E-banking comes to town: Exploring how traditional UK high street banks are meeting the challenge of technology and virtual relationships

UK high street banks are continuing to extend the choice of channel through which customers can manage their moneycolon; an obvious example is e-banking. They have been keen to exploit technological advances and changing customer attitudes to alternative channels. Additionally, competition from leaner new market entrants has provided an added incentive to adopt new approaches. In the light of such developments, it is worth reflecting on the changing nature of the bank–customer relationship. This paper suggests that banks are finding it difficult to manage relationships effectively due, in large measure, to the sheer volume of customer data generated by new interactive, technology-based channels. Paradoxically, it seems that the more data banks have about customers the less likely they are to know them on a personal level. It is further suggested that channels such as e-banking potentially reduce the level of personal contact between bank and customer to the extent that a ‘virtual’ relationship develops. This paper concludes that, given the tendency towards ‘virtualisation’, it is inconceivable that bank–customer relationships will become any more intimate in the future. Indeed, a greater degree of personalisation in customer communication may be the very best that banks are able to offer.     

Bank image in the UAE: Comparing Islamic and conventional banks

This study investigates how bank customers in the UAE view Islamic banks versus conventional banks and whether this image affects customer loyalties or selection of a bank. We distributed a questionnaire to a convenient sample of UAE bank customers that focused on five areas: bank image, bank products, service quality, cultural aspects and religious factors, in addition to demographic attributes of the sample. The main findings of this study are: first, most UAE bank customers prefer banking with Islamic banks, although they are not satisfied with the quality of products and services; second, customers generally have a positive image of whatever bank they dealt with; third, the regression analysis results indicate that the most important factor in choosing a bank was bank products followed by service quality and then religious factors; fourth, there is a significant difference between how customers perceive UAE Islamic banks versus conventional banks; fifth, there is a significant difference in how customers perceive UAE Islamic banks based on their gender, education and duration of the relationship; and finally, there is a significant difference in how customers perceive UAE conventional banks based on their gender.     

Bank service quality: A comparison between a publicly quoted bank and a government bank in Singapore

This study, conducted in Singapore, investigates three aspects of service quality. The study samples customers of two specific banks, one of which is publicly quoted and one of which is government owned. For comparative purposes, five service quality dimensions, which the authors created, were used. The results showed that consumer expectations about an excellent bank's service quality were not significantly different as between the publicly quoted bank and the government bank. The perceptions that consumers had about the service quality of the bank they patronised, though, showed some significant differences. The publicly quoted bank was perceived as having a significantly better ‘services portfolio’, specifically in regard to making customers aware of its services and offering a variety of services through its ATMs. The government bank was perceived as having better ‘staff who deliver the service’, specifically in the way the staff dressed and the efficiency with which they served customers. The five service quality dimensions were found to have better predictive capabilities for the measurement of the overall satisfaction of customers who patronised the government bank.     

银行网点服务中存在的问题与设立会员制网点的可行性分析

高端客户是商业银行经营竞争争夺的重点,在以提高银行网点营销能力和服务能力为目的的网点转型过程中,如何通过网点建设吸引并服务好高端客户,是各大商业银行都在积极思考的问题。目前,银行网点功能大同小异,不能对高端客户与大众客户进行有效隔离,较大程度上影响了银行向高端客户提供差别化服务的效果。本文通过列举当前银行网点对高端客户服务的不足,分析其形成原因与银行选址偏好之间的关系,提出避开闹市,集中专业人员,建立面向高端客户的会员制银行网点的设想,为银行网点转型提供新的思路。     

Asymmetric Information,Bank Lending,and Implicit Contracts: A Stylized Model of Customer Relationships

Customer relationships arise between banks and firms because, in the process of lending, a bank learns more than others about its own customers. This information asymmetry allows lenders to capture some of the rents generated by their older customers; competition thus drives banks to lend to new firms at interest rates which initially generate expected losses. As a result, the allocation of capital is shifted toward lower quality and inexperienced firms. This inefficiency is eliminated if complete contingent contracts are written or, when this is costly, if banks can make nonbinding commitments that, in equilibrium, are backed by reputation.     

Reflections on bank–customer interactions in the new millennium

Having relatively recently embraced the concept of marketing, banks approach the new millennium operating in an increasingly competitive and fragmented marketplace with financially literate consumers. This competition combined with the prevailing low interest rate environment means that traditional banks with extensive branch networks are having their profitability margins squeezed. New technology presents opportunities for banks to become both more efficient (in terms of cost reduction) and more effective (in terms of customer profiling and informed targeted selling). As many groups of customers become more content with interacting with their bank through remote technological channels (eg phone, Internet) the implications for bank–customer relationships are important. Recent research shows that new ‘electronic banking’ channels, while being keenly embraced throughout the industry, are being pursued more for their cost-based advantages than for their business development or relationship management capabilities. Given that the key power of the Internet arguably rests in its interactive capabilities, and that relationships are predicated upon interactively, it seems appropriate to conclude with some key issues for future electronic banking strategy with particular emphasis on staff–customer relationships.     

