the

global business.

Besides, the mechanism for marketing mainly focuses on public relations. They communicate through news channels on various aspects of social media to achieve customer perception. Many companies or businesses conduct this strategy to access their customers for improving and developing their services. This perception is a step of a model to interpret the stimulus (Mai Ngoc Khuong and Vu Ngoc Bich Tram, 2015). The perception of people causes them to use their services. However, there are many factors and information forms of perception depending on the influences such as recognition, experience, culture, education, etc. There are 2 types of important influences, one comes from outside such as the intensity and size of the stimulus (Intensively and Size), repetition, contrast, movement etc. The other comes from within including incentives motive such as expectancy attention, emotion, thought, imagination and feelings (Nittaya Supapohn, 2008). This perception may cause both positive and negative consequences. PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), the national energy company of Thailand who is considered to be both state enterprise and listed company in The Stock Market of Thailand. They must balance the benefit of all stakeholders (country, social community, shareholder, customer, partner and employee) to gain the acceptance and appreciation from Thai people. They invest 3% of annual profit for the technology development including communication technology to enhance their business as well as reputation. Social media is an important communication technology that PTT adopts for their stakeholders. PTT provide website, Face book, Line, Twitter, Applications etc. for all customers and public. They also established PTT ICT Solutions Company Limited to serve for ICT technology of PTT group. Moreover, energy business in Thailand is liberalization. There is high competition in energy market for the benefit of the consumers. Each oil company tries hard to maintain its market share. So does PTT, they have to find the marketing tools and social media is involved. They create many kinds of Application. However, they have not evaluated the perception of their customers whether it impacts PTT services or not. Therefore, this study is aimed to get the answer for this issue.

BackgroundAt present (2016), social media is important for communication. It plays a major

role in lifestyle and business as another channel of convenient and fast access as well as search engine. Social media can also provide information business reports, new investment projects of the company, supporting information for decision making. 60% of sampling group use social media for information regarding (IR) Investor Relations. 58% of sampling group use to communicate to the target audience (CSR), (Manthaga Thangnirandorn, 2016)

However, all information channels and all communication devices must be based on fair and equal principle (Fair Disclosure). No information of social media for specific group. This may lead to the inequality of information. PTT, therefore, publicize their social media widely for public including their customers. Everyone can access PTT

information directly from website such as the organization structure, policy, products and services, opportunity for investment, job application etc. It is better to provide the information to the public by itself than let them know from other channel. Although PTT cannot control the perception of customer, they should do their best by using the benefit of social media. The more social media they manage, the more positive perception they have.

All these strategies have been applied as social media is crucial process for understanding factors that affect social structures and social relations. The information will help improving business and image of the companies.

The objectives of the research

1. To study information perception on social media of the PTT’s customers

2. To study the factors that contributes to the perception of PTT’s customers

3. To study the relationship between the perception and the impact on the use of

services of PTT.

Literature Review

Perception process

The perception is a process of communication. It may arise from accidental or intentional action. It may occur with direct or indirect experiences from other individuals’ selection, data processing and interpretation of stimulus, then defines the meaning and the image of the world’s content (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2543: 146 refered in Nithaya Supapohn, 2552). The sensation to the environment or stimulus is interpreted and data processed by individual experience (Peerapat Chatsiri Theeranatheekulchai, 2553). George & Michael (2536: 128) has said that the perception process consists of 4 stages.

1. Selective Exposure It occurs when consumers choose to receive information.

For example, consumers may choose to read or watch the advertising that they are interested on the televisions or in the magazines but if it is not of their interest, they just turns over. As in the same way, the selection of buying a newspaper or listening to the radio is the exposure for information which is the first step of the selective Exposure.

2. Selective Attention It occurs when consumers choose to focus their attention in some stimulus or news more than others.

 3. Selective Comprehension It occurs when consumers have chosen to pay interest in some information, then, interpreted by their own attitudes, beliefs, motives, and their experience, no matter how it be distorted the intent of the sender information.

