Public relations in social service practices: Encountered problems and solution proposals, the case of Kastamonu Municipality

The problems encountered in municipal public relations can be summarized as communication deficiencies, credibility and transparency challenges, compliance with social needs in service delivery, and crisis management problems. Communication gaps mean that municipalities do not interact with citizens sufficiently or do not use the right communication channels. This can lead to citizens not being sufficiently informed about municipal services and municipalities struggling to understand and meet real needs. Credibility and transparency challenges relate to the widespread perception that municipalities are not trusted by citizens or that their activities are not carried out in a transparent manner. This can undermine public trust in the municipality and reduce the effectiveness and acceptability of municipal services. The problem of social relevance in service delivery can be defined as the failure of municipalities to plan and deliver their services in line with the real needs of society. In this case, citizens may express dissatisfaction, or the effectiveness and efficiency of services may be reduced. Crisis management problems arise when municipalities fail to develop effective communication and crisis management strategies during emergencies or crises. Failure to provide fast and accurate information flow can increase the effects of the crisis and cause panic in society. To address these problems, municipalities must strengthen their communication strategies, strictly adhere to the principles of transparency and accountability, encourage community participation, and keep crisis management plans up-to-date. These steps can help municipalities become more effective in public relations and increase citizens trust. This study aims to present public relations management in Kastamonu Municipality's social service practices, identify the problems encountered in these practices, and propose solutions.