声誉模型视角的商业银行关系营销策略研究

根据菲利普·科特勒关于关系营销的建议,商业银行对客户实施关系营销有效的深度是不同的。商业银行与客户的关系是一种既竞争又合作的关系,声誉模型可以为商业银行有效实施关系营销策略提供支持。研究发现：商业银行应该选择“合作策略”彰显良好声誉,选择具有良好声誉的客户合作,并着力发展优质的忠诚客户。     

借鉴国外成功经验制定工商银行个人金融发展战略

在现代商业银行发展中,无论是目前公认的全球最大的花旗银行还是以零售业务为主的英国劳埃德银行,其主要业务收入来源均为个人金融业务.随着我国个人收入的迅猛增长、金融意识的增强及金融资产总量的增加与结构的变化,既对我国商业银行个人金融业务提出了新的需求,也为其提供了广阔的发展空间.工商银行应在突出大行特征、全面服务优良大客户的同时,充分发挥自己具有"社区"小银行功能的优势,通过建立"大个金"的全新理念、建设个人客户系统平台、健全营销机制、加大创新力度、加大流程化管理及调整客户战略等途径,不断做大做强个人金融业务,进而确立中国最佳零售银行的地位.     

Loan pricing under Basel II in an imperfectly competitive banking market

The new Basel II Accord (2006), established new and revised capital requirements for banks. In this paper we analyze and estimate the possible effects of the new rules on the pricing of bank loans. We relate to the two approaches for capital requirements (internal and standardized) and distinguish between retail and corporate customers. Our loan-equation is based on a model of a banking firm facing uncertainty operating in an imperfectly competitive loan market. We use Israeli economic data and data of a leading Israeli bank. The main results indicate that high quality corporate and retail customers will enjoy a reduction in loan interest rates in (big) banks which, most probably, will adopt the IRB approach. On the other hand high risk customers will benefit by shifting to (small) banks that adopt the standardized approach.     

How the Internet affects output and performance at community banks

Internet web sites have become an important alternative distribution channel for most banking institutions. However, we still know little about the impact of this delivery channel on bank performance. We observe 424 community banks among the first wave of US banks to adopt transactional banking web sites in the late-1990s, and compare the change in their 1999–2001 financial performance to that of 5175 branching-only community banks. Whereas today virtually all viable community banking franchises offer the Internet banking channel, studying this earlier time period allows us to make clean comparisons between subsamples of “brick-and-mortar” and “click-and-mortar” community banks. We find that Internet adoption improved community bank profitability, chiefly through increased revenues from deposit service charges. Internet adoption was also associated with movements of deposits from checking accounts to money market deposit accounts, increased use of brokered deposits, and higher average wage rates for bank employees. We find little evidence of changes in loan portfolio mix. Our findings suggest that these initial click-and-mortar banks (and their customers) used the Internet channel as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, physical branches.     

The importance of service quality in British Muslim’s choice of an Islamic or non-Islamic bank account

Using an extended SERVQUAL model, this study identifies and compares the importance of service quality to Muslim consumers with an Islamic or non-Islamic bank account in a non-Muslim country, Britain. Eight group discussions and a survey of 300 Muslims were conducted. Five dimensions of service quality were identified, i.e. responsiveness, credibility, Islamic tangibles, accessibility and reputation. These differ in structure and content from the original SERVQUAL developed in a western context and the subsequent CARTER model constructed in a Muslim country. In addition, significant differences were found in the importance of items between Islamic bank account and non-Islamic bank account holders. This study is one of the first to identify and compare the importance of service quality between Islamic and non-Islamic bank account holders in a western non-Muslim country. The results advance our understanding of the impact of culture on SERVQUAL. The study provides insight into Muslims’ bank choice and helps bank managers of both Islamic and non-Islamic banks to focus their attention on the service quality dimensions that matter most to Muslim customers.     

价值导向的商业银行市场营销体系研究

美国银行业处于最开放、公平和有效的市场中,其领先的市场营销直接决定了其全球一流的经营业绩。中国也处于快速地趋近开放、竞争的市场环境,系统分析、整体认识美国商业银行市场营销可以为中国商业银行提供有益的参照。为此,本文提出了价值导向的商业银行市场营销体系:市场营销必须集成客户、员工与外部利益团体的价值;体现价值取向的定位是市场营销成败的根本;应从客户、市场和产品三个维度来把握复杂的营销组合;市场营销始于科学的研究、基于必要的信息、成于资源的保障。最后,本文用美国相关学术研究及商业银行营销实践验证了所提出的营销体系。     

Perceived justice and customer loyalty in the retail banking sector in the UAE

In this study, the impacts of the three dimensions of justice (distributive, interactional, and procedural) on customers’ post-complaint behaviour (ie exit vs loyalty) of both conventional and Islamic banks in the UAE were investigated. The results showed that interactional justice (eg courtesy) and distributive justice (eg refund) play predominant roles, since they impact both positive and negative emotions and the exit-loyalty behaviour of customers regardless of the type of bank (conventional or Islamic). The results show, however, that procedural justice (eg timeliness) has no impact on either negative or positive emotions and the exit-loyalty behaviour of either conventional bank customers or Islamic bank customers. The results were interpreted in terms of cultural context and in terms of managerial implications for conventional and Islamic banks that are mostly dealing with complaint handling and employee training. The limitations of this study are also discussed at the end.     

