Service Quality Management in Retail Banking with Reference to Satisfaction and Switching Intentions of the Customers

-- Rashi Goplani

Customers perceive services in terms of the quality of services and how satisfied they are with their experiences. Companies today recognize that they can compete effectively by distinguishing themselves with respect to service quality and improved satisfaction. This paper assesses various variables affecting service quality and satisfaction level of customers of public and private sector banks along with probability of switching the bank. A survey of 650 customers of both public and private sector banks was conducted. First, factor analysis was applied to the variables under consideration so as to identify key factors impacting the level of service quality. Secondly, binary logistic regression was applied to identify the probability of switching of service provider with reference to satisfaction of customers regarding key service quality dimensions. The three key factors identified were responsiveness, ease of banking and tangibles. A few permutations of the aforesaid with switching intentions exhibited various probabilities with which the bank managers can decide strategies to tap customer loyalty. The exercise had a common conclusion that employee empowerment would improve responsiveness and in turn customer satisfaction. Mere investment in tangibles or improvement in operational procedures will not lead to customer satisfaction by itself. In case of highest level of satisfaction too, there is a thin chance of customer switching over to other service provider. Hence, the banks have to constantly strive to meet customer expectations.

© 2017 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Demographic Variables on Customer Satisfaction of Health Insurance Policyholders: A Study of General Insurance Companies in India

--Nair Sheeba Shanti Narayanan

This paper is a comparative analysis of the effects of demographic variables (gender, age, educational qualification, occupation, family monthly income and marital status) on the customer satisfaction of the health insurance policyholders of public and private sector general insurance companies. The data is collected from 800 health insurance policyholders in Greater Mumbai region, Maharashtra, India using simple random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used for collecting primary data. The top eight general insurance companies, both in the public and private sectors, operating in India were selected. Nonparametric chi-square test of independence/association is used for testing the association between demographic variables and the level of customer satisfaction of health insurance policyholders. The findings of the study revealed that in case of public sector general insurance companies, there is a significant association between all demographic variables except occupation of the respondent and overall level of customer satisfaction with the service quality. In case of private sector general insurance companies, there is significant association between three out of six demographic variables (Age, Family Monthly Income and Marital Status) of the respondents and overall level of customer satisfaction with the service quality whereas in case of other demographic variables (Gender, Educational Qualification and Occupation), there is an insignificant association. It is suggested that the general insurance companies should consider these demographic variables to increase the overall level of customer satisfaction with the service quality as every customer is distinct with respect to his or her needs and wants.

© 2017 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Impact of Service Parameters and Customers’ Demographic Characteristics on Satisfaction with e-Tailers with Special Reference to Bareilly City

--Naveen Kumar and Upasana Kanchan

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular in India. With the rapid growth of this sector, it is important for e-tailers to understand various factors affecting the purchase decision of customers. The purpose of this study is to understand the effect of e-tailer service and support system on customer satisfaction in an online environment. The paper attempts to identify the various forms of services provided by an e-tailer and to check if there is any relationship between customer characteristics and their satisfaction with these services. Based on an extensive literature review, factors affecting online purchase intentions, antecedents of service quality and consumer attitudes were identified and a structured questionnaire was prepared. The data was collected through the survey of 100 respondents in Bareilly region of Uttar Pradesh. The findings of the study indicate that customer satisfaction with various services of an e-tailer is not significantly related to their gender, education, age and income. Their overall satisfaction with the e-tailers’ services was found to be related to their future recommendation about online shopping to others. The framework of the study enhances understanding of the factors affecting customer online shopping behavior, helps in profiling typical Indian online shoppers and may help e-marketers to develop more specific marketing strategies to increase e-commerce sales.

© 2017 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Scrutinizing the Factors Influencing Customer Adoption of App-Based Cab Services: An Application of the Technology Acceptance Model

-- Shaunak Roy

With the expeditious proliferation of mobile marketing in today’s technology-empowered society, the demand for ride-sourcing services, as offered by companies such as Uber, Ola or TaxiforSure, have significantly escalated among Indian consumers; they are increasingly disposed to paying a premium for these hassle-free and comfy cabs. This study seeks to investigate the intrinsic motivations, perceptions and adoption mechanisms of users with reference to the app-based cab services, on the basis of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in the metropolitan setting of Kolkata, India. One of the prime reasons for selecting the city of Kolkata as the sampling frame of the research undertaking, was the apparent advantage offered by these ride-sourcing services over the quintessential yellow-taxis of the city. To this end, a sample of 239 app-based cab users were surveyed about their usage trajectories, demographic profiles, perceptions about the technology, as well as their behavioral intentions to avail these app-based cab services. With the concept of the archetypal TAM in the backdrop, a new research model has been proposed with certain modifications made to the existing constructs. These components have been hypothesized in order to effectively analyze the attitudinal and behavioral dimensions of the niche segment of respondents. Based on the findings, the study shall also shed valuable light on the managerial implications for both digital marketers and consumers alike.

© 2017 IUP. All Rights Reserved.