Selective Exposure Selective Attention Selective Comprehension Recognition selection

4. Selective Retention It occurs when consumers have interpreted and understood all information such as advertising, news, newsletter etc. but they will remember only some of the features made especially memorable or some of interest and often forget some that they are not interested in.

Figure 1 Show the process of perception of George & Michael (2536:128)

The perception occurs through the senses (sensations) of the five sense organs, eyes, ears, nose, mouth and tongue (basic stimuli). After receiving the information, people try to understand them by interpreting or translating the information with the experience in the past to help (Kanch Intharagoset, 2550 and Siriwan Sereerat, 2550 : 116) processing of recognition (Schiffman & Kanuk 2550 : 146 Referred in Nithaya Supaporn, 2552) The process of recognition is an indication of how the data is interpreted (Seree Wongmonta, 2000: 42 Referred in Chanapa Lertwuttiwongsa, 2558) The process consists of four steps (George & Michael, 2536:128) which are selective exposure, selective attention, selective comprehension and recognition selection. The consumers will not be able to remember all the information. They remember only some information or some of the features which they are interested.

The Factors affecting consumer perception come from physical and mental factors (Kanya Suwansang, 2011). They discuss and determine what we perceive. Two people may perceive differently based on what they perceived and cultural experience. It depends on the factors that influence perception. The factors that influence perception are two main types. First, influences from outside such as intensive size, repetition, contrast and movement. Second, influences from within such as motive, expectancy, attention, emotion, thought and

imagination.

The perception of the brand and service

The brand perception is the recognition and be accustomed to the quality of goods and services. This perception can be measured from the knowledge about the brand of goods and products that the company communicate. From the concept of CRM (Customer

Relationship Management) on the perception of the customer or consumer, the process of Brand Equity Measurement is the effective way to measure brand equity. Hence, they try to develop ways to measure brand equity. One of these methods is the marketing or consumer relationship measurement which divided in 2 groups. One is measured by the awareness of consumers (Consumer Perception), and the other is measured from the behavior of consumers (Consumer Behavior). Therefore, organizations require targeted marketing activities to create customer value and develop knowledge to retain existing customers and attract new customers. These compose of “Functional”, the quality perception maintain and expectations on the performance of products and services Perceived Sacrifices is the loss of goods and services resulting from the recognition of the short-term. Or long distance charges, as the reader is not informed of the communication channel for readers to follow on a regular basis, such as media, Facebook (Facebook) made goods and services. Including publishers loss. Interaction with readers Social Value is the social value of goods and services that are as popular among some readers. Read the book of creative nonfiction While reading the popular books of fiction Emotional value is the value of the emotion-related products and services. To impress the consumer to feel the emotional bond with its readers and it felt like. Impressed by the author or publisher of interactive content of the book. Readers track Publishers that Continuous

of consumers perceive and impacts on the target group. To make customers feel special is potentially increase profits for the organization (Woodruff in Chi et al. 2004: referred to in Chanapa Lertwuttiwongsa, 2015) Therefore, the companies hold marketing activities to create customer value and knowledge to retain existing customers and attract new customers.

Social Media is the human social interaction of human needs or people who need to communicate or interact with each other. They are primarily interested in entertainment, information for good relationship and good participate with other in the form of media categories such as digital photography, video messaging and etc. The example of social media are Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, Google+, YouTube, blog, Flickr, Instagram and etc. Most of them can send many messages as quickly as neither marketing tool can. This makes the business different from the past especially the investment in The Stock Exchange of Thailand. In which PTT stock also presented for their shareholders.

Positive and Negative

CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS

The perception from social media has both positive and negative consequences. the information offered by the companies is positive such as the performance, the revenue etc. But sometimes, the perception of the public services and customer service are not equality. It should be two ways communication which the public can respond and comment on any products and services. This will be the process of interpretation of information which ensures the customers’ attitude of products and services. Finally, the companies can bring trust and brand loyalty from their customers. Moreover, Perception of information will lead to the development of PTT information service process.

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