Assessment of the psychometric properties of SERVQUAL in the Canadian banking industry

This study investigates the psychometric properties of the well-known SERVQUAL model in the Canadian banking industry. The study utilises the performance component of SERVQUAL in an empirical survey conducted among 193 Canadian bank customers. The results support the dimensionality, reliability, convergent reliability, discriminant validity and predictive validity of the scale in this service setting. Thus, SERVQUAL is a suitable instrument for assessing bank service in the Canadian context; bank managers can, therefore, confidently use this instrument to undertake continuous evaluation of their service quality. The results also show that responsiveness and empathy are the most important dimensions of overall service quality in the Canadian banking context. Findings show that the service provided by employees makes the largest contribution to bank customer satisfaction. In view of the study's finding, Canadian bank managers must recognise that frontline employees are crucially important in establishing and maintaining a competitive position for their institution.     

Winning the battle for customers

A financial organisation's ability to retain its customer franchise faces ever-greater challenges from new competitors in the market-place, both locally and globally. Retention is not just a function of keeping customers happy. More than ever, organisations need to know what risks they run of losing customers: which customers, how many and why. Additionally, both the new players in the market and the traditional players need to know how and where they can win new customers. This paper focuses on a new approach to these issues based on global findings. The focus is on the UK banking industry, comparing the new players in the market using direct channels with the traditional high street banks.     

Bank portfolio choice with private information about loan quality: Theory and implications for regulation

This paper models bank asset choice when shareholders know more about loan quality than do outsiders. Because of this informational asymmetry, the price of loans in the secondary market is the price for poor quality loans. Banks desire to hold marketable securities in order to avoid liquidating good quality loans at the ‘lemons’ price, but also have a countervailing desire to hold risky loans in order to maximize the value of deposit insurance. In this context, portfolio composition and bank safety is examined as a function of the market distribution of loan quality, and the distribution of deposits. The model suggests that off-balance sheet commitments have little effect on bankruptcy risk, and induce banks to hold more securities. We also show that an increase in the bank equity requirement will unambiguously increase bank safety in the long run. In the short run, banks are unambiguously riskier on-balance sheet, although the effect on bank safety is ambiguous.     

Online banking in India: An approach to establish CRM

Technology is fast altering the business servicescape. Its role in improving customer service levels is being used strategically and increasingly by service organizations. The service attributes and quality can be enhanced by deployment of technology. The Internet has facilitated convenience in customer interactions and transactions with the banks. Online banking is currently emerging as a new approach in India for providing improved accessibility and expediency to customers. Most banks have their own websites for improving the customer interface and offering online services. The article studies the applicability of online banking in India and its role in fostering relationships with customers and giving them more value. The research was conducted on customers familiar with online banking in India, and their perceptions about online banking were studied. The findings reveal that customers are using the services but are skeptical about the financial transactions and service quality dimensions.     

商业银行与客户价值互换——提升商业银行创值能力的有效途径

随着企业边界的扩大，商业银行的可用资源已经扩展到经营的上游和下游世界。商业银行与客户之间的关系从利益对立方正逐步向利益共同体转变。商业银行只有。为客户创造了价值，客户才会对银行贡献价值。客户的价值贡献能力已经成为商业银行创值活动的主要影响因素；实现商业银行与客户在价值创造活动中的共赢，是提升商业银行创值能力、更新管理理念、培养核心竞争能力的必然选择。     

Are the determinants of bank loyalty brand specific?

One of the primary concerns of companies is to develop loyal customers, and banks are no exception. Past research attempted to examine the role of satisfaction, perceived quality and image, as drivers of bank brand loyalty. However the characteristics of specific bank brands were not taken into consideration. Using data collected from a sample of 216 retail bank customers, banking with five different banks in Athens Greece, this paper investigates whether similar antecedents could be used to predict brand loyalty in various institutions. The results imply that, depending on the bank, different drivers could influence in a dissimilar manner the formation of loyalty and therefore further research is needed to generalise the suggested models.     

The effects of focus versus diversification on bank performance: Evidence from Chinese banks

This paper investigates the effects of focus versus diversification on bank performance using data on Chinese banks during the 1996–2006 period. We construct a new measure, economies of diversification, and compare the results to those of the more conventional focus indices, which are based on the sum of squares of shares in different products or regions. Diversification is captured in four dimensions: loans, deposits, assets, and geography. We find that all four dimensions of diversification are associated with reduced profits and higher costs. These results are robust regardless of alternative measures of diversification and performance. Furthermore, we observe that banks with foreign ownership (both majority and minority ownership) and banks with conglomerate affiliation are associated with fewer diseconomies of diversification, suggesting that foreign ownership and conglomerate affiliation may play important mitigating roles. This analysis may provide important implications for bank managers and regulators in China as well as in other emerging